Science programs for a 2-m class telescope at Dome C, Antarctica: PILOT, the Pathfinder for an International Large Optical Telescope - UTU Research Portal

A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Science programs for a 2-m class telescope at Dome C, Antarctica: PILOT, the Pathfinder for an International Large Optical Telescope

Authors: Burton MG, Lawrence JS, Ashley MCB, Bailey JA, Blake C, Bedding TR, Bland-Hawthorn J, Bond IA, Glazebrook K, Hidas MG, Lewis G, Longmore SN, Maddison ST, Mattila S, Minier V, Ryder SD, Sharp R, Smith CH, Storey JWV, Tinney CG, Tuthill P, Walsh AJ, Walsh W, Whiting M, Wong T, Woods D, Yock PCM

Publisher: CSIRO PUBLISHING

Publication year: 2005

Journal: Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

Journal name in source: PUBLICATIONS OF THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA

Journal acronym: PUBL ASTRON SOC AUST

Volume: 22

Issue: 3

First page : 199

Last page: 235

Number of pages: 37

ISSN: 1323-3580

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/AS04077

Abstract

The cold, dry, and stable air above the summits of the Antarctic plateau provides the best ground-based observing conditions from optical to sub-millimetre wavelengths to be found on the Earth. Pathfinder for an International Large Optical Telescope (PILOT) is a proposed 2m telescope, to be built at Dome C in Antarctica, able to exploit these conditions for conducting astronomy at optical and infrared wavelengths. While PILOT is intended as a pathfinder towards the construction of future grand-design facilities, it will also be able to undertake a range of fundamental science investigations in its own right. This paper provides the performance specifications for PILOT, including its instrumentation. It then describes the kinds of projects that it could best conduct. These range from planetary science to the search for other solar systems, from star formation within the Galaxy to the star formation history of the Universe, and from gravitational lensing caused by exo-planets to that produced by the cosmic web of dark matter. PILOT would be particularly powerful for wide-field imaging at infrared wavelengths, achieving near diffraction-limited performance with simple tip-tilt wavefront correction. PILOT would also be capable of near diffraction-limited performance in the optical wavebands, as well be able to open new wavebands for regular ground-based observation, in the mid-IR from 17 to 40 mu m and in the sub-millimetre at 200 mu m.