The contribution of the lower atmospheric layers to the seeing at some mountain observatories
Abstract
The results of the seeing campaign of August 1990 at the Mt. Maydanak observatory in the Soviet Middle Asia are presented and compared with the results of the previous similar campaigns at two other sites. The optical measurements of seeing were accompanied by simultaneous microthermal and sodar measurements of the turbulence in the atmospheric ground and boundary layers. It is shown that the atmospheric seeing is mainly determined by the layers located higher than 0.5 km above the summit. It was found earlier that a similar conclusion applies for the Mt. Sanglok observatory and (partly) for the 6-m telescope observatory. It is also valid for the most other sites investigated by other authors except La Silla, Chile. However, a correlation seems to exist between the typical seeing at a given site and the typical intensity of turbulence in the atmospheric ground and boundary layers above it.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- August 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992A&A...262..373G
- Keywords:
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- Astronomical Observatories;
- Atmospheric Turbulence;
- Lower Atmosphere;
- Seeing (Astronomy);
- Site Selection;
- Telescopes;
- Atmospheric Boundary Layer;
- Mountains;
- Statistical Distributions;
- Astronomy