NSF/AFOSR Astronomy: A Study of Optimizing a Temporal Record of Climatically-Induced Features on Planets

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM

Investigators

Abstract

AST-0123471 Murphy, James The Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS) on Haleakela, Maui, Hawaii of the US Air Force with its adaptive optics system and the standard imaging focal plane will be used to study the visible and infrared character of the atmospheres of Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. The Mars observations monitor inter-annual variations of the Martian surface albino and its relation to global dust storms. The observations of Jupiter and Saturn monitor the location and properties of aerosols in their atmospheres. The unique capabilities of this telescope system enable the recording of very high spatial resolution images of the planets. These high resolutions approaching 20 milliarc seconds are essential to observe motions of clouds across the surface disk of the planet. ***