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The PLATO Dome A Site-Testing Observatory: Instrumentation and First Results

Authors :: Yang, H.
Allen, G.
Ashley, M. C. B.
Bonner, C. S.
Bradley, S.
Cui, X.
Everett, J. R.
Feng, L.
Gong, X.
Hengst, S.
Hu, J.
Jiang, Z.
Kulesa, C. A.
Lawrence, J. S.
Li, Y.
Luong-Van, D.
McCaughrean, M. J.
Moore, A. M.
Pennypacker, C.
Qin, W.
Riddle, R.
Shang, Z.
Storey, J. W. V.
Sun, B.
Suntzeff, N.
Tothill, N. F. H.
Travouillon, T.
Walker, C. K.
Wang, L.
Yan, J.
Yang, J.
York, D.
Yuan, X.
Zhang, X.
Zhang, Z.
Zhou, X.
Zhu, Z.
Source :: Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific; February 2009, Vol. 121 Issue: 876 p174-184, 11p
Publication Year :: 2009
Abstract: The PLATeau Observatory (PLATO) is an automated self-powered astrophysical observatory that was deployed to Dome A, the highest point on the Antarctic plateau, in 2008 January. PLATO consists of a suite of site-testing instruments designed to quantify the benefits of the Dome A site for astronomy, and science instruments designed to take advantage of the unique observing conditions. Instruments include CSTAR, an array of optical telescopes for transient astronomy; Gattini, an instrument to measure the optical sky brightness and cloud cover statistics; DASLE, an experiment to measure the statistics of the meteorological conditions within the near-surface layer; Pre-HEAT, a submillimeter tipping radiometer measuring the atmospheric transmission and water vapor content and performing spectral line imaging of the Galactic plane; and Snodar, an acoustic radar designed to measure turbulence within the near-surface layer. PLATO has run completely unattended and collected data throughout the winter 2008 season. Here we present a detailed description of the PLATO instrument suite and preliminary results obtained from the first season of operation.