Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Nov 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010a%26a...522a..69s&link_type=abstract
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 522, id.A69
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
1
Atmospheric Effects, Site Testing, Surveys
Scientific paper
Context. In the framework of the European Extremely Large Telescope project (E-ELT), a survey of prospective sites was launched by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) to select a site to host the next generation of optical telescopes of 42 m diameter, i.e., the E-ELT. The Moroccan Anti-Atlas (Jbel Aklim) was selected as one of these sites. Aims: We present an analysis of meteorological parameters and seeing measurements at Aklim, the Moroccan prospective site of the E-ELT project. Methods: We initiated a preliminary campaign to measure the astronomical seeing at Jbel Aklim using a differential image motion monitor (DIMM) instrument. We installed a weather station 2 m above the ground level to measure meteorological parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, pressure, wind speed, and wind direction. Results: We present data obtained by the DIMM monitor during 105 nights. The median and mean values of the seeing for the entire period of observation are 0.72'' and 0.79'', respectively, with a standard deviation of 0.31''. The best value of the seeing obtained during this period is 0.30''. A seasonal analysis of meteorological parameters are presented. We also used data from the National Center for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis database (NCEP/NCAR) to derive more information about the long-term evolution of atmospheric parameters at Aklim site. Conclusions: Our preliminary results indicate that Aklim has indeed good conditions for conducting astronomical observations and could be a site to host a future astronomical observatory, even of E-ELT dimensions.
Benhida Abdelmajid
Benkhaldoun Zouhai
Bounhir Aziza
Habib Abdelfatah
Hach Youssef
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