High-resolution imaging at the Multiple Mirror Telescope using adaptive optics

Michael Lloyd-Hart, Peter L. Wizinowich, David Wittman, D'nardo Colucci, Brian A. McLeod, Richard G. Dekany, J. R. Angel, Donald W. McCarthy, Marcia J. Rieke, Mark J. McCaughrean

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

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

The next generation of 6 to 10 m class telescopes is being planned to include the capability for adaptive wavefront correction. The Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) with its 7 m baseline, provides an ideal testbed for novel techniques of adaptive optics. Using a new instrument based on a six segment adaptive mirror, a number of wavefront sensing algorithms including an artificial neural network have been implemented to demonstrate the high resolution imaging capability of the telescope. These algorithms rely on a freely available property of starlight, namely its coherence over large scales, to sense directly atmospheric and instrumental phase errors across large distances. In this paper, we report results obtained so far with resolutions between 0.08 and 0.3 arcseconds at 2.2 μm wavelength. We also show data indicating that at the level of 0.1 arcsec imaging in good seeing, the isoplanatic patch at this wavelength is at least 20 arcsec across.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
PublisherPubl by Int Soc for Optical Engineering
Pages442-452
Number of pages11
ISBN (Print)0819408530
StatePublished - 1992
EventAtmospheric Propagation and Remote Sensing - Orlando, FL, USA
Duration: Apr 21 1992Apr 23 1992

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume1688
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherAtmospheric Propagation and Remote Sensing
CityOrlando, FL, USA
Period4/21/924/23/92

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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