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The SOFIA Observatory at the Start of Routine Science Operations : Mission capabilities and performance
The SOFIA Observatory at the Start of Routine Science Operations : Mission capabilities and performance
- Source :
- Web of Science
- Publication Year :
- 2014
- Publisher :
- arXiv, 2014.
-
Abstract
- The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has recently concluded a set of engineering flights for Observatory performance evaluation. These in-flight opportunities are viewed as a first comprehensive assessment of the Observatory's performance and are used to guide future development activities, as well as to identify additional Observatory upgrades. Pointing stability was evaluated, including the image motion due to rigid-body and flexible-body telescope modes as well as possible aero-optical image motion. We report on recent improvements in pointing stability by using an active mass damper system installed on the telescope. Measurements and characterization of the shear layer and cavity seeing, as well as image quality evaluation as a function of wavelength have also been performed. Additional tests targeted basic Observatory capabilities and requirements, including pointing accuracy, chopper evaluation and imager sensitivity. This paper reports on the data collected during these flights and presents current SOFIA Observatory performance and characterization.<br />Comment: 13 pages, 13 figure, and 2 tables; accepted by ApJS
- Subjects :
- Physics
Image quality
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
Astrophysics::Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
FOS: Physical sciences
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Photometer
law.invention
Telescope
Shear layer
Space and Planetary Science
Observatory
law
Image motion
Astronomical interferometer
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)
Remote sensing
Subjects
Details
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Web of Science
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....7ee27abcd3b6288571e87abc7a5bc3c2
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1405.7390