The adaptive optics (AO) system requires natural guide stars (NGS) to differentiate the focus error generated due to vertical shift in the sodium centroid altitude together with atmospheric turbulence. This dependency on NGS restricts achieving useable sky coverage and AO operation during dawn. One of the proposed approaches to distinguish these two focus errors is to monitor continuously the region of the sodium layer where the LGS is generated. The classical approaches used for this task, direct imaging, and LIDAR technology, have limitations. The technique of continuously amplitude modulating the guidestar laser (GSL) according to the pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS) has the potential to overcome the limitations of classical approaches and reduce the dependency of the AO system on the NGS. The focus error is the major issue in large telescopes; therefore, we extended the PRBS technique to one of the large telescopes, the Gaint Magellan Telescope through numerical simulations. The study shows that modulation strength of 0.47 is required to fulfil the requirements during high sodium column density. Previously, it was intended to experimentally verify the technique with an LGS facility installed at the 1.8 m EOS telescope, Mount Stromlo, Canberra, Australia. Due to unavoidable circumstances, we now intend to perform the experiment with the LGS facility at the 2.3 m ANU telescope, Siding Spring Observatory (SSO), Coonabarabran, Australia. The paper presents the numerical simulations conducted with parameters of SSO, hardware selection for the experiment based on the system requirements, and preliminary test results from the laboratory.
The classical approaches for generating and studying a sodium guide star, direct imaging and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology are limited by the spatial resolution and equipment requirements. Therefore, the well-established technique to modulate continuous wave laser based on a pseudorandom binary sequence (PRBS) used in the field of radio detection and ranging and LIDAR has been extended to adaptive optics (AO). To monitor the sodium layer for applications such as AO and atmospheric studies, the technique was tested at the Calar Alto Observatory in 1999, Large Zenith Telescope in 2014, and by the University of Science and Technology of China in 2019. Based on these experiments, the PRBS modulation technique proved to be promising for the AO field. However, for this technique to be implemented in AO systems, it must be validated at different modulation strengths and modulation frequencies that satisfy the system requirements. Therefore, we aim to experimentally verify the PRBS modulation technique at a laser guide star facility installed at the 1.8 m Electro Optics Systems Telescope, Mount Stromlo, near Canberra, Australia. Numerical simulations are conducted with parameters at Mount Stromlo before the hardware implementation. The simulations show that the centroid error varies between 68 and 5 m for a low sodium column density. Additional numerical simulations are performed to verify the potential of the PRBS modulation technique to fulfill the laser guide star AO requirements of large telescopes. We show that with the implemented of PRBS modulation technique in one of the laser guide star (LGS) to monitor sodium layer can meet the LGS AO requirements of Giant Magellan Telescope even at low sodium column densities. Further, we discuss the computed results from the perspective of AO requirements, for the current and future implementation of the PRBS technique in the field of AO.
The Mount Stromlo LGS facility includes two laser systems: a fiber-based sum-frequency laser designed and built by EOS Space Systems in Australia, and a Semiconductor Guidestar Laser designed and built by Aret´e Associates in the USA under contract with the Australian National University. The Beam Transfer Optics (BTO) enable either simultaneous or separate propagation of the two lasers to create a single LGS on the sky. This paper provides an overview of the Mount Stromlo LGS facility design, integration and testing of the two sodium guidestar lasers in the laboratory and on the EOS 1.8m telescope.
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