First Results of the Site Survey for a Large Solar Optical/Infrared Telescope

Session 2 - Everything Else.
Display session, Friday, June 27
Ballroom C, Chair: Richard Canfield

[2.23] First Results of the Site Survey for a Large Solar Optical/Infrared Telescope

J. M. Beckers (National Solar Observatory, Sunspot/Tucson), J. Mason (National Solar Observatory, Sunspot)

We will present the first results of a seeing survey of four existing solar observatories : the HAO Mauna Loa Observatory, the Big Bear Solar Observatory, the Sacramento Peak Observatory and the solar observatory site on La Palma. The measurements started in September 1996. The survey uses observations of the scintillation of the solar irradiance (Seykora meters, see Solar Physics Volume 145, p.389) as a proxy for the atmospheric seeing. In addition to presenting the results, issues relating to the calibration of the measurements in terms of the Fried Parameter will be discussed. A modification of the Seykora meter will be described which is capable of measuring the atmospheric refractive index structure constant as a function of height.

Program listing for Friday