News

1. The Third Australian Exoplanetary Science Workshop will take place Dec  5-6, 2012 at Swinburne University. Both Chinese and Australian astronomers interested in exoplanet science are warmly invited to take part.
   

2. There will be a Workshop in Nanjing Oct 10-11 on AST3 data and planning for future exoplanet experiments.
   

3. Following the Collaboration Meeting in Tengchong, CGT has started compiling known data on the performance of the AST3-1 system for exoplanet research.
   (May 31, 2012)
   

4. 2nd Collaboration Meeting on Antarctic Survey Telescopes has been announced to take place in Tengchong, Yunnan, China on May 26-29, 2013. For details see the web page.
   (May 3, 2013)
   

5. The AST3 Exoplanets Working Group will hold a science workshop in Nanjing in Sep/Oct (date to be determined) to further explore the perforamnce of AST3 from the 2011 over-winter data returned earlier this year, as well as discussing plans for exploitation of data from the 2013 winter data being taken now, and the strategies for the coming 2014 winter.
   (May 15, 2013)
   

Background

The MoU is an acknowledgement of the complementary world-leading expertise and resources in astronomy existing in both countries. The aim of the collaboration is to maximise the scientific output from Antarctic astronomy infrastructure investments made by both parties.

AST3 is situated at the Kunlun Station, Dome A, at the highest point of the Antarctic Plateau. Conditions on the Antarctic Plateau are ideal for astronomical observation, with extremely cold, dry and stable atmospheric conditions as well as having very dark skies for long, continuous periods through the year.

Australian astronomers have been involved in activities at Dome A through the University of New South Wales' PLATeau Observatory (PLATO-A), which will be the primary support platform for AST3, and through equipment to characterise the infrared background and cloud cover at Dome A. AAL has funded these activities through the Australian Government NCRIS and EIF grants.

Exoplanets, Host-stars and Solar System Objects

Chris Tinney (UNSW) and Zhou Jilin (Nanjing University) have been identified as co-ordinators for the "Exoplanet and Solar System" theme. We invite interested parties to join the Chinese-Australian Exoplanets and Solar System working group in developing a science plan, forming collaborations and carrying out science using AST3 data in these areas. The Australian co-ordinators for the other themes are

1. •Supernovae (SNe): Fang Yuan (ANU)
   

2. •Variable Stars (VStar): Charles Kuehn (USyd)
   

3. •Synoptic Universe (SynU): Ray Norris (CSIRO)
   

AST3 Exoplanet Collaboration

To stimulate this process a first draft science plan (see below) has been developed - this is a work in progress, and interested parties are strongly encouraged to submit ideas for projects, further details on observational strategies for projects already there, or statements of their expertise so that they can play a role in the exciting science that the AST3 telescopes at Kunlun Station will make possible.

Documents

    AST3 Collaboration - Exoplanets 1.4.pdf

    Appendix AST3 candidates estimation.pdf

Links

   CGT's page on AST3 Performance for Exoplanet Research 

Current Working Group Members

1. Chris Tinney (UNSW) - Australia co-ordinator
   

2. Zhou Jilin (Nanjing University) - China co-ordinator
   

3. 
   

4. Michael Ashley (UNSW)
   

5. Daniel Bayliss (ANU)
   

6. Joao Bento (Macquarie)
   

7. Michael Burton (UNSW)
   

8. Brad Carter (USQ)
   

9. Jonti Horner (UNSW)
   

10. Haibin Zhao (PMO)
    

11. Hui Zhang (NJU)
    

12. Huigen Liu (NJU)
    

13. Michael Ireland (Macquarie)
    

14. Jiwei Xie (NJU)
    

15. Sarah Maddison (Swinburne)
    

16. Benjamin Warrington (Macquarie)
    Rob Wittenmyer (UNSW)
    

17. Liyoing Zhou(NJU)
    

18. Patrick Tisserand (ANU)
    

19.