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The Science Case for PILOT I: Summary and Overview
J. S.
Lawrence A B |,
M. C. B.
Ashley A,
J.
Bailey A,
D.
Barrado y Navascues C,
T. R.
Bedding D,
J.
Bland-Hawthorn D,
I.
Bond E,
F.
Boulanger F,
R.
Bouwens G,
H.
Bruntt D,
A.
Bunker H,
D.
Burgarella I,
M. G.
Burton A,
M.
Busso J,
D.
Coward K,
M.-R.
Cioni L,
G.
Durand M,
C.
Eiroa N,
N.
Epchtein O,
N.
Gehrels P,
P.
Gillingham H,
K.
Glazebrook Q,
R.
Haynes H,
L.
Kiss D,
P. O.
Lagage M,
T.
Le Bertre R,
C.
Mackay S,
J. P.
Maillard T,
A.
McGrath H,
V.
Minier M,
A.
Mora N,
K.
Olsen U,
P.
Persi V,
K.
Pimbblet W,
R.
Quimby X,
W.
Saunders H,
B.
Schmidt Y,
D.
Stello D,
J. W. V.
Storey A,
C.
Tinney A,
P.
Tremblin M,
J. C.
Wheeler Z,
P.
Yock {
A
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052
B
Present address: Department of Physics and Engineering, Macquarie University, NSW 2109 and Anglo-Australian Observatory, PO Box 296, Epping, NSW 1710
C
Laboratorio de Astrofísca Espacial y Física Fundamental (INTA), Madrid 28080, Spain
D
Institute of Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, NSW 2006
E
Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand
F
Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay 91405, France
G
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
H
Anglo-Australian Observatory, NSW 1710
I
Observatoire Astronomique de Marseille Provence, Université d’Aix-Marseille, Marseille 13388, France
J
Department of Physics, University of Perugia, Perugia 06123, Italy
K
School of Physics, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009
L
Centre for Astrophysics Research, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK
M
Service d’Astrophysique, CEA Saclay, Saclay 91191, France
N
Departmento de Fisica Teórica C-XI, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049, Spain
O
CNRS-Fizeau/UNSA, Nice 06108, France
P
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
Q
Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122
R
Observatoire de Paris, Paris 75014, France
S
Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
T
Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, Paris 75014, France
U
Kitt Peak National Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
V
Istituto Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica/INAF, Roma 00100, Italy
W
Department of Physics, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072
X
Astronomy Department, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
Y
Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University, ACT 2611
Z
Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
{
University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
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Corresponding author. Email: jsl@science.mq.edu.au
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Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia 26(4) 379–396 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AS08048
Submitted: 21 November 2008
Accepted: 13 May 2009
Published online: 4 November 2009
Abstract
PILOT (the Pathfinder for an International Large Optical Telescope) is a proposed 2.5-m optical/infrared telescope to be located at Dome C on the Antarctic plateau. Conditions at Dome C are known to be exceptional for astronomy. The seeing (above ~30 m height), coherence time, and isoplanatic angle are all twice as good as at typical mid-latitude sites, while the water-vapour column, and the atmosphere and telescope thermal emission are all an order of magnitude better. These conditions enable a unique scientific capability for PILOT, which is addressed in this series of papers. The current paper presents an overview of the optical and instrumentation suite for PILOT and its expected performance, a summary of the key science goals and observational approach for the facility, a discussion of the synergies between the science goals for PILOT and other telescopes, and a discussion of the future of Antarctic astronomy. Paper II and Paper III present details of the science projects divided, respectively, between the distant Universe (i.e. studies of first light, and the assembly and evolution of structure) and the nearby Universe (i.e. studies of Local Group galaxies, the Milky Way, and the Solar System).
Keywords:
cosmology: observations — early universe — instrumentation: high angular resolution — site testing — stars: formation — telescopes
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