Modeling tools to estimate the performance of the Thirty Meter Telescope: an integrated approach

Abstract

A sound system engineering approach and the appropriate tools to support it are essential in achieving the scientific and financial objectives of the Thirty Meter Telescope project. Major elements of the required tool set are those providing estimates for the performance of the telescope. During the last couple of years, the partners in the consortium developed a wide range of modeling and simulation tools with various levels of fidelity and flexibility. There are models available for time domain and frequency domain simulations and analysis, as well as for lower fidelity, parametric investigations of design trade-offs and for high fidelity, integrated modeling of structure, optics and control. Presented are characteristic simulation results using the existing preliminary point designs of the TMT, with emphasis on the telescope performance degradation due to wind buffeting. Under the conditions modeled, the wind induced image jitter and image quality degradation was found comparable to good atmospheric seeing.

Development of a Canadian large optical telescope

“…Currently, the integrated modeling tools from HIA as well as those developed by AURA and Caltech are being used to assess the performance of telescope structural designs for TMT 25,26 .…”

Unsteady Computational and Experimental Fluid Dynamics Investigations of Aerodynamic Loads of Large Optical Telescopes

“…Pressure signals collected at different points on the mirror surface showed that the wind pressure load at low frequencies was www.intechopen.com reduced by the building; however, the high frequency wind pressure components increased under these conditions. Angeli et al (2004) presented an integrated approach for the necessary modeling tools to estimate the performance of the TMT, which is an upgraded version of the VLOT. Among these tools, the authors emphasized the role of CFD in predicting the wind loading and buffeting, which are more crucial during the conceptual design phase of the telescope.…”

Buffeting of large telescopes: Wind-tunnel measurements of the flow inside a generic enclosure

“…However, with the aperture open, the residual wind loads resulting from large scale flow structures and turbulence inside the telescope enclosure may still lead to significant vibration that must be taken into account in the design of future large telescopes (Padin and Davison, 2004;Angeli et al, 2004;MacMynowski et al, 2004), affecting the design of the enclosure, the structure and the control system. To estimate the resulting image degradation with sufficient confidence for design, a better understanding of the wind inside the telescope enclosure is required.…”