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60-660: The Heights Observatory is an Astronomical Observatory at The Heights School in Modbury Heights , Adelaide , South Australia . It is sometimes known as the Adelaide Observatory, but it is not to be confused with the observatory formerly established at the University of Adelaide. The Observatory consists of two buildings. In 1988–89, the Emanuel Papaelia Observatory (opened Nov'89) was built containing

120-584: A 1963 vintage 12" Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain reflecting telescope belonging to the Astronomical Society of South Australia (ASSA), and originally housed at Marryatville High School . In 1996, a second building with a roll off roof (the Ingham Family Rooms) was constructed. This contained a second hand 10" Meade LX-200 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. In August 2011, the 10" Meade in the Inghams building

180-525: A constitutive relation between a turbulent flux and the gradient of a mean variable similar to the relation between flux and gradient that exists for molecular transport. In the best case, this assumption is only an approximation. Nevertheless, the turbulent diffusivity is the simplest approach for quantitative analysis of turbulent flows, and many models have been postulated to calculate it. For instance, in large bodies of water like oceans this coefficient can be found using Richardson 's four-third power law and

240-416: A mean value: and similarly for temperature ( T = T + T′ ) and pressure ( P = P + P′ ), where the primed quantities denote fluctuations superposed to the mean. This decomposition of a flow variable into a mean value and a turbulent fluctuation was originally proposed by Osborne Reynolds in 1895, and is considered to be the beginning of the systematic mathematical analysis of turbulent flow, as

300-585: A remote 5,640 m (18,500 ft) mountaintop in the Atacama Desert of Chile. The oldest proto-observatories, in the sense of an observation post for astronomy, The oldest true observatories, in the sense of a specialized research institute , include: Space-based observatories are telescopes or other instruments that are located in outer space , many in orbit around the Earth. Space telescopes can be used to observe astronomical objects at wavelengths of

360-428: A slit or other opening in the roof that can be opened during observing, and closed when the telescope is not in use. In most cases, the entire upper portion of the telescope dome can be rotated to allow the instrument to observe different sections of the night sky. Radio telescopes usually do not have domes. For optical telescopes, most ground-based observatories are located far from major centers of population, to avoid

420-451: A statistical description is needed. The Russian mathematician Andrey Kolmogorov proposed the first statistical theory of turbulence, based on the aforementioned notion of the energy cascade (an idea originally introduced by Richardson ) and the concept of self-similarity . As a result, the Kolmogorov microscales were named after him. It is now known that the self-similarity is broken so

480-400: A sub-field of fluid dynamics. While the mean values are taken as predictable variables determined by dynamics laws, the turbulent fluctuations are regarded as stochastic variables. The heat flux and momentum transfer (represented by the shear stress τ ) in the direction normal to the flow for a given time are where c P is the heat capacity at constant pressure, ρ is the density of

540-443: A third hypothesis of Kolmogorov was that at very high Reynolds number the statistics of scales in the range η ≪ r ≪ L are universally and uniquely determined by the scale r and the rate of energy dissipation ε . The way in which the kinetic energy is distributed over the multiplicity of scales is a fundamental characterization of a turbulent flow. For homogeneous turbulence (i.e., statistically invariant under translations of

600-434: A universal constant. This is one of the most famous results of Kolmogorov 1941 theory, describing transport of energy through scale space without any loss or gain. The Kolmogorov five-thirds law was first observed in a tidal channel, and considerable experimental evidence has since accumulated that supports it. Outside of the inertial area, one can find the formula below : In spite of this success, Kolmogorov theory

660-445: A vector r (since the turbulence is assumed isotropic, the flow velocity increment depends only on the modulus of r ). Flow velocity increments are useful because they emphasize the effects of scales of the order of the separation r when statistics are computed. The statistical scale-invariance without intermittency implies that the scaling of flow velocity increments should occur with a unique scaling exponent β , so that when r

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720-419: A week at the absolute reference point calibration measurements are performed. Example magnetic observatories include: Example seismic observation projects and observatories include: Example gravitational wave observatories include: A volcano observatory is an institution that conducts the monitoring of a volcano as well as research in order to understand the potential impacts of active volcanism. Among

780-448: A wide range of length scales and the hierarchy can be described by the energy spectrum that measures the energy in flow velocity fluctuations for each length scale ( wavenumber ). The scales in the energy cascade are generally uncontrollable and highly non-symmetric. Nevertheless, based on these length scales these eddies can be divided into three categories. The integral time scale for a Lagrangian flow can be defined as: where u ′

840-833: Is a facility which precisely measures the total intensity of Earth's magnetic field for field strength and direction at standard intervals. Geomagnetic observatories are most useful when located away from human activities to avoid disturbances of anthropogenic origin, and the observation data is collected at a fixed location continuously for decades. Magnetic observations are aggregated, processed, quality checked and made public through data centers such as INTERMAGNET . The types of measuring equipment at an observatory may include magnetometers (torsion, declination-inclination fluxgate, proton precession, Overhauser-effect), variometer (3-component vector, total-field scalar), dip circle , inclinometer , earth inductor, theodolite , self-recording magnetograph, magnetic declinometer, azimuth compass. Once

900-430: Is a factor in developing turbulent flow. Counteracting this effect is the viscosity of the fluid, which as it increases, progressively inhibits turbulence, as more kinetic energy is absorbed by a more viscous fluid. The Reynolds number quantifies the relative importance of these two types of forces for given flow conditions, and is a guide to when turbulent flow will occur in a particular situation. This ability to predict

960-460: Is a range of scales (each one with its own characteristic length r ) that has formed at the expense of the energy of the large ones. These scales are very large compared with the Kolmogorov length, but still very small compared with the large scale of the flow (i.e. η ≪ r ≪ L ). Since eddies in this range are much larger than the dissipative eddies that exist at Kolmogorov scales, kinetic energy

1020-444: Is a scientific institution whose main task is to make observations in the fields of meteorology, geomagnetism and tides that are important for the navy and civil shipping. An astronomical observatory is usually also attached. Some of these observatories also deal with nautical weather forecasts and storm warnings, astronomical time services, nautical calendars and seismology. Example marine observatories include: A magnetic observatory

1080-405: Is at present under revision. This theory implicitly assumes that the turbulence is statistically self-similar at different scales. This essentially means that the statistics are scale-invariant and non-intermittent in the inertial range. A usual way of studying turbulent flow velocity fields is by means of flow velocity increments: that is, the difference in flow velocity between points separated by

1140-409: Is caused by excessive kinetic energy in parts of a fluid flow, which overcomes the damping effect of the fluid's viscosity. For this reason, turbulence is commonly realized in low viscosity fluids. In general terms, in turbulent flow, unsteady vortices appear of many sizes which interact with each other, consequently drag due to friction effects increases. The onset of turbulence can be predicted by

1200-410: Is characterized by a hierarchy of scales through which the energy cascade takes place. Dissipation of kinetic energy takes place at scales of the order of Kolmogorov length η , while the input of energy into the cascade comes from the decay of the large scales, of order L . These two scales at the extremes of the cascade can differ by several orders of magnitude at high Reynolds numbers. In between there

1260-431: Is characterized by the following features: Turbulent diffusion is usually described by a turbulent diffusion coefficient . This turbulent diffusion coefficient is defined in a phenomenological sense, by analogy with the molecular diffusivities, but it does not have a true physical meaning, being dependent on the flow conditions, and not a property of the fluid itself. In addition, the turbulent diffusivity concept assumes

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1320-400: Is considerable evidence that turbulent flows deviate from this behavior. The scaling exponents deviate from the ⁠ n / 3 ⁠ value predicted by the theory, becoming a non-linear function of the order n of the structure function. The universality of the constants have also been questioned. For low orders the discrepancy with the Kolmogorov ⁠ n / 3 ⁠ value

1380-419: Is essentially not dissipated in this range, and it is merely transferred to smaller scales until viscous effects become important as the order of the Kolmogorov scale is approached. Within this range inertial effects are still much larger than viscous effects, and it is possible to assume that viscosity does not play a role in their internal dynamics (for this reason this range is called "inertial range"). Hence,

1440-467: Is fluid motion characterized by chaotic changes in pressure and flow velocity . It is in contrast to laminar flow , which occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers with no disruption between those layers. Turbulence is commonly observed in everyday phenomena such as surf , fast flowing rivers, billowing storm clouds, or smoke from a chimney, and most fluid flows occurring in nature or created in engineering applications are turbulent. Turbulence

1500-473: Is governed by the random walk principle. In rivers and large ocean currents, the diffusion coefficient is given by variations of Elder's formula. Via this energy cascade , turbulent flow can be realized as a superposition of a spectrum of flow velocity fluctuations and eddies upon a mean flow . The eddies are loosely defined as coherent patterns of flow velocity, vorticity and pressure. Turbulent flows may be viewed as made of an entire hierarchy of eddies over

1560-422: Is scaled by a factor λ , should have the same statistical distribution as with β independent of the scale r . From this fact, and other results of Kolmogorov 1941 theory, it follows that the statistical moments of the flow velocity increments (known as structure functions in turbulence) should scale as where the brackets denote the statistical average, and the C n would be universal constants. There

1620-447: Is sufficiently high. Thus, Kolmogorov introduced a second hypothesis: for very high Reynolds numbers the statistics of small scales are universally and uniquely determined by the kinematic viscosity ν and the rate of energy dissipation ε . With only these two parameters, the unique length that can be formed by dimensional analysis is This is today known as the Kolmogorov length scale (see Kolmogorov microscales ). A turbulent flow

1680-648: Is that, because of their location above the Earth's atmosphere, their images are free from the effects of atmospheric turbulence that plague ground-based observations. As a result, the angular resolution of space telescopes such as the Hubble Space Telescope is often much smaller than a ground-based telescope with a similar aperture . However, all these advantages do come with a price. Space telescopes are much more expensive to build than ground-based telescopes. Due to their location, space telescopes are also extremely difficult to maintain. The Hubble Space Telescope

1740-599: Is the Mauna Kea Observatory , located near the summit of a 4,205 m (13,796 ft) volcano in Hawaiʻi. The Chacaltaya Astrophysical Observatory in Bolivia, at 5,230 m (17,160 ft), was the world's highest permanent astronomical observatory from the time of its construction during the 1940s until 2009. It has now been surpassed by the new University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory , an optical-infrared telescope on

1800-401: Is the mean turbulent kinetic energy of the flow. The wavenumber k corresponding to length scale r is k = ⁠ 2π / r ⁠ . Therefore, by dimensional analysis, the only possible form for the energy spectrum function according with the third Kolmogorov's hypothesis is where K 0 ≈ 1.5 {\displaystyle K_{0}\approx 1.5} would be

1860-505: Is the velocity fluctuation, and τ {\displaystyle \tau } is the time lag between measurements. Although it is possible to find some particular solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations governing fluid motion, all such solutions are unstable to finite perturbations at large Reynolds numbers. Sensitive dependence on the initial and boundary conditions makes fluid flow irregular both in time and in space so that

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1920-466: Is very small, which explain the success of Kolmogorov theory in regards to low order statistical moments. In particular, it can be shown that when the energy spectrum follows a power law with 1 < p < 3 , the second order structure function has also a power law, with the form Since the experimental values obtained for the second order structure function only deviate slightly from the ⁠ 2 / 3 ⁠ value predicted by Kolmogorov theory,

1980-404: The C n constants, are related with the phenomenon of intermittency in turbulence and can be related to the non-trivial scaling behavior of the dissipation rate averaged over scale r . This is an important area of research in this field, and a major goal of the modern theory of turbulence is to understand what is universal in the inertial range, and how to deduce intermittency properties from

2040-518: The Reynolds number , which is the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces within a fluid which is subject to relative internal movement due to different fluid velocities, in what is known as a boundary layer in the case of a bounding surface such as the interior of a pipe. A similar effect is created by the introduction of a stream of higher velocity fluid, such as the hot gases from a flame in air. This relative movement generates fluid friction, which

2100-467: The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy use airplanes to observe in the infrared , which is absorbed by water vapor in the atmosphere. High-altitude balloons for X-ray astronomy have been used in a variety of countries. Example underground, underwater or under ice neutrino observatories include: Example meteorological observatories include: A marine observatory

2160-640: The kinetic energy is significantly absorbed due to the action of fluid molecular viscosity gives rise to a laminar flow regime. For this the dimensionless quantity the Reynolds number ( Re ) is used as a guide. With respect to laminar and turbulent flow regimes: The Reynolds number is defined as where: While there is no theorem directly relating the non-dimensional Reynolds number to turbulence, flows at Reynolds numbers larger than 5000 are typically (but not necessarily) turbulent, while those at low Reynolds numbers usually remain laminar. In Poiseuille flow , for example, turbulence can first be sustained if

2220-664: The southwestern United States , Hawaii , Canary Islands , the Andes , and high mountains in Mexico such as Sierra Negra . Major optical observatories include Mauna Kea Observatory and Kitt Peak National Observatory in the US, Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in Spain, and Paranal Observatory and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile . Specific research study performed in 2009 shows that

2280-552: The 14" LX200 in the roll off roof building, and in July 2012 the 14" LX200 was installed in the Dome, in place of the old ASSA 12" Dall-Kirkham, which was moved to ASSA's Stockport Observatory for storage. A group of students known as the STAR Group learns astronomy at an advanced level, both in theory and practice. Students are actively involved with the observatory. In 2011, a Yr 12 Student used

2340-699: The Public through the 14" LX200 in the Dome and the portable scopes. Observatory The term observatoire has been used in French since at least 1976 to denote any institution that compiles and presents data on a particular subject (such as public health observatory ) or for a particular geographic area ( European Audiovisual Observatory ). Astronomical observatories are mainly divided into four categories: space-based , airborne , ground-based, and underground-based. Historically, ground-based observatories were as simple as containing an astronomical sextant (for measuring

2400-488: The Reynolds number is larger than a critical value of about 2040; moreover, the turbulence is generally interspersed with laminar flow until a larger Reynolds number of about 4000. The transition occurs if the size of the object is gradually increased, or the viscosity of the fluid is decreased, or if the density of the fluid is increased. When flow is turbulent, particles exhibit additional transverse motion which enhances

2460-753: The best known are the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the Vesuvius Observatory . Mobile volcano observatories exist with the USGS VDAP (Volcano Disaster Assistance Program), to be deployed on demand. Each volcano observatory has a geographic area of responsibility it is assigned to whereby the observatory is tasked with spreading activity forecasts, analyzing potential volcanic activity threats and cooperating with communities in preparation for volcanic eruption . Atmospheric turbulence In fluid dynamics , turbulence or turbulent flow

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2520-949: The best possible location for ground-based observatory on Earth is Ridge A  — a place in the central part of Eastern Antarctica. This location provides the least atmospheric disturbances and best visibility. Beginning in 1933, radio telescopes have been built for use in the field of radio astronomy to observe the Universe in the radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Such an instrument, or collection of instruments, with supporting facilities such as control centres, visitor housing, data reduction centers, and/or maintenance facilities are called radio observatories . Radio observatories are similarly located far from major population centers to avoid electromagnetic interference (EMI) from radio , TV , radar , and other EMI emitting devices, but unlike optical observatories, radio observatories can be placed in valleys for further EMI shielding. Some of

2580-492: The dimensionless Reynolds number , the ratio of kinetic energy to viscous damping in a fluid flow. However, turbulence has long resisted detailed physical analysis, and the interactions within turbulence create a very complex phenomenon. Physicist Richard Feynman described turbulence as the most important unsolved problem in classical physics. The turbulence intensity affects many fields, for examples fish ecology, air pollution, precipitation, and climate change. Turbulence

2640-423: The distance between stars ) or Stonehenge (which has some alignments on astronomical phenomena). Ground-based observatories, located on the surface of Earth, are used to make observations in the radio and visible light portions of the electromagnetic spectrum . Most optical telescopes are housed within a dome or similar structure, to protect the delicate instruments from the elements. Telescope domes have

2700-473: The effects of light pollution . The ideal locations for modern observatories are sites that have dark skies, a large percentage of clear nights per year, dry air, and are at high elevations. At high elevations, the Earth's atmosphere is thinner, thereby minimizing the effects of atmospheric turbulence and resulting in better astronomical " seeing ". Sites that meet the above criteria for modern observatories include

2760-463: The electromagnetic spectrum that cannot penetrate the Earth's atmosphere and are thus impossible to observe using ground-based telescopes. The Earth's atmosphere is opaque to ultraviolet radiation, X-rays , and gamma rays and is partially opaque to infrared radiation so observations in these portions of the electromagnetic spectrum are best carried out from a location above the atmosphere of our planet. Another advantage of space-based telescopes

2820-566: The first." A similar witticism has been attributed to Horace Lamb in a speech to the British Association for the Advancement of Science : "I am an old man now, and when I die and go to heaven there are two matters on which I hope for enlightenment. One is quantum electrodynamics, and the other is the turbulent motion of fluids. And about the former I am rather more optimistic." The onset of turbulence can be, to some extent, predicted by

2880-499: The fluid, μ turb is the coefficient of turbulent viscosity and k turb is the turbulent thermal conductivity . Richardson's notion of turbulence was that a turbulent flow is composed by "eddies" of different sizes. The sizes define a characteristic length scale for the eddies, which are also characterized by flow velocity scales and time scales (turnover time) dependent on the length scale. The large eddies are unstable and eventually break up originating smaller eddies, and

2940-399: The kinetic energy of the initial large eddy is divided into the smaller eddies that stemmed from it. These smaller eddies undergo the same process, giving rise to even smaller eddies which inherit the energy of their predecessor eddy, and so on. In this way, the energy is passed down from the large scales of the motion to smaller scales until reaching a sufficiently small length scale such that

3000-498: The onset of turbulent flow is an important design tool for equipment such as piping systems or aircraft wings, but the Reynolds number is also used in scaling of fluid dynamics problems, and is used to determine dynamic similitude between two different cases of fluid flow, such as between a model aircraft, and its full size version. Such scaling is not always linear and the application of Reynolds numbers to both situations allows scaling factors to be developed. A flow situation in which

3060-704: The original 10" LX200 and a 8bit DMK camera to detect the transit of an Exo-planet as his SACE Research Project. Bimonthly, on the Friday night nearest the First Quarter Moon, the Astronomical Society of South Australia holds a public viewing night at the observatory, where members of the public can visit the observatory to view the night sky through the observatory's telescopes and telescopes brought in by members of ASSA. Members of STAR Group demonstrate real time imaging on their Research Grade OGS telescope, and show

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3120-454: The particular geometrical features of the boundaries (the size characterizing the large scales will be denoted as L ). Kolmogorov's idea was that in the Richardson's energy cascade this geometrical and directional information is lost, while the scale is reduced, so that the statistics of the small scales has a universal character: they are the same for all turbulent flows when the Reynolds number

3180-421: The rate of energy and momentum exchange between them thus increasing the heat transfer and the friction coefficient. Assume for a two-dimensional turbulent flow that one was able to locate a specific point in the fluid and measure the actual flow velocity v = ( v x , v y ) of every particle that passed through that point at any given time. Then one would find the actual flow velocity fluctuating about

3240-581: The reference frame) this is usually done by means of the energy spectrum function E ( k ) , where k is the modulus of the wavevector corresponding to some harmonics in a Fourier representation of the flow velocity field u ( x ) : where û ( k ) is the Fourier transform of the flow velocity field. Thus, E ( k ) d k represents the contribution to the kinetic energy from all the Fourier modes with k < | k | < k + d k , and therefore, where ⁠ 1 / 2 ⁠ ⟨ u i u i ⟩

3300-400: The statistical description is presently modified. A complete description of turbulence is one of the unsolved problems in physics . According to an apocryphal story, Werner Heisenberg was asked what he would ask God , given the opportunity. His reply was: "When I meet God, I am going to ask him two questions: Why relativity ? And why turbulence? I really believe he will have an answer for

3360-403: The value for p is very near to ⁠ 5 / 3 ⁠ (differences are about 2% ). Thus the "Kolmogorov − ⁠ 5 / 3 ⁠ spectrum" is generally observed in turbulence. However, for high order structure functions, the difference with the Kolmogorov scaling is significant, and the breakdown of the statistical self-similarity is clear. This behavior, and the lack of universality of

3420-400: The viscosity of the fluid can effectively dissipate the kinetic energy into internal energy. In his original theory of 1941, Kolmogorov postulated that for very high Reynolds numbers , the small-scale turbulent motions are statistically isotropic (i.e. no preferential spatial direction could be discerned). In general, the large scales of a flow are not isotropic, since they are determined by

3480-765: The world's major radio observatories include the Very Large Array in New Mexico , United States, Jodrell Bank in the UK , Arecibo in Puerto Rico , Parkes in New South Wales , Australia, and Chajnantor in Chile . A related discipline is Very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI). Since the mid-20th century, a number of astronomical observatories have been constructed at very high altitudes , above 4,000–5,000 m (13,000–16,000 ft). The largest and most notable of these

3540-476: Was able to be serviced by the Space Shuttles while many other space telescopes cannot be serviced at all. Airborne observatories have the advantage of height over ground installations, putting them above most of the Earth's atmosphere. They also have an advantage over space telescopes: The instruments can be deployed, repaired and updated much more quickly and inexpensively. The Kuiper Airborne Observatory and

3600-578: Was replaced by a 14" Meade LX-200 GPS-ACF. This was purchased with a grant from the Education Minister (Jay Weatherill), topped up with fund-raising money from the STAR Group. The observatory also houses a portable 10" Dobsonian, a 90mm computerised SkyWatcher refractor and two Coronado solar telescopes. In April 2012, the Heights School purchased a research-grade, 12.5" space-certified Ritchey–Chrétien built by Optical Guidance Systems. That replaced

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