Antarctic Boundary Layer Seeing

Abstract

ABSTRACT We have modeled the wintertime boundary‐layer seeing over the Antarctic ice sheet and find it to be both strong and ubiquitous. We quantify the relations for both the boundary‐layer height and seeing in terms of the surface wind speed. We have also estimated the telescope elevation required to minimize the effect of boundary‐layer seeing and find that a minimum elevation of ∼20 m is required at Dome F. This work demonstrates that regional climate models calibrated by localized observations permit knowledge of the atmosphere to be extended both in space and time and thus constitute a new and powerful tool for quantitative comparison of potential Antarctic telescope sites. CR - Copyright © 2006 The University of Chicago Press