Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics Performance in Simulated Atmospheric Deep Turbulence
Abstract
This research focuses on applying multi-conjugate adaptive optics to mitigate the adverse effects of atmospheric deep turbulence on a propagating laser beam. A unique multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) testbed was constructed and aligned to emulate and study the deep turbulence conditions characteristic of maritime environments. Experiments conducted on the testbed, using a low-power laser beam source, demonstrate that MCAO effectively improves the point spread function and reduces the wavefront error. By compensating wavefront aberrations at two conjugate planes along the beam path, turbulence-induced scintillation effects were also reduced. This research suggests that MCAO can potentially enhance the performance of high-energy laser systems, free-space optical laser communications, and ground-to-space imaging technologies by reducing the adverse effects of deep turbulence, such as beam spread and scintillation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1225431
Entities
People
- Connor P. Mellett
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School