Profiling the surface layer of optical turbulence with SLODAR

Abstract

A prototype of a new SLope Detection And Ranging (SLODAR) instrument for atmospheric optical turbulence profiling has been developed by the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation at Durham University. The instrument targets double stars with wide separations of several arcminutes, to achieve profiling of the surface layer of optical turbulence with very high resolution in altitude (10 m or less). We describe the instrument and the results of preliminary observations at the ESO Cerro Paranal observatory.