Comparison of the scintillation noise above different observatories measured with MASS instruments

Abstract

Aims. Scintillation noise is a major limitation of ground-based photometric precision. Methods. An extensive dataset of stellar scintillation collected at 11 astronomical sites world-wide with MASS instruments was used to estimate the scintillation noise of large telescopes in the fast photometry and traditional long-exposure regime. Results. Statistical distributions of the corresponding parameters are given. The scintillation noise is mostly determined by turbulence and wind in the upper atmosphere and is comparable at all sites, with slightly lower values at Mauna Kea and the highest noise at Tolonchar in Chile. We show that the classical Young’s formula underestimates the scintillation noise. The temporal variations of the scintillation noise are also similar at all sites, showing short-term variability at time scales of 1 − 2 h and slower variations, including marked seasonal trends (stronger scintillation and less clear sky during local winter). Some correlation was found between nearby observatories.