Free access article

A&A 430, 739-746 (2005)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20041876

An analysis of temperatures and wind speeds above Dome C, Antarctica

E. Aristidi¹, K. Agabi¹, M. Azouit¹, E. Fossat¹, J. Vernin¹, T. Travouillon², J. S. Lawrence², C. Meyer², J. W. V. Storey², B. Halter³, W. L. Roth³ and V. Walden<sup>3

1</sup>  Laboratoire Universitaire d'Astrophysique de Nice, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice Cedex 2, France
    e-mail: aristidi@unice.fr
²  School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
    e-mail: tonyt@phys.unsw.edu.au
³  Department of Geography, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA

(Received 21 August 2004 / Accepted 24 September 2004)

Abstract
A good astronomical site must fulfill several criteria including low atmospheric turbulence and low wind speeds. It is therefore important to have a detailed knowledge of the temperature and wind conditions of a location considered for future astronomical research. Antarctica has unique atmospheric conditions that have already been exploited at the South Pole station. Dome C, a site located on a local maximum of the Antarctic plateau, is likely to have even better conditions. In this paper we present the analysis of two decades of wind speed measurements taken at Dome C by an automated weather station (AWS). We also present temperature and wind speed profiles taken over four Antarctic summers using balloon-borne weather sondes. We will show that as well as having one of the lowest average wind speed ever recorded at an existing or potential observatory, Dome C also has an extremely stable upper atmosphere and a very low inversion layer.

Key words: site testing -- atmospheric effects -- balloons

© ESO 2005

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