FAST: A software suite for automatic weather and optical turbulence forecast on ground-based telescope sites
Journal
Date Issued
2024
Author(s)
Abstract
In this contribution we present the FAST, which is a comprehensive software suite that aims to streamline and automatically manage the forecast of atmospheric and astroclimatic parameters (provided respectively by Meso-Nh and Astro-Meso-Nh models) on large ground-based telescope installations. The forecast of the aforementioned parameters is becoming crucial for the operation of the large telescope installations which possess atmospheric-sensitive equipment equipped with Adaptive Optics (AO) systems. FAST performs automatically all the steps of an atmosphere forecast process: initialisation and forcing data, atmospheric simulation, postprocessing and managing of the outputs.The role of such service is useful both in optimizing beforehand AO instruments to the next atmospheric conditions and in planning telescope observations (especially in “service mode”) in order to maximize the scientific output. FAST was applied first to the ALTA Center project (3), which provides forecasts for the LBT telescope. Then it was extended to the more recent project FATE that is a similar forecast system applied to the VLT. Since its first version FAST evolved and it has has been modified to fit with the different technical specifications of the different projects gaining in modularity. It is now able to provide forecasts on different timescales (from days to hours before) and to provide forecast during night and day time. After several years of continuous development we can say that FAST reached full maturity and it is now ready for applications to other projects/sites.
Coverage
Software and Cyberinfrastructure for Astronomy VIII
All editors
Ibsen, Jorge; Chiozzi, Gianluca
Volume
13101
Start page
116
Conferenece
Software and Cyberinfrastructure for Astronomy VIII
Conferenece place
Yokohama, Japan
Conferenece date
16-22 June, 2024
Issn Identifier
0277-786X
Ads BibCode
2024SPIE13101E..34T
Rights
open.access
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