Abstract
We will present a system to perform closed-loop optical tests of the 64 cm diameter, 336 actuator adaptive secondary made at the Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory. Testing will include Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing and modal correction of static and dynamic aberrated wavefronts. The test optical system (called the 'Shimmulator') is designed so that experiments can be made with both the focal plane instrument and secondary installed in their normal configuration at the MMT, or with the same 9 m spacing in a laboratory test tower. The convex secondary will be illuminated at normal incidence through two 70 nm diameter lenses mounted just below. The artificial, aberrated star is projected from near the wavefront sensor in the Cassegrain focus assembly. Computer generated holograms correct for spherical aberration in the relay optics at the test wavelengths of 0.594 and 1.5 μm. Atmospheric turbulence is reproduced by two spinning transmission plates imprinted with Kolmogorov turbulence. The Shimmulator will give us the opportunity to test fully the adaptive optics system before installation at the new MMT, hence saving much precious telescope time.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 28-37 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering |
Volume | 3762 |
State | Published - 1999 |
Event | Proceedings of the 1999 Adaptive Optics Systems and Technology - Denver, CO, USA Duration: Jul 21 1999 → Jul 22 1999 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Computer Science Applications
- Applied Mathematics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering