Renovation and Modernization of the Wyoming Infrared Observatory Telescopes and Support Facilities

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The astronomical facilities at the University of Wyoming's Infrared Observatory (WIRO) are to be renovated. Since its construction in the mid- 1970s, no major renovations of the telescope facilities have occurred. Due partially to equipment failure, and advancing technology, the WIRO telescopes no longer can perform the wide range of functions that they originally were designed for. Support will be used in three critical areas of infrastructure. First, the antiquated, essentially non-functional on-campus telescope will be replaced with a DFM Engineering 0.6 m telescope. Also, the 2.3 m telescope, the primary research tool of WIRO users will be upgraded. The current, outmoded telescope multiplexers will be replaced with industry standard, "off-the-shelf" IEEE 488 hardware. A modern pump station with a leak detector assembly for dewar maintenance will be acquired, and the present dome shutter system will be replaced with a modern, aerodynamic shutter design to improve the ability to conduct observation during high wind conditions. The third area of emphasis is an upgrade of the observatory computer facilities. The current set of PC-ATs will be replaced with a SPARC workstation. Modernization of each component is critically necessary for effective, integrated operation of the WIRO as a viable training and research facility. Research emphasis for the renovated facility is observational extragalactic and stellar astronomy, digital image reconstruction/signal processing of astronomical images, and instrument development. These broad fields are areas of shared interest among all the astronomy faculty at WIRO and many of the physicists in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.