Alternate surface measurements for GMT primary mirror segments

J. H. Burge, L. B. Kot, H. M. Martin, C. Zhao, T. Zobrist

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

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

The primary mirror for the 25-m Giant Magellan Telescope is made of seven circular segments, each of 8.4-m diameter. The lack of axisymmetry and the steep aspheric departure present significant technical challenges for the metrology. These segments will be measured interferometrically using a complex system of mirrors and holograms to give a null test with high spatial resolution. While analysis predicts this system will meet requirements, an additional set of measurements will be used to corroborate the principal interferometric measurement. The set of tests, including these alternate surface measurements, assures that all aspects of the mirror surface are measured completely and redundantly. The corroboration tests discussed in this paper are: Direct surface profile using metrology system based on a laser tracker, measuring low order shape errors Shear testing with full aperture interferometer, separating small scale errors in the null test from those in the mirror Slope testing with scanning pentaprism, measuring low order shape errors and sampling small scale errors.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationOptomechanical Technologies for Astronomy
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006
EventOptomechanical Technologies for Astronomy - Orlando, FL, United States
Duration: May 24 2006May 31 2006

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume6273 II
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherOptomechanical Technologies for Astronomy
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityOrlando, FL
Period5/24/065/31/06

Keywords

  • Aspheres
  • Optical fabrication
  • Optical testing
  • Telescopes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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