Commissioning of the MMT ground-layer and laser tomography adaptive optics systems

N. Mark Milton, Michael Lloyd Hart, Christoph Baranec, Thomas Stalcup, Keith Powell, Don McCarthy, Craig Kulesa, Keith Hege

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

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

A multi-laser adaptive optics system, at the 6.5 m MMT telescope, has been undergoing commissioning in preparation for wide-field, partially corrected as well as narrow-field, diffraction limited science observations in the thermal and near infrared. After several delays due to bad weather, we have successfully closed the full high order ground-layer adaptive optics (GLAO) control loop for the first time in February 2008 using five Rayleigh laser guide stars and a single tilt star. Characterization and automated correction of static aberrations such as non-common path errors were addressed in May 2008. Calibration measurements in preparation for laser tomography adaptive optics (LTAO) operation are planned for the fall of 2008 along with the start of shared-risk GLAO science observations. We present the results of GLAO observations with the PISCES imager, a 1 - 2.5 μm camera with a field of view of 110 arc seconds. The status of the remaining GLAO commissioning work is also reviewed. Finally, we present plans for commissioning work to implement the LTAO operating mode of the system.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdaptive Optics Systems
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008
EventAdaptive Optics Systems - Marseille, France
Duration: Jun 23 2008Jun 26 2008

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume7015
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherAdaptive Optics Systems
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityMarseille
Period6/23/086/26/08

Keywords

  • Adaptive optics
  • Ground-layer adaptive optics
  • Laser guide stars

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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