Technical description

The designed building located in a snow hole is made up of two elements: the telescope part, including the necessary apparatus as well as the living-research part which includes the laboratories and telescope controls. A steel truss covered by an OSB plate is an integral part of the telescope. It is attached to a steel pylon propped up on 12 hydraulic legs using steel cables, as well as being attached up to 8 meters below the surface using 12 steel ropes. The ropes are lengthened at the moment when the building is lifted.

The living-research part is constructed via hydraulic legs, attached to these are steel cross-beams, purlins and OSB plates linked with silicone - which function as roofing layers. A natural foundation was used in the construction...

Zones and idea behind the project

The project is designed to try to create a space (station) allowing two different methods of observation, which have not been linked up till now. One of these is the KEOPS project (40 telescopes creating a kilometre wide optic instrument) as well as the Schmidt project  (5 meter spectroscopic instrument). This is a very tempting proposition for astronomers due to the possibility of carring out separate observations as well as their joint analysis through the interferometer method. Both machines require separate control rooms.​

The observatory is designed outside the area which has up till now housed research activity. This is due to the sensitive character of the instruments, which must be protected against potential vibration, turbulence or light interference. Due to the fact that the mirrors are so sensitive to vibration (including those created as a result of movement by personel), the observatory consists of two independent buildings distanced from each other by 15cm.

Building I (housing the telescope) contains spectroscope apparatus, which is...

Dome C

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Supply delivery

Heavy goods delivered via the sea from the Hobart port in Tasmania to the French station Dumont d'Urville, located on a small island a few kilometres from the continent itself, are transported by snow sledges on the ice shelf (during the winter) and on barges (in the summer), to the Cape Prudhomme coast. A convoy is prepared here, which undertakes the traverse in the summer, in both directions, three times per year. Every convoy goes via a strictly designated road, which is always visible due to the small snow fall. A typical convoy is made up of 8-10 tractors as well as 2-3 snow ploughs, whose job it is to make way in the snow and to even-out the road. Every tractor pulls behind it heavy goods consisting of fuel stores, containers as well as a trailer (especially designed to be used to carry heavy goods) placed on top of skids. Additionally the "caravan" is accompanied by a special convoy with living quarters (kitchen, bedrooms, toilets).

The average speed with which the heavily laden machines move is approximately 9.5-12km/h. It takes 19-25 days to reach Dome C. All the wastage is stored and...

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