Newton STFC-NARIT: Adaptive Optics Programme for the Thai National Observatory

地球动荡的大气层使天文物体的图像变得模糊。自适应光学可以用来抵消地球大气的有害影响，恢复清晰的图像。只有通过发展先进的光学仪器，如自适应光学系统，我们才能实现下一代天文发现。在这里，我们提出了一个由英国杜伦大学和泰国国家天文研究所合作的项目。这项建议不仅旨在加强泰国和英国仪器社区之间的联系，而且还通过共同开发一个AO系统测试平台，在泰国境内建立国内先进的天文仪器能力。这不仅对天文学有直接的好处，而且将形成仪器培训设施的核心，可用于为学生和工程师提供开发和操作自动化光学机械仪器的经验。AO系统开发提供了广泛领域的经验，包括光学计量、机器视觉、计算机自动化和高速计算。在泰国经济的许多部门中，这种技能的需求量很大，目前许多先进的技术知识和仪器都是从海外获得许可或购买的。拟议的研究包括使用一些世界一流天文台开发的先进技术来全面描述泰国国家天文台(TNO)的地点。该项目的这一部分将涉及英国和泰国的研究人员合作，使用专门的大气表征仪器，以及分析天气预报，以开发天文台上方的大气动态模型。一旦模型通过现场测量得到验证，将使用存档的天气预报数据对现场质量进行统计分析。大数据集将需要通过合作在一个高效的庄园进行处理，进一步培训泰国研究人员在数据采集、处理和分析方面。然后，将根据预期的常温条件对TNO站点进行评估，以确定最有效的自适应光学系统类型。这一阶段将包括配置和运行各种仪器的计算机模拟，以确定哪种仪器最终将提供最符合Narit研究兴趣的科学。我们最终将共同开发一种能够修正地球湍流的仪器原型。该样机将用于进行自适应光学控制技术的实验，并将被设计成与TNO 2.4米望远镜的接口兼容，用于空中演示。

The Earth's turbulent atmosphere blurs the images of astronomical objects. Adaptive Optics can be used to counteract the detrimental effects of the Earth's atmosphere and restore sharp images. It is only by developing advanced optical instrumentation, such as Adaptive Optics systems, that we can enable the next generation of astronomical discoveries. Here, we propose a collaborative project between Durham University, UK, and the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand. This proposal not only aims to strengthen links between Thai and UK instrumentation communities, but also through the joint development of an AO system testbench build a domestic advanced astronomical instrumentation capability within Thailand. This not only has benefits directly to astronomy, but will form the core of an instrumentation training faciilty that can be used to provide students and engineers with experience of developing and operating automated opto-mechanical instrumentation. AO system development provides experience within a huge range of fields, including optical metrology, machine-vision, computer automation and high-speed computing. Such skills are in high demand within many sectors of Thai economy where much of the advanced technical knowledge and instrumentation is currently licensed or purchased from overseas.The proposed research includes using advanced techniques developed at some of the worlds premier observatories to fully characterise the Thai National Observatory (TNO) site. This part of the project will involve UK and Thai researchers working together with dedicated atmospheric characterisation instrumentation as well as analysing weather forecasts to develop dynamic models of the atmosphere above the observatory. Once the model has been validated with on-site measurements, archived weather forecast data will be used to make a statistical analysis of the site quality. Large datasets will need to be processed in an efficient manor by the collaboration, further training Thai researchers in data acquisition, handling and analysis.The TNO site will then be evaluated to determine the most effective type of Adaptive Optics system based on expected atmoshperic conditions. This phase will involve configuring and running computer simulations of various instruments to see which will ultimately deliver the science that best aligns with the research interests of NARIT. We will finally jointly develop an instrument prototype which is capable of correcting for the Earth's turbulence. This prototype will be used to undertake experimentation regarding adaptive optics control techniques and will be designed such that it will also be compatible with the interface to the TNO 2.4m telescope for on-sky demonstration.