Dynamically refocused Rayleigh laser beacons for atmospheric tomography

Michael Lloyd-Hart; James A. Georges; James Roger P. Angel; Guido Brusa-Zappellini; Patrick Young

doi:10.1117/12.454800

4 February 2002 Dynamically refocused Rayleigh laser beacons for atmospheric tomography

Michael Lloyd-Hart, James A. Georges, James Roger P. Angel, Guido Brusa-Zappellini, Patrick Young

Proceedings Volume 4494, Adaptive Optics Systems and Technology II; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.454800
Event: International Symposium on Optical Science and Technology, 2001, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

We report initial results from a prototype system to generate multiple Rayleigh laser guide stars for adaptive optics from a single pulsed laser at 354 nm wavelength. A 3.2 mW laser pulsed at 630 Hz was used to project three beams on the sky simultaneously, each pulsed at 210 Hz. A spinning mirror was used to direct the pulses in three directions at the vertices of an equilateral triangle 90 arcsec across. Laser pulses were triggered by a synchronising electrical pulse from the motor. Dynamic focusing optics in the receiving telescope will in future be used to hold such beacons from more powerful lasers in focus over a height range of many kilometers. Multiple beacons can be used to derive tomographic information on the vertical distribution of the aberration. We show initial analytical and numerical work on how the unique features of refocused Rayleigh beacons can improve the tomographic wavefront measurement for multi-conjugate adaptive optics.

Citation Download Citation

Michael Lloyd-Hart, James A. Georges, James Roger P. Angel, Guido Brusa-Zappellini, and Patrick Young "Dynamically refocused Rayleigh laser beacons for atmospheric tomography", Proc. SPIE 4494, Adaptive Optics Systems and Technology II, (4 February 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.454800

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