Real-time condition assessment of RAPTOR telescope systems

Conference · Tue Nov 30 04:00:00 EST 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000567· OSTI ID:1042965

Stull, Chris ^[1]; Taylor, Stuart ^[1]; Wren, James ^[1]; Farrar, Charles ^[1]; Park, Gyuhae ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory

The RAPid Telescopes for Optical Response (RAPTOR) observatory network consists of several robotic astronomical telescopes primarily designed to search for astrophysical transients called a gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Although intrinsically bright, GRBs are difficult to detect because of their short duration. Typically, they are first observed by satellites that then relay the coordinates of the GRB to a ground station which, in turn, distributes the coordinates over the internet so that ground based observers can perform follow-up observations. Typically the ground based observations begin after the GRB has ended and only residual emiSSion (the 'afterglow') is left. However, if the satellite relays the GRB coordinates quickly enough, a 'fast' robotic telescope on the ground may be able to catch the GRB in progress. The RAPTOR telescope system is one of only a few in the world to have accomplished this feat. In order to achieve these results, the RAPTOR telescopes must operate autonomously at a high duty-cycle and in peak operating condition. Currently the telescopes are maintained in an ad hoc manner, often in a run-to-failure mode. The RAPTOR project could benefit greatly from a structural health monitoring (SHM) system, especially as more complex units are added to the suite of telescopes. This paper will summarize preliminary results from an SHM study performed on one of the RAPTOR telescopes. Damage scenarios that are of concern and that have been previously observed are first summarized. Then a specific study of damage to the telescope drive mechanism is presented where the data acquisition system is first described. Next, damage detection algorithms are developed with LANL's new publically available software SHMTools and the results of this process are discussed in detail. The paper will conclude with a summary of future planned refinemenls of the RAPTOR SHM system.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• OSTI ID: 1042965
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-10-07945; LA-UR-10-7945
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
AFTERGLOW
ALGORITHMS
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
DETECTION
INTERNET
MONITORING
SATELLITES
TELESCOPES
TRANSIENTS