Hart, Michael and Milton, N. Mark and Baranec, Christoph and Stalcup, Thomas and Powell, Keith and Bendek, Eduardo and McCarthy, Don and Kulesa, Craig (2009) Wide field astronomical image compensation with multiple laser-guided adaptive optics. In: Adaptive Coded Aperture Imaging, Non-Imaging, and Unconventional Imaging Sensor Systems. Proceedings of SPIE. No.7468. Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) , Bellingham, WA, Art. No. 74680L. ISBN 9780819477583. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20170125-074753803
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Abstract
We report closed-loop results obtained from the first adaptive optics system to deploy multiple laser guide beacons. The system is mounted on the 6.5 m MMT telescope in Arizona, and is designed to explore advanced altitude-conjugated techniques for wide-field image compensation. Five beacons are made by Rayleigh scattering of laser beams at 532 nm integrated over a range from 20 to 29 km by dynamic refocus of the telescope optics. The return light is analyzed by a unique Shack-Hartmann sensor that places all five beacons on a single detector, with electronic shuttering to implement the beacon range gate. Wavefront correction is applied with the telescope's unique deformable secondary mirror. The system has now begun operations as a tool for astronomical science, in a mode in which the boundary-layer turbulence, close to the telescope, is compensated. Image quality of 0.2-0.3 arc sec is routinely delivered in the near infrared bands from 1.2-2.5 μm over a field of view of 2 arc min. Although it does not reach the diffraction limit, this represents a 3 to 4-fold improvement in resolution over the natural seeing, and a field of view an order of magnitude larger than conventional adaptive optics systems deliver. We present performance metrics including images of the core of the globular cluster M3 where correction is almost uniform across the full field. We describe plans underway to develop the technology further on the twin 8.4 m Large Binocular Telescope and the future 25 m Giant Magellan Telescope.
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| Additional Information: | © 2009 International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE). Observations reported here were made at the MMT, a joint facility of the University of Arizona and the Smithsonian Institution. This work has been supported by the National Science Foundation under grant AST-0505369. | |||||||||
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| Subject Keywords: | Telescopes, adaptive optics, laser guide stars | |||||||||
| Series Name: | Proceedings of SPIE | |||||||||
| Issue or Number: | 7468 | |||||||||
| Record Number: | CaltechAUTHORS:20170125-074753803 | |||||||||
| Persistent URL: | https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20170125-074753803 | |||||||||
| Official Citation: | Michael Hart ; N. Mark Milton ; Christoph Baranec ; Thomas Stalcup ; Keith Powell ; Eduardo Bendek ; Don McCarthy ; Craig Kulesa; Wide field astronomical image compensation with multiple laser-guided adaptive optics. Proc. SPIE 7468, Adaptive Coded Aperture Imaging, Non-Imaging, and Unconventional Imaging Sensor Systems, 74680L (September 01, 2009); doi:10.1117/12.827301. | |||||||||
| Usage Policy: | No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided. | |||||||||
| ID Code: | 73691 | |||||||||
| Collection: | CaltechAUTHORS | |||||||||
| Deposited By: | Ruth Sustaita | |||||||||
| Deposited On: | 26 Jan 2017 00:14 | |||||||||
| Last Modified: | 03 Oct 2019 16:30 |
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