India’s Contribution to the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) Project

India’s Contribution to the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) Project

Parimita Mahanta

A team of Indian researchers has achieved a major breakthrough in astronomy with a new method of infrared star mapping for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT).

The TMT is planned to be located on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, an inactive shield volcano known for its high altitude (4,207.3 meters or 13,803 feet above sea level), clear skies, and minimal light pollution, making it an ideal site for astronomical observations.

The main aim of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is to improve our understanding of the universe with its powerful observational capabilities. It uses advanced technology to correct blurry images caused by Earth’s atmosphere, allowing for clearer views of celestial objects.

The TMT has the ability to observe infrared light, which is a type of electromagnetic radiation with longer wavelengths than visible light. This capability allows the telescope to peer through cosmic dust and study hidden objects such as star formation and planets beyond our solar system. It will deepen our understanding of space and its mysteries.

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The new tool has compiled a detailed list of stars tailored for the TMT’s Adaptive Optics (AO) system. The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), expected to be one of the largest telescopes of the next decade, will capture exceptionally clear images of space. It will enable scientists to gain deeper insights into the formation of stars, study planets beyond our solar system, and investigate enigmatic phenomena such as black holes. 

India plays a significant role in the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project through its India TMT Coordination Center at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bengaluru. This center coordinates India’s involvement in the TMT, overseeing contributions in technologies such as optics and software. It facilitates collaboration among Indian scientists and institutions, working alongside international partners to achieve the project’s objectives.

The center also promotes research, supports education in astronomy and STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), thereby enhancing India’s global standing in astronomy and advanced technology.

Dr. Sarang Shah, a renowned researcher at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru, specializing in astronomical instrumentation and adaptive optics, explained that the AO system on the TMT, known as the Narrow Field Infrared Adaptive Optics System (NFIRAOS), will be enhanced by a Laser Guide Star (LGS) facility. This facility will project up to nine lasers into the sky to create artificial guide stars.

However, atmospheric turbulence can distort these laser beams, affecting the accuracy of measurements that track atmospheric movements. To overcome this challenge, the AO system will use feedback from three natural stars, known as Natural Guide Stars (NGS).

Dr. Shah highlighted these details in his research published in the Astronomical Journal, emphasizing the importance of both LGS and NGS in optimizing the TMT’s ability to capture precise astronomical images. 

“The automated code can calculate the predicted near-infrared magnitudes of stellar sources identified in various optical sky surveys using their optical magnitudes,” noted Dr. Smitha Subramanian, co-author and faculty at IIA.

Ground-based telescopes often face challenges from atmospheric distortion, which can degrade the clarity of astronomical images. To address this issue, the TMT incorporates an Adaptive Optics (AO) system that continually adjusts to compensate for atmospheric changes, ensuring high-quality image capture.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), collaborating with their partners, have developed automated software. This tool serves as an online platform specifically designed to create a comprehensive Near Infrared (NIR) star catalogue. This catalogue plays a crucial role in accurately calibrating the TMT’s observations within the NIR spectrum.  By automating the star identification and characterization process, the software enhances efficiency and accuracy, thereby supporting precise astronomical research facilitated by the TMT.

India’s involvement in the TMT collaboration encompasses three institutions: the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru, the Inter-University Center for Astronomy  and  Astrophysics  (IUCAA)  in Pune, and the Aryabhatta Research Institute for Observational Sciences (ARIES) in Nainital.

This research was conducted at the India-TMT Coordination Center (ITCC), situated at IIA Bengaluru, an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The comprehensive findings of this study were published in the Astronomical Journal.

11-07-2024

Parimita Mahanta is a student of the Communication & Journalism, Gauhati University

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