Experimental Analysis of Perspective Elongation Effects Using a Laser Guide Star in an Adaptive-Optics System (POSTPRINT)

Abstract

The use of a laser guidestar (LGS) for the purpose of a beacon in an adaptive-optics (AO) system is prone to perspective elongation effects on the spots of a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. The elongated spots can vary in size over the subapertures and affect the gradient sensitivity of the sensor. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has developed a LGS model that outputs gradient gains which represent the effects of an extended beacon on the spots for a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. This paper investigates the application of these gains in an experimental setup in order to both analyze the effects of the variation in those gains due to spot size elongation and to measure the impact on the performance of an AO system.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA514544

Entities

People

  • Carolyn M. Tewksbury-christle
  • Darryl J. Sanchez
  • Denis W. Oesch
  • Julie C. Smith
  • Kevin P. Vitayaudom
  • Patrick R. Kelly

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Adaptive Optics
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Atmospheric Motion
  • Detectors
  • Dynamic Range
  • Elevation
  • Elongation
  • Guidestar Lasers
  • Lasers
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Observatories
  • Optics
  • Shape
  • Strehl Ratio
  • Turbulence

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Powder metallurgy of Titanium alloys.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy