NATIONALSOLAROBSERVATORY NSO TUCSON, ARIZONA • SAC PEAK, NEW MEXICO
From the NSO Director’s Office
Steve Keil
SO staff and several of our partners have been busy this generation bidimensional spectrometry instrument based on fall preparing a construction proposal for the Advanced a dual Fabry-Perot interferometric system. It combines high- Technology Solar Telescope (ATST). e proposal will be spectral resolution with short exposure times and a large field of Nsubmitted by the end of 2003 to comply with the National Science view, as well as the ability to work in polarized light. is will allow Foundation Major Research Equipment program schedule for a it to address a variety of observational programs in solar physics. potential startup in 2006. e proposal is based on the conceptual IBIS is one of the concepts under consideration for a visible light, design developed over the past few years that was reviewed at a narrowband filter for the ATST. It is currently fed by the low-order Conceptual Design Review in late August. adaptive optics system and can be used simultaneously with the horizontal spectrograph and other filter systems. A parallel effort to submit a proposal to the European Union (EU) to participate in the final stages of the design effort is being New data collection computers are being installed at the DST organized for the EU Sixth Framework Program. is will hopefully facility, and a data transfer system is being established to allow set the stage for later European participation in the telescope users to take the data home on the medium of their choice. e construction phase. system will be available for users during the next several quarters.
Because of the unique role the ATST will play in resolving fundamental ✹ magnetoconvection processes and magnetic fine structure throughout the solar atmosphere, its impact will be much broader than solar Aer a short hiatus from workshops, NSO is planning to hold its physics alone. e ATST will elucidate the mechanisms involved 22nd Sacramento Peak Workshop on large-scale processes and the in plasma-field interactions that are seen throughout astrophysics, role they play in solar activity. Dates of the meeting are still being plasma physics, and solar-terrestrial and space physics. Our guest determined, and an official announcement will be made soon. Feel editorial by Eugene Parker presents a wonderful summary of some of free to contact K. Sankarasubramanian ([email protected]) if you these broader impacts. have questions about the workshop or would like to participate.
✹ Next spring, Sac Peak will also host a NASA-sponsored US Planning Workshop for the 2007 International Heliophysical Aer a month of overlapping magnetograms with SOLIS, the Kitt Year. For more information on this planning workshop, contact Peak Vacuum Telescope (KPVT) took its last observations on 21 K. S. Balasubramanaiam ([email protected]). September 2003. Many of the staff and community who operated the KPVT and used its output showed up for a final farewell ceremony. ✹ e KPVT facility is now being prepared for SOLIS, which we anticipate moving up to the mountain early in 2004. NSO is pleased to welcome three new employees. Mark Komsa, an instrumentation engineer comes to Sac Peak from Youngstown, ✹ OH, where he gained experience with a variety of hardware and soware working in application and soware engineering. Several changes in NSO observing capabilities have begun to take place Andrew Whitehorse has been hired as a general maintenance recently. e solar group from Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory in person and will work with craspersons at Sac Peak in support Florence brought their Interferometric BI-dimensional Spectrometer of the facilities maintenance program. Igor Suarez-Sola will work (IBIS) narrowband filter system to Sacramento Peak, where it has with Frank Hill on the Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO) project in been installed at the Dunn Solar Telescope (DST). IBIS is a next- Tucson as a senior soware engineer. NOAO-NSO 76 Newsletter
28 December 2003 December 2003 29 NATIONALSOLAROBSERVATORY NSO TUCSON, ARIZONA • SAC PEAK, NEW MEXICO
Scientific Perspective for the ATST
he magnetic-gravitational-plasma Universe is the It is only when we get to the Sun that remote, ground-based subject of contemporary astrophysics, and it exhibits a study becomes possible. e visible surface of the Sun is seemingly endless variety of exotic phenomena that are opaque, by definition, and it exhibits numerous magnetic Tmysterious, baffling, and challenging. Each major advance in phenomena that are a part of the overall activity of the observational technology reveals a new facet of the Universe. Sun. e sunspot is the classic example, followed by flares, prominences, the corona, magnetic active regions, magnetic e one common thread is the involvement of plasma and fibrils, etc. So the concept of a placid “eternal” Sun has been magnetic fields. Presumably the diverse plasma phenomena supplanted by the revelation that it is an ordinary star, despite are all consequences of the basic laws of physics, learned from its multibillion-year life expectancy, alive with transients that observations of the solar system and from experiments in are for the most part created by the interaction of magnetic the terrestrial laboratory. It should be understood, however, fields and the convectively driven plasma. We are so used that the basic laws of physics—Newton, Maxwell, Lorentz, Boltzmann, Planck, Einstein, Schrödinger, Heisenberg, Dirac, et al.—allow an infinite variety of effects, so we generally understand the manifestations of the basic laws only insofar as nature exhibits them to us. e distant plasma manifestations observed in the Universe turn the problem around, demanding a connection back to the basic laws. So we speculate on the nature of the exotic plasma effects in the distant phenomena.
It is natural to ask what dynamical manifestations can be seen in laboratory experiments with magnetized plasma. Unfortunately, the small size of the terrestrial plasma physics laboratory mostly limits the experimental effects to transient phenomena. Steady flows of plasma can be studied, but any quasi-equilibrium of field and plasma is short lived. Indeed, the complexity of the plasma dynamics is astounding. Were it not, plasma fusion of hydrogen into helium would have been achieved long ago, and today plasma fusion might well be a major energy source in the world.
Larger dimensions are needed to explore the dynamics of plasmas and magnetic fields, and the astronomical Universe is the available venue. e magnetosphere of Earth is the ATST layout design presented at CoDR. nearest “natural” plasma dynamical demonstration, but it suffers the disadvantage of transparency. e ground-based to this concept nowadays that we fail to appreciate the full observer looks right through it, so that diagnostics are implications—that the magnetic activity of a star is a whole field of astrophysics in its own right.
limited to magnetic fluctuations at the surface of Earth with NOAO-NSO 76 Newsletter measurements of the field, plasma, and fast particles carried out in situ with spacecra instruments. In recent decades, astronomical observations have found the Universe to be full of violently active objects, from e solar wind is, of course, an integral part of the X-ray stars to active galactic nuclei and their black holes, magnetospheric dynamics, again suffering from nearly from accretion disks to relativistic jets. Activity, whether the perfect transparency and, hence, studied only through in situ magnetic activity of a star like the Sun or the gravitationally measurements. fed explosive activity of an active galactic nucleus, is the rule
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28 December 2003 December 2003 29 NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 3 0 rm h Sn s rbby h oe xeto, lcn the placing exception, one the probably is Sun the from detect, nor the theoretician have guessed. e X-ray emission not would observer distant a that activity magnetic exhibits comparativelymodest,continuallyis activity Sun, whose e large-scale effects. only to explanationand speculation theoretical limiting thus galaxies,and starsdistant the featuresof gross the than more see Unhappily,exception.to the way than no haverather we Scientific Perspective for the ATST continued in complicated ways, accompanied by microflares and microflares by accompanied ways, complicated other each in with interact fibrils e not measurable. arepresently appearances, momentary by indicated is existence whose fibrils, smaller e seeing. excellent of periods brief during made be can flux magnetic total the measurementsof brightnessand,properlynotresolved,their by while detected are directly diameter) in kilometers (100–200 fibrils larger complex e fibrils. a or bundles, flux as magnetic individual surface of tapestry of visible the fields through magnetic emerge the Sun that the then, appreciated, be must It current in effectively solar telescopes. resolved not is kilometers 100 Even fibrils.magnetic individual inof interactions and involved structure the seemingly arcsec) (0.04–0.1 kilometers 100 up to reconnection, magnetic rapid in formed sheets current the of thickness the meters,in from range scales small active e task. scientific fundamental accomplishthis to close too none is Sun noted,activity.the already magnetic And,asfor foundationtheoretical solid a buildingfor laboratoryphysics plasma necessary the the provides So,Sun the by exhibited scales. activity small the of understanding precise more a to today of developing first without galaxies to phenomenaand stars of classes other solar active the of theories gross the from quantitatively extrapolate well very cannot we but We infer that other stars exhibit (meters and kilometers) scales. small very of development dynamical the atmosphere without solar conducting highly the in fields of magnetic reconnection rapid no is there particular, In processes. there were not internal if small-scale occur could effects scale large- these of None surface. energy visible the is through minimum flux emerging magnetic to fresh where connections regions above field configurations magnetic the of the X-ray corona, as well as the rapid, but quiet, readjustments such things as coronal aremass ejections and mind flares,in the heatinghave of we that phenomena major e Earth. on point vantage our from even see to difficult are scales small very those and Sun, the on phenomena active major the role in essential an plays structure small-scale very that years at distance.detected a However, clearrecentitin become has be can that emitters X-ray weak of myriads the among Sun NSO December 2003 December similar dynamical phenomena, wi u o sae o 3 t 20 ioees mn the among kilometers and temperature structure. e 200 small-scale fluid motions are to 30 interacting of fibrils and ultimately,the scales associated small-scale fluid on motions and, us surprises await what detected anticipate to way no be is ere understood. to waiting observations, present from hiding world astronomical new a is there So systematic exploration and study. understood because we cannot see the fibrils well enough for all at not is world this fibrils, but magnetic the in rooted all levels,coronalat threads and loops active a of worldfantastic reveal spacecra ACE and TRACE, SoHO, e region. transitionchromosphere and the in ultraviolet extreme and of jets Tiny penumbra.and umbra filamentary complicated its with sunspot, a form to regions,active for reasonsome locally sometimescoalescing magnetic complex the form that fibrils of myriads these is unknown.isSun Itthe of surface the formingbeneaththeir of manner e guesswork. theoretical remains interactions and structure individual their of nature the nanoflares, and the diverse other stars. activity of complex appreciateinvolvedbetternature, toisin comewhat will itswe of understanding better a its have studying we behaviors, of years this some aer observe when, And closely microworld. to necessary resolution spatial of high numbers large and cadence, take rapid dispersion, high the provide will to photons It (ATST). Telescope Solar new observational technology like the byAdvanced Technologydiscovered be to waiting is Sun the of microworld is with existing seen in sizeto instruments. be chromosphere, the through up transition region, and corona, because they are interactions just too small fibril the of simplynot known at present, nor are atmosphericthe effects Departments of Astronomy & Astrophysics, and Physics and &Astrophysics, Astronomy of Departments Chicago of University e S. Chandrasekhar Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus N. Parker Eugene
hot gas show up in ultraviolet in up show gas hot December 2003 December NSO
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1 NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 Newsletter NOAO-NSO NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 3 0 NSO December 2003 December ein n promn adtoa CFD additional performing and design adjustingventsopen.theWebe allwill domewiththecenteroccursnearthe of to 30 percent of 20 the calculatedoutside approximately wind speed. average was is throughput e conditions. wind external of variety a under thedome assess inside patterns to and rates used air-flow was effort modeling is modeling. (CFD)Dynamics Fluid Computational initial for Incorporated CAD three-dimensional model of the enclosure A was sent to Fluent previoussystem. ventilation from passive the to were changes designs major e enclosuretheCoDR. thedesignpriorto A number of modifications were made to Enclosure atst.nso.edu/meetings/codr/ Science and at available are Workingreports Group Committee as CoDR well the as article presentations, the individual e this CoDR. of the at presented aspects material of several summarizes remainder e calendar year. the of end the by Foundation Science construction ATST proposalforsubmissionNational the to the on working been the also has team by e team. prepared project were by groups, both offered recommendations useful very the addressing for plans include which ASWG, and by Committee the CoDR to Responses led Rimmele. (ASWG), omas Group Working Science Carnegie ATST the of from and Johns Institute, the Matt by committee, chaired from review design 11-person feedback received project constructive e attendance. people in 70 approximately were NM. Sunspot,ere in August in held (CoDR), was Review Design Conceptual T oa Tlsoe AS) the (ATST), Telescope Technology Solar Advanced review the design of major first he ATST Passes through Conceptual Design Review . ak anr Rn rc, Nathan various aspects of the telescope assembly Price, Dalrymple, Ron andHubbardRob presented Warner, Mark Telescope and Facility Design the ATST site is chosen. aspects and site-specific topography once thermal addlikely Futurewill modeling conditions. direction wind most under two factorof a bythisraise modeling to Figure 1.ATST Telescope Assembly. Jim Oschmann & the ATST &the Jim Oschmann Team ra ta w ne t big p o an to up bring to need we that few areas a however, also, are ere conceptual level. a at considered normally is what beyond areas most in thermal evolved supports, have piping and wraps, cable as systems, such Details mirror optics. feed and secondary stop, heat assemblies, and primary as the such areas critical expanded with 1, figure in shown is design telescope e details. performance and design December 2003 December NSO continued
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1 NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 Newsletter NOAO-NSO NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 3 2 that this feature would be critical critical be would feature this that ASWGthe and committee the between agreementunanimous was ere area. instrument Gregorian the at rotator a direct result a of this Asreview, we levels.are adding required to telescope the of properties polarization the will calibrate we how as such level, equivalent ATST continued Review Passes the preliminary design phase. during address to remain challenges thermal mirrors deformable the and cooling system. the Some feed of optics simple relatively a of implementation was complete and looks acceptable with mirror secondary for baseline the modeling element finite ermal optics. the of all for presented were thermal options control and details, concept design analysis, thermal More systems leading up to the CoDR. to the telescope optics and their changes major no were ere Optics forsuch mirrors have begun. vendors Initial with discussions mirrors. deformable the of aspects thermal in and environment, lab coudé warm telescope air relatively the andenvironment ambient the between optics.Further work laytheinterfacein feed and stop, heat mirror,secondary systems,otherincludingthe of number a and these for estimated were needs mirror.primarytheand domeCooling temperature variations were Daytime used in his model for the effects. seeing resulting with differences temperature of modeling his validate to measurements used were Bear Big from and Gemini Data design. enclosure hybrid ATST the of effects seeing and control thermal presented Dalrymple Nathan Considerationsermal Gregorian the of instrument station. use science the to NSO December 2003 December coudé lab. upper the on examples concept two-instrument and Figure 2. Beam reducer, instrument camera feed paths, vrey f ntuet combinations instrument of variety a allowing ATST, of address needs flexibility to the meant is lab beam of the coudé collimated e input two 2). figure the (see floors of either above heightconvenient a to relayed with pupil the beam collimated a provides100-millimeter is reducer. beam a concept uses present our lab, coudé the to feed collimated multiple the From feed instruments. to is design evolution optical the significant in of area One the of ATST off-axisconcept. testing and manufacturing the of feasibility the support studies ese to session information.vendor closed proprietary protect in presented studies fabrication were M1 the of Results anann te oain f h flat, the of location while the instrument maintaining any to input the at to magnification or elements scale plate the two modify the of for changes allows system easy is CoDR. the at presented concepts several of one was system camera two-mirror e system. camera a two-mirror by followed floor, lab coudé the above path collimated the an added, instrument appropriatesplitter beam into inserted is new each For added. be easily can more butshown, is simultaneously instruments two feeding for design dra A changes. future and f aai; mgn, iil, tunable, visible, imaging, Hawaii); of near- (Universityspectropolarimeter infrared Observatory); Altitude (High spectropolarimeter imager visible broadband (Lockheed); light visible use: the observatory for evaluating simultaneous and flexible of and telescope the by provided facilities purpose the for presented were instruments the following on thoughts initial and Concepts Instrumentation multiple instruments. feed to optics feed camera identical sets of multiple purchasing by saved be any the can money and used at be wavelengthcan With instruments optics, reflective plane. focal telecentric r ecuae t lo a or Web our at look to encouraged are Readers method. observing common a in changes handles that system block instrument virtual model steps in as a very flexible building the where is is scenarios. variousobserving in together Controls and Soware New Jersey Institute Technology). of tunable Solar and Research Solar Center, Observatory Bear (Big system Institute); filter infrared Kiepenheuer NSO, (NASA, filter narrow-passband of instruments that need to work to need that instruments of arrangement flexible and diverse a support we how is area key A control system. telescope the through controlled how are and interact with these along etc.), control, mountas control, mirror primary (such presented was control subsystem the telescope major each of for systems overview An Model.” Instrument requirements, “Virtual overview,the and overview, design design technical functional including presented, were and design soware controls system-level e continued December 2003 December NSO
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3 NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 Newsletter NOAO-NSO NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 3 2 NSO December 2003 December data regularly since mid-August. is was coordinated coordinated Telescope Vacuum Peak was Kitt the at is taken data similar with mid-August. since regularly data I were quality image delivered and telescope the of analysis uperror budget analysis. Withdistributions,the Monte Carlo bottom-the tostatistics) model siteseeing, thermal and wind initial estimates and statistical data where available (including quality.image deliveredWe added on have bear which of all three highest Histhe priority efforts haveon budgets, focused Rob Hubbard presented top-down, system-level error budgets. Systems Engineering controls and soware. ATST of aspects other and this on informationmore for site ATST continued Review Passes vector spectromagnetograph (VSM) has been taking taking been has (VSM) aperture spectromagnetograph e 50-centimeter vector the SOLIS. for instrument, time SOLIS exciting major and busy a been has t was 1minute. KPVTisthe KittPeak Vacuum Telescope spectromagnetograph; scantimewas40minutes. was time scan SOLIS; of spectromagnetograph vector Imager,Doppler time Michelson acquisition the SoHO; is onboard minutes.MDI instrument 11 filter-based a the is VSM centimeter. square per Maxwells 15 at saturate displays the and gray than darker or lighter as displayed is signal the of sign The field. magnetic photospheric ofthe line-of-sightcomponent the showing magnetograms full-disk Portionsofthree 1. Figure Jack Harvey & the SOLIS Team SOLIS the & Harvey Jack SOLIS sets onto a common scale. common a onto sets data both place to required be will factor a correction only small that obvious already is it but ongoing, is data new and old the of Comparison service. of years 30 aer 2003, September on 22 closed was facility latter the until (KPVT) busy winter/spring period. on our Web site for the latest developments. It be a will very eye year.an Keep new the of beginning the at stage design the end of this calendar year, and the start of the preliminary at proposal phase construction the selection,completionof site the include milestones major upcoming project’s e Upcoming Milestones refinedbe throughout the D&D phase. continues to effort (AO,is loop). optics,open activeand presented for the three primary image-quality error budgets December 2003 December NSO continued
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3 NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 Newsletter NOAO-NSO NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 3 4 magnetograms magnetograms from three instruments. longitudinal-component photospheric Figure 1 compares nearly simultaneous instrumental error.point of zero or effects polarization free essentially are data new the durations,and observing Signal-to-noise ratio is at least 20 times better for equal data. KPVT old the to superior clearly are data VSM e SOLIS continued Patrol (FDP) and the Integrated Sunlight Spectrometer Spectrometer Sunlight Integrated the and (FDP) Full-Disk Patrol the instruments, SOLIS remaining the on Work currently are we partners. for looking shortages, budget these for compensate help To SOLIS. of potentials scientific realize and to operational the required less than less significantly and be proposed to originally expected than is 2004 FY in SOLIS for budget operations the Unfortunately, observing (ATST) site. Telescope Solar Technology Advanced future the to made is move final a until location will this to moved SOLIS be months, few next the In Tower. SOLIS new the as refurbished of Arizona, while the old University KPVT is being the Campus of the Center Agricultural at site VSM temporary the its at with conducted been has program observing regular facility, the Since the closure of the KPVT observing are they non-radial. where regions, polar active in and as well network as radial, are they where Sun regions, quiet in measured be may field vector the that shows reduction incomplete this Even vector full-disk VSM.the with obtained magnetogram first the reduced of partly version rough, a is 2 the structure. Figure solar on real a is feature image VSM every display, In this clear. characteristics be should data VSM the noise of superior e NSO December 2003 December Geometric rectification of the imageshasnotbeendonehere. degrees. 45 by differ that axes azimuth along field transverse the of square the to proportional roughly components, polarization symmetric the are U and Q of-sight. line- the along component field the to proportional roughly profile, line the across polarization of component antisymmetric the is V only. line 630.25-nanometer the from derived are images These conditions. seeing poor and integrations short with August2003 30 takenon magnetogram vector VSM reduced partly Rough, 2. Figure VSM and the FDP. the VSMand the both of quality image the improve significantly should guiding Fast tracking). ephemeris-derived open-loop, just both with running for currently is latter systems (the VSM the and guider FDP the fast identical nearly the test a for as bed used being is instrument FDP e VSM. working the currently on is team the of most since slow is (ISS), December 2003 December NSO
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5 NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 Newsletter NOAO-NSO NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 3 4 NSO December 2003 December spatial scalesof 0.2arcsecisvisibleinthisimage. on Structure arcsec. 1 are marks Tick flare. the of end the right corner of the image. This particular image is from near that the flare was triggered by new flux emerging in the lower some as tops,loop flare.the during bright become indicate data The well as loops, the of footpoints the that It appears eruption. system loop super-penumbral a The shows 28. movie October on flare X17.2 the produced that region active big the of part was 24 October on limb the to close H 1. Figure Spectromagnetograph Vector the of scheme modulation the to similar is DLSP the for used scheme modulation e ferroelectric liquid (FeLC)crystal modulators was integrated. In the final phase thisof project, opportunity a new modulation unit using of targets and seeing good (e.g., flares) they arise.as of periods of advantage full take can that instrument facility permanent a commissioned Marchfully havingin been 2004, become will and,adaptivehigh-order(AO)systemoptics developed aer Altitude Observatory. e DLSP is integrated with the newly project collaborative a between the National is (NSO) Solar Observatory and the High DLSP e 2003. October 24 on T f snpt t h Dn Slr eecp (DST) Telescope Solar Dunn the at sunspot a of profiles Stokes ultrahigh-resolution first its obtained (DLSP) Spectro-Polarimeter Diffraction-Limited he α image of a flare. The small sunspot observed sunspot small The flare. a of image Diffraction-Limited Polarimetry at the Dunn Solar Telescope DLSP &AO Teams airto cnrl wr itgae ad ucsfly tested during theDLSP. an engineeringof run successfully and integrated were control) control, calibration spectrograph demodulation, Different (modulator, second. per modules frames 50 to up at runs camera of e sampling spatial nanometers. 630.2 at DST the of limit a diffraction the is which arcsec, 0.18 achieve of resolution spatial to a i.e., pixel, per used 0.09-arcsec is PixelVision camera high-quantum-efficiency Pluto A SOLIS. of (VSM) f h snpt Fgr 2 hw te otnu intensity continuum the shows 2 Figure sunspot. the of maps polarization produce to processed were profiles Stokes observed the data, DLSP the of quality the of example an As recorded before and aer theflare. scales at of 0.2 arcsec (see figure 1). structure DLSP flare vector magnetic field time, maps were first the for ( knowledge page our Web NSO the been has on posted movie flare Hα first stunning Hα A produced. of being Movies currently are images regions. G-band and active dopplergrams, filtergrams, was different activity two in flare recorded and observed information, were contextual images provide G-band line to a photospheric nanometers). 543.4 of I scans (Fe spectral and filtergrams Hα high-resolution recorded (UBF) Filter Birefringent Universal e size). step (0.09-arcsec mode resolution spatial highest image DLSP’s the with consistentsunspot a scan to and able were we quality,and excellent delivered the AO time, observing high-order the of much During scans regions. several active recorded of DLSP the 2003, October 23–25 On these mapswererecordedonOctober24. Figure 2. DLSP scan of active region NOAA 0484. Several of www.nso.edu December 2003 December soig to showing, ) NSO continued
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5 NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 Newsletter NOAO-NSO NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 3 6 Moreover, since the KPVT had such a long and very very and long a such had productive at run relatively low cost, the event was more a of KPVT the since Moreover, replaced by SOLIS, which provides far superior observations. being is KPVT the that not were it if event sad a been have might It folklore. that to counter-examplestrong a is is telescope. any retire never astronomers that said oen is It force guiding the Livingston, Bill by behind thefacility. made scientists being and observations e final the watched group observers large day, out-of-state.a following from people KPVT three including present attended, Many wife, and 20. September his former on party and dinner gala partner, a hosted Pat, KPVT NASA/GSFC long-time T iie plrmty a be ahee. e oe o this of cover e achieved. been has polarimetry diffraction- of limited goal the that showing maps, is these DST in the visible of limit diffraction the to close Structure map. high-resolutionproducethis to time observing minutesof 50 of total A and view steps 660 it took aboutwerefield the to scan of used sunspot. observed the of map polarization and Diffraction-Limited continuedPolarimetry ln wt te ahr f h tlsoe Bl Lvnso, to Livingston, Bill make surethatthelastmagnetogramisagoodone. telescope, the of father the with along KPVT the of image guider the watches (left) Gillespie Bruce NSO December 2003 December f usadn srie Hrio Jns our Jones, Harrison service. years 30 outstanding aer (KPVT) 2003 of September Telescope 22 Vacuum on closed Peak was Kitt NSO he The Sun Sets on the Kitt Peak Vacuum Telescope Jack Harvey However, without the right people involved, the KPVT could However,involved, KPVT people rightthe the without instrumentation. its and telescope the from arose firsts and and other works to its theses credit. many A remarkable number as discoveriesof well as papers, research 1,000 about of celebration than anything else. e facility has a bibliography the coronal magnetic field. ey learned a lot about the about a lot learned of ey extrapolations field. construct magnetic coronal to the magnetograms the using been had Altschuler Marty and Levine Randy Fortunately, telescope, mission. itanew needed the for future a be to was there If mission. its accomplished successfully had KPVT Skylab the 1974, February last in ended the mission When 1973. took of day last KPVT, the on data the first new its for A designed years. three specifically for magnetograph, Telescope McMath the been at had that use instrument in an with 1973 September 21 on Bruce Slaughter Charles Livingston,Harvey,andGillespie, Jack by Bill taken was keeping worth magnetogram first e mere couple months of aer thefirst Skylab missionbegan. the telescope was built in record time with first lightcoming a project engineer and manager. Under Dale’s strong prodding, as assigned was Schrage Dale considerations.observatory’s state-of-the-art a supportfromNASA, andgave priority project the the high in with day financial some proposal,charmed the every liked Leo instrument. made be to Telescope McMath the with done observations irregular otherwise the allow would is field. Sun’s magnetic the of observations synoptic to devoted instrument plane focal a a proposing and telescope quickly by opportunity the seized Bill Livingston telescopes. solar its for support ground-based missions) lunarneeded Apollo the to follow-on station space (the missions Apollo-Telescope-Mount Skylab NASA 1973–1974 the that realized 1972, in director KPNO the Goldberg, Leo just as easilyhave afailure. been f LP n hg-re O il rvd DT sr with exciting scientific new opportunities. users DST provide will AO high-order and DLSP of with the high-order AO system achieved at the DST. now e combination quality image spectacular the demonstrates Newsletter hw a -ad mg o te ae ein and region same the of image G-band a shows continued December 2003 December NSO
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7 NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 Newsletter NOAO-NSO NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 3 6 NSO December 2003 December We applied for a NASA grant to hire some observer support, observer some hire to andgrantNASA We a forapplied mission, Skylab the here.Recely Frank aerward,observer veteranstationed they support to observations collect help to officer Corps NOAA an sent had NOAA the program. continue to managed triumvirate the so never simultaneous, were cuts budget the However, block. chopping the on frequently was KPVT the and science, space for support of shrinkage post-Apollo the in cuts budget severe suffered partners the of Each ago. decades closed have would KPVT If it had not been for the strength of having three partners, the partners to operate theKPVT. as joining in NOAA and NASAinterest to enough was is astrophysics.applicationrarityin practical a hadEarth—a on Heof I and the KPVT. Here was a rich research area that also line 1083-nanometer the using ground the from holes these X-ray its of boundaries the disk,see solarcould foundwethatthe onI terminated located were holes which coronal where showed that ended, observations mission Skylab the Aer holes. coronal called corona the in voids and storms, geomagnetic cause thatstreams wind solar space, high-speed interplanetary to open lines field with regions of association Sun on the continued Sets KPVT May 2003viewof theKittPeak Vacuum Telescope. cmltl nw aiiy s a dn, ahr hurriedly, rather done, was is facility. new completely a propose to arose opportunity unexpected an time, same the nearly At started. was so do to project a and required were community,the of upgrades major needs the with pace keep to that realized we mid-1990s the By 1992. in successfully service intowent is one. better a with instrument old the replace help to able was NASA and1980s, the of end the by age its showing was magnetograph original e dividends. handsome paid and time the at novel rather was policy data open is available. technology the given possible, as to users available as data synoptic the make to hard worked We thriving, both and alive program the Gillespie,keptobserver, Bruce skilled own our plus folks hired and ese offer Duvall. Tom the at Tucson.Wein hired,jumped be to employee,yet other one and Jones Harrison station to was offer the and change a of need in was that Mexico New in operation field a had NASA GSFC offer. counter a with this rejected Bohlin Dave but equally successful. be will successor,SOLIS, its that expect We circumstances. dedicated engineers, luck, the technicians, observers and good scientists, measure, and fortunate to any thanks success, By great a was term. KPVT near the the in as SOLIS serve for will home and as (KPST) Tower refurbished SOLIS being Peak Kitt is the building e observations of years. thousands 30 of spanning tens of archive its community through research the serve to continue will KPVT e projectKPVT contributed to SOLIS thenew project. the from1998,resources in arriving started actually funding and was accepted by the National Science Foundation. When ilsi, ihe Dfe, ae at, lue Plymate. Claude Hauth, Missing: JackHarvey(whotook this picture). Dave Duffek, Michael Gillespie, Bruce Johnson, Dave Duffek, Gerry Schramm, Kevin Teresa Klemz, Jones, Harrison Linda and Duvall TomGriffen-Pierce, Trudy Bippert-Plymate, Malanushenko, Elena Branston, with observations KeithPierce,Livingston, Detrick Bill right: KPVT.to the final Left the of occasion the on Attendees
observationally andobservationally scientifically. December 2003 December NSO
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7 NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 Newsletter NOAO-NSO NOAO-NSO Newsletter 76 3 8 narrowband interference filters, to obtain imaging spectral spectral imaging obtain to filters, interference narrowband a classical mounting and in axial mode, in series with a set of in used are interferometersthatFabry-Perot two comprises T wavelength temperature-induced dri the to within keeps 1 meter which per Celsius, second per degree hour. 0.01 within to controlled temperature interferometers are Perot instrument to be quickly prepared the allow for references, continuum whichobservations. and laser including e Fabry- channels, alignment auxiliary several with equipped is IBIS remainwill at Peak Sac for at least two years. Rome, and Florence of Universities the from contributions additional with author the by scan. constructed instrument, spectral e the during maintained be to image stable a DST,allowing the at available system optics adaptive order low- the by corrected beam and a by regions,fed is IBIS active prominences. granules, including features, solar of During the inaugural run, observations were made of a range range structures. of wide a of observation allows 80-arcsec- which view, an of hasfield diameter to IBIS line seconds. few spectral a just full in scanned a be allow milliseconds) few (a tuning interferometer instantaneous nearly and percent) 20 to (about15 transmission instrumental high e optimized. is the 5800- to 8600-angstroms range for which the instrument in milliangstroms 40 to 25 from ranges profile instrumental the of width e resolution. temporal andspatial, spectral, photospherechromosphere high solarand with the of scans of thefield. The full field of view is 80 arcsec in diameter and the box shows an enlargement of a 5×8 square arcsec region near the center center velocity in Fe I 7090 angstroms (scaled to Images obtainedbyIBISduring its installationinJune2003.Lefttoright:linecenterintensity inFeI7090angstroms;line NSO IBIS Successfully Installed at the Dunn Solar Telescope December 2003 December un oa Tlsoe DT. e instrument e the (DST). at Telescope June Solar in installed Dunn successfully Spectrometer was BIdimensional (IBIS) Interferometric he Fabio Cavallini (Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory) & the IBIS &the Team Observatory) Astrophysical (Arcetri Cavallini Fabio ± 1.25 kilometers per second); line center intensity in Ca II 8542 angstroms. line in each range: spectral principal the by listed available, are filters following wavelength.given Presently, a prefilterisolating order for the the of availability the by only limited band, angstrom 8600 5800– the withinwavelength any to tuning of capable is IBIS band y BS dse ln) s oprd to compared Liege solaratlas(solidline). as line) (dashed IBIS by angstroms obtained telluric 6301–6303 range and the in iron lines oxygen solar of spectrum Disk-center • • • • •
Ca II,Ca 8542angstroms, chromosphere Fe II, 7224angstroms, g=0, photosphere deep Fe I, 7090angstroms, g=0, upper photosphere Fe I, 6302angstroms, g=2.5, photosphere Na D 1 , 5896angstroms, chromosphere