Simulating Vertical Profiles of Optical Turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory Site

In this paper, we used meteorological data to simulate vertical profiles of optical turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) (Russia, 43°40′19″ N 41°26′23″ E, 2100 m a.s.l.), site of the 6 m Big Telescope Alt-azimuthal. For the first time, the vertical profiles of optical turbulence...

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Main Authors: Artem Y. Shikhovtsev, Sergey A. Potanin, Evgeniy A. Kopylov, Xuan Qian, Lidia A Bolbasova, Asya V. Panchuk, Pavel G. Kovadlo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Atmosphere
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/11/1346
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author Artem Y. Shikhovtsev
Sergey A. Potanin
Evgeniy A. Kopylov
Xuan Qian
Lidia A Bolbasova
Asya V. Panchuk
Pavel G. Kovadlo
author_facet Artem Y. Shikhovtsev
Sergey A. Potanin
Evgeniy A. Kopylov
Xuan Qian
Lidia A Bolbasova
Asya V. Panchuk
Pavel G. Kovadlo
author_sort Artem Y. Shikhovtsev
collection DOAJ
description In this paper, we used meteorological data to simulate vertical profiles of optical turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) (Russia, 43°40′19″ N 41°26′23″ E, 2100 m a.s.l.), site of the 6 m Big Telescope Alt-azimuthal. For the first time, the vertical profiles of optical turbulence are calculated for the SAO using ERA-5 reanalysis data. These profiles are corrected using DIMM measurements as well as estimations of atmospheric boundary layer heights. We may note that the method basically reconstructs the most important features of the shape of the measured profile under clear sky. Atmospheric turbulent layers were identified, and the strength of optical turbulence in these layers was estimated. The model hourly values of seeing corresponding to the obtained vertical profiles range from 0.40 to 3.40 arc sec; the values of the isoplanatic angle vary in the range from 1.00 to 3.00 arc sec (at <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>λ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> = 500 nm). The calculated median of seeing is close to 1.21 arc sec. These estimations are close to the measured median of seeing (1.21 arc sec).
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institution Kabale University
issn 2073-4433
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publishDate 2024-11-01
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series Atmosphere
spelling doaj-art-65e8ee0d295e43f8a38cdfff8bd151522024-11-26T17:50:27ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332024-11-011511134610.3390/atmos15111346Simulating Vertical Profiles of Optical Turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory SiteArtem Y. Shikhovtsev0Sergey A. Potanin1Evgeniy A. Kopylov2Xuan Qian3Lidia A Bolbasova4Asya V. Panchuk5Pavel G. Kovadlo6Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk 664033, RussiaSternberg Astronomical Institute, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Universitetskii Ave. 13, Moscow 119234, RussiaInstitute of Astronomy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119017, RussiaNational Astronomical Observatories of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20A Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, ChinaV.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk 634055, RussiaSpecial Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhnij Arkhyz, Zelenchukskiy Region, Karachai-Cherkessian 369167, RussiaInstitute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk 664033, RussiaIn this paper, we used meteorological data to simulate vertical profiles of optical turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) (Russia, 43°40′19″ N 41°26′23″ E, 2100 m a.s.l.), site of the 6 m Big Telescope Alt-azimuthal. For the first time, the vertical profiles of optical turbulence are calculated for the SAO using ERA-5 reanalysis data. These profiles are corrected using DIMM measurements as well as estimations of atmospheric boundary layer heights. We may note that the method basically reconstructs the most important features of the shape of the measured profile under clear sky. Atmospheric turbulent layers were identified, and the strength of optical turbulence in these layers was estimated. The model hourly values of seeing corresponding to the obtained vertical profiles range from 0.40 to 3.40 arc sec; the values of the isoplanatic angle vary in the range from 1.00 to 3.00 arc sec (at <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>λ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> = 500 nm). The calculated median of seeing is close to 1.21 arc sec. These estimations are close to the measured median of seeing (1.21 arc sec).https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/11/1346optical turbulenceprofilesERA-5 reanalysisair refractive index structure constant <named-content content-type="equation"><inline-formula><mml:math id="mm5555"><mml:semantics><mml:msubsup><mml:mi>C</mml:mi><mml:mi>n</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msubsup></mml:semantics></mml:math></inline-formula></named-content>
spellingShingle Artem Y. Shikhovtsev
Sergey A. Potanin
Evgeniy A. Kopylov
Xuan Qian
Lidia A Bolbasova
Asya V. Panchuk
Pavel G. Kovadlo
Simulating Vertical Profiles of Optical Turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory Site
Atmosphere
optical turbulence
profiles
ERA-5 reanalysis
air refractive index structure constant <named-content content-type="equation"><inline-formula><mml:math id="mm5555"><mml:semantics><mml:msubsup><mml:mi>C</mml:mi><mml:mi>n</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msubsup></mml:semantics></mml:math></inline-formula></named-content>
title Simulating Vertical Profiles of Optical Turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory Site
title_full Simulating Vertical Profiles of Optical Turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory Site
title_fullStr Simulating Vertical Profiles of Optical Turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory Site
title_full_unstemmed Simulating Vertical Profiles of Optical Turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory Site
title_short Simulating Vertical Profiles of Optical Turbulence at the Special Astrophysical Observatory Site
title_sort simulating vertical profiles of optical turbulence at the special astrophysical observatory site
topic optical turbulence
profiles
ERA-5 reanalysis
air refractive index structure constant <named-content content-type="equation"><inline-formula><mml:math id="mm5555"><mml:semantics><mml:msubsup><mml:mi>C</mml:mi><mml:mi>n</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msubsup></mml:semantics></mml:math></inline-formula></named-content>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/11/1346
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