Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) Construction under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)

AST 0415302磁场控制着变化无常的太阳。理解太阳变化及其对地球的直接影响的关键在于理解这些磁场的各个方面。这就是暗能量这是一个太阳物理学问题，因为磁场超出了目前太阳望远镜的分辨率限制，被地球大气层所掩盖，或者被太阳大气层外太阳圆盘的眩光所掩盖。太阳提供了一个实验室，在那里可以观察和理解高度电离的磁性等离子体中非线性动力学的关键特性，并可以测试和改进模型。现在的技术可以分辨和测量太阳？太阳的磁场以及它们如何控制太阳大气层。先进技术太阳望远镜（ATST）设计的各个方面都进行了优化，以在我们的天体物理后院研究这些领域。 有了它，我们将了解磁场的生命周期，它们是如何通过发电机机制产生的，如何通过对流和爆炸现象演变，以及如何通过电阻和重连磁事件消散。 ATST将是一个4米口径的离轴太阳望远镜，具有集成自适应光学、低散射光、红外、日冕和偏振测量能力。它将解决基本的，精细尺度的磁性特征和它们的动力学，决定了太阳能量的不同释放？的大气层。ATST设计优化（吞吐量，散射光和仪器偏振特性），使矢量磁图下降到其衍射极限（0.03弧秒，500 nm）。它的收集面积，比现在大16倍？的太阳望远镜，将提供测量弱场和快速演变的强场的灵敏度。它的收集面积比现有最大的日冕仪大64倍，并将提供测量微弱、精细尺度日冕磁场所需的灵敏度和日冕照相能力。新技术，以及我们对我们必须学习的知识的认识的提高，使ATST成为20世纪60年代和70年代建造的太阳望远镜的必要和合乎逻辑的继承者，并且是太阳动力学天文台，STEREO，和太阳轨道器。ATST提供了巨大的机会，为学生的培训和招聘后，博士和教师在太阳物理学谁将成为用户的ATST和仪器建设者和理论家的未来。ATST计划与合作机构的教育和外展计划建立强大的协同作用，包括K-12教室、实习、通过图尔斯参观、动手展览和展示的公共外展计划。ATST计划已经并将继续积极参与美国和国际太阳物理界的大部分，帮助加强大学和国家中心的太阳天文学计划。

AbstractAST 0415302Magnetic fields control the inconstant Sun. The key to understanding solar variability and its direct impact on the Earth rests with understanding all aspects of these magnetic fields. This is the ?dark energy? problem of solar physics since the magnetic fields lie beyond the resolution limits of current solar telescopes, are obscured by Earth's atmosphere, or hidden by the glare of the solar disk in the outer solar atmosphere. The Sun provides the laboratory where crucial properties of non-linear dynamics in highly ionized magnetic plasma can be observed and understood, and models can be tested and refined. The technology now exists to resolve and measure the Sun?s magnetic fields and how they control the solar atmosphere. All aspects of the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) design are optimized to study these fields in our astrophysical backyard. With it, we will understand the life cycle of magnetic fields, how they are born by dynamo mechanisms, evolve by convective and explosive phenomena, and dissipated by resistive and reconnective magnetic events. The ATST will be a 4-m aperture, off-axis solar telescope with integrated adaptive optics, low-scattered light, infrared, coronagraphic, and polarimetric capabilities. It will resolve the essential, fine-scale magnetic features and their dynamics that dictate the varying release of energy from the Sun?s atmosphere. The ATST design is optimized (throughput, scattered light and instrumental polarization properties) to make vector magnetograms down to its diffraction limit (0.03 arcseconds at 500 nm). Its collecting area, which is a factor of 16 greater than today?s solar telescopes, will provide the sensitivity to measure both weak fields and rapidly evolving stronger fields. It has a factor of 64 greater collecting area than the largest existing coronagraph, and will provide the sensitivity and coronagraphic capability needed to measure the weak, fine-scale coronal magnetic fields. The new technologies, and our increased awareness of what we know we must learn, make ATST the necessary and logical successor to the solar telescopes built in the 1960s and 1970s, and is a natural complement to space missions such the Solar Dynamics Observatory, STEREO, and Solar Orbiter.The ATST offers tremendous opportunity for the training of students and recruitment of post-docs and faculty in solar physics who will become users of the ATST and the instrument builders and theoreticians of the future. ATST plans to establish a strong synergy with the education and outreach programs at the collaborating institutions, including programs for the K-12 classroom, internships, public outreach through tours, hands-on exhibits, and displays. The ATST program has and will continue to actively involve large segments of the US and international solar physics community, helping to strengthen solar astronomy programs at universities and national centers.