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

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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.