WISRD Research & Engineering Journal

Figure 5. Map of the air quality in Los Angeles, California. 2.3 Wind

As one observes when landing at LAX, the city of Los Angeles has a lot of pollution. The cause of this pollution is manyfold. The use of fossil fuel for transportation and an excessive amount of electricity used by millions of people creates a very high level of pollution throughout the city. On many days a nice offshore breeze can help distribute the bad air quality in Los Angeles. However, the Santa Ana winds, which use reverse airflow from the desert, can add to the poor quality of air in the LA basin. In addition, these hot winds create severe fire danger, another cause of bad air quality. Wind can have a negative impact on the performance of a large optical telescope. Flow characteristics and vibrations need to be understood so that the measuring device can be properly adjusted. The temporal spectrum and the amplitude regarding wind have direct implications on the telescope setup and how it is operated. 3. Design The project called for the design, engineering, and creation of housing for the telescope which would ensure its safety when confronting adverse weather conditions. In concert with this, an investigation was done regarding the use of different materials and outdoor environments for the observatory. We joined a Facebook group called “R.O.R. Roll Off Roof Observatory Users” and got many ideas from others building observatories.

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