A direct measurement of atmospheric dispersion in N-band spectra: Implications for mid-IR systems on ELTs

Andrew J. Skemer, Philip M. Hinz, William F. Hoffmann, Laird M. Close, Sarah Kendrew, Richard J. Mathar, Remko Stuik, Thomas P. Greene, Charles E. Woodward, Michael S. Kelley

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

This paper is modified from [1]. Adaptive optics will almost completely remove the effects of atmospheric turbulence at 10µm on the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) generation of telescopes. In this paper, we observationally confirm that the next most important limitation to image quality is atmospheric dispersion, rather than telescope diffraction. By using the 6.5 meter MMT with its unique mid-IR adaptive optics system, we measure atmospheric dispersion in the N-band with the newly commissioned spectroscopic mode on MIRAC4-BLINC. Our results indicate that atmospheric dispersion is generally linear in the N-band, although there is some residual curvature. We compare our measurements to theory, and make predictions for ELT Strehls and image FHWM with and without an atmospheric dispersion corrector (ADC). We find that for many mid-IR applications, an ADC will be necessary on ELTs.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication1st AO4ELT Conference - Adaptive Optics for Extremely Large Telescopes
EditorsYann Clenet, Jean-Marc Conan, Thierry Fusco, Gerard Rousset
PublisherEDP Sciences
ISBN (Electronic)9782759804962
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020
Event1st International Conference on Adaptive Optics for Extremely Large Telescopes, AO4ELT 2009 - Paris, France
Duration: Jun 22 2009Jun 26 2009

Publication series

Name1st AO4ELT Conference - Adaptive Optics for Extremely Large Telescopes

Conference

Conference1st International Conference on Adaptive Optics for Extremely Large Telescopes, AO4ELT 2009
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityParis
Period6/22/096/26/09

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Space and Planetary Science
  • Control and Systems Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Instrumentation

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