Study on transport of assembled interferometer to Antarctica

Ephraim Lanford; Michel Guillon; Kristina Knepper; Valerie Olson; Daniel Roche; Mark Swain; Patrick Little

doi:10.1117/12.672653

22 June 2006 Study on transport of assembled interferometer to Antarctica

Ephraim Lanford, Michel Guillon, Kristina Knepper, Valerie Olson, Daniel Roche, Mark Swain, Patrick Little

Proceedings Volume 6268, Advances in Stellar Interferometry; 62684D (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.672653
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2006, Orlando, Florida , United States

Abstract

In realizing the scientific potential of locating an astronomical interferometer at one of the Antarctic domes, it will be necessary to retire risks and reduce costs. One way of doing this is to build the interferometer away from Antarctica, test the instrument, and then transport the system as modules to the final location. This novel approach can only be undertaken after it has been shown that such a system will survive the trip without damage, and that calibration of the system will be possible at a very low cost. The authors undertook such a study, measuring the shocks likely to be encountered during shipment, and then establishing that in all but one case, the shocks can be reduced by commercially available vibration isolators to <5g. The one shock not reducible to <5g occurred when the instrument was transferred from an icebreaker to the ice, and will require more careful handling by the shippers. The team also developed and modeled configurations for the delay lines and optics tables to reduce shipment risk while providing a backbone for the delay lines. The study supports the feasibility of a "preassembled" Antarctic interferometer.

Citation Download Citation

Ephraim Lanford, Michel Guillon, Kristina Knepper, Valerie Olson, Daniel Roche, Mark Swain, and Patrick Little "Study on transport of assembled interferometer to Antarctica", Proc. SPIE 6268, Advances in Stellar Interferometry, 62684D (22 June 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.672653

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