TMT Construction Proposal - Thirty Meter Telescope

TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS ................................................................................................................... v
CONTRIBUTING ORGANIZATIONS ................................................................................................. viii
CONTRIBUTING COMPANIES............................................................................................................ ix
TMT Construction Proposal................................................................................................................ 1
1 Implementing the Thirty Meter Telescope.................................................................................. 1
1.1 Starting Points .............................................................................................................................1
1.2 The TMT Observatory..................................................................................................................1
1.2.1 Aperture Size...........................................................................................................................2
1.2.2 Adaptive Optics .......................................................................................................................2
1.2.3 Science Instruments................................................................................................................3
1.2.4 Enclosure.................................................................................................................................3
1.2.5 Infrastructure: Summit and Support Facilities .........................................................................3
1.2.6 Site ..........................................................................................................................................4
1.3 The TMT Project ..........................................................................................................................4
1.4 The TMT Construction Proposal..................................................................................................4
2 Science Motivation ....................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................5
2.1.1 The big picture.........................................................................................................................5
2.1.2 The big questions ....................................................................................................................5
2.1.3 The required tools ...................................................................................................................6
2.2 Cosmology and fundamental physics..........................................................................................8
2.2.1 Baryonic power spectrum........................................................................................................8
2.2.2 Fundamental constants ...........................................................................................................8
2.2.3 Physics in extreme environments............................................................................................8
2.3 The early Universe.......................................................................................................................9
2.3.1 The first stars...........................................................................................................................9
2.3.2 The first galaxies .....................................................................................................................9
2.4 The epoch of galaxy formation ....................................................................................................9
2.4.1 Physical properties of high-redshift galaxies.........................................................................10
2.5 The intergalactic gas..................................................................................................................10
2.5.1 Structure of the intergalactic medium....................................................................................10
2.5.2 The intergalactic medium at high redshift .............................................................................11
2.6 Exploration of nearby galaxies ..................................................................................................11
2.6.1 Dynamical states of stellar populations.................................................................................11
2.6.2 Star formation history of local galaxies .................................................................................11
2.6.3 Stellar chemical abundances ................................................................................................12
2.6.4 Dwarf galaxies in the Local Group ........................................................................................12
2.7 Black holes.................................................................................................................................12
2.7.1 Black holes in galactic nuclei.................................................................................................13
2.7.2 The galactic black hole..........................................................................................................13
2.8 The formation of stars and planets ............................................................................................13
2.8.1 Initial mass function in young star clusters............................................................................13
2.8.2 Physical conditions in star-forming regions...........................................................................14
2.8.3 Protoplanetary disks..............................................................................................................15
2.8.4 Pre-biotic molecules in disks .................................................................................................15
2.9 Exoplanets .................................................................................................................................15
2.9.1 Doppler detection of planetary systems ................................................................................15
2.9.2 Direct detection and characterization of exoplanets .............................................................15
2.9.3 Atmospheres of massive planets ..........................................................................................17
2.9.4 Atmospheres of transiting planets.........................................................................................17
2.10 Our Solar System ......................................................................................................................18
2.10.1 The outer Solar System.........................................................................................................18
2.10.2 Imaging the outer planets and their satellites........................................................................18
TMT Construction Proposal
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