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About

T. Butterley is an astronomer and instrumentation specialist whose work focuses on atmospheric turbulence profiling and robotic telescope operations, critical for advancing adaptive optics (AO) systems. Their key research areas include ground-layer turbulence characterization, robotic SLODAR instrumentation, and the development of autonomous observing facilities. Butterley led the design and implementation of the pt5m robotic telescope on La Palma—a 0.5-meter facility mounted on the William Herschel Telescope building that provides high-quality, automated observing capabilities (35 citations). They also pioneered a robotic SLODAR system at Cerro Paranal, enabling detailed vertical profiling of optical turbulence up to 500 meters altitude (15 citations). This work directly supports the Adaptive Optics Facility (AOF) at the VLT, where Butterley’s turbulence profile measurements help optimize ground-layer AO performance. Additional contributions include refining MASS turbulence profile estimation techniques at Paranal, improving the reliability of multi-aperture scintillation sensors for AO support. Butterley’s combination of hands-on instrument building and atmospheric physics has made them a key figure in enabling next-generation AO systems.