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  • Thirty Meter Telescope Site...
    Els, S. G.; Travouillon, T.; Schöck, M.; Riddle, R.; Skidmore, W.; Seguel, J.; Bustos, E.; Walker, D.

    Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 05/2009, Volume: 121, Issue: 879
    Journal Article

    The results on the vertical distribution of optical turbulence above the five mountains which were investigated by the site testing for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) are reported. On San Pedro Mártir in Mexico; the 13 North site on Mauna Kea; and three mountains in northern Chile: Cerro Tolar, Cerro Armazones, and Cerro Tolonchar; MASS-DIMM turbulence profilers have been operated over at least two years. Acoustic turbulence profilers—SODARs—were also operated at these sites. The obtained turbulence profiles indicate that at all sites the lowest 200 m are the main source of the total seeing observed, with the Chilean sites showing a weaker ground layer than the other two sites. The two northern hemisphere sites have weaker turbulence at altitudes above 500 m, with 13N showing the weakest turbulence at 16 km, responsible for the large isoplanatic angle at this site. The influence of the jetstream and wind speeds close to the ground on the clear sky turbulence strength throughout the atmosphere are discussed, as well as seasonal and nocturnal variations. This is the sixth article in a series discussing the TMT site testing project.