| Issue |
EAS Publications Series
Volume 25, 2007
1st ARENA Conference on "Large Astronomical Infrastructures at CONCORDIA, prospects and constraints for Antarctic Optical/IR Astronomy"
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 111 - 118 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/eas:2007081 | |
| Published online | 23 May 2007 | |
N. Epchtein and M. Candidi (eds)
EAS Publications Series, 25 (2007) 111-118
Summary of the Science Case for an ELT
University of Oxford Astrophysics, Denys
Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3RH, UK
The science case for an ELT covers a very wide range of topics from
the study of exo-planets to fundamental parameters of the
Universe. Here the case is summarised, and areas where an Antarctic site
would provide advantages or limitations are considered. Simple scaling
arguments are used to suggest that a “Moderately Extremely Large
Telescope” (or “MELT”) of order 15–20 m diameter in Antarctica would
be capable of carrying out some (but not all) of the
observations currently envisaged for a 
40 m class ELT at a
temperate site. It is suggested that any such Antarctic telescope
should be dedicated to a small number of specific science goals,
chosen to complement ELTs at temperate sites.
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2007