Abstract

BOHIGAS, J.  and  NUNEZ, J. M.. The green potential of the San Pedro Mártir observatory. Rev. mex. astron. astrofis [online]. 2010, vol.46, n.1, pp.89-107. ISSN 0185-1101.

Weather observations carried out between October 2004 and July 2008 at the Mexican Observatorio Astronómico Nacional (OAN) are analyzed. Humidity in April, May and June was less than 55% nearly 90% of the time. Wind speed was larger at nightime and tended to decrease between March and November. Typical temperature variations during the night, for the entire day and for a whole year were about 2, 6 and 16° C, respectively. The scale height or roughness length for the function relating wind speed and height above ground is between 0.55 and 0.67 meters. Normal activities associated to OAN produced somewhat more than 750 tons of CO a year, roughly 3 times more than a typical mid-scale industry in the district of Ensenada, where OAN is located. Wind energy could have been extracted to produce electricity ~ 60% of the time, being more bountiful during the night and in the winter and early spring months. Solar and wind energy seem plentiful enough to supply the entire energy needs of the observatory, some 110 kWh including transportation.

Keywords : seeing; site testing.

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