Optical turbulence vertical profiles and estimates of the turbulence outer scale above the Baykal Astrophysical Observatory
A.Yu. Shikhovtsev1, P.G. Kovadlo1,2
1Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics of the Siberian Branch of the RAS, Irkutsk, Russia
2V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Tomsk, Russia
Keywords: astroclimate, atmosphere, turbulence, outer scale of turbulence
Abstract
The study of the spatiotemporal structure of optical turbulence and the development of methods for determining its characteristics at different altitudes in the atmosphere are of great importance for astronomical adaptive optics. Design of an adaptive optics system and technical characteristics of its components largely depend on optical turbulence along the line of sight a telescope. In this paper, the method for estimation of vertical profiles of the air refractive index structure characteristic is modified. Based on the ERA5 reanalysis data, this method was used to derive statistically representative vertical profiles of the air refractive index structure characteristic and the outer scale of turbulence at the Large Solar Vacuum Telescope (LSVT) site. The problem of estimating the turbulence outer scale is discussed taking into account surface mast micrometeorological measurements and optical measurements at the LSVT. The results are the basis for constructing a multi-mirror adaptive optics system for the LSVT. In particular, these profiles are important for further refinement of the optical conjugation heights. The suggested method can also be used to describe optical turbulence over other ground-based solar telescopes.
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