Increasing sky coverage with the Gemini North ALTAIR/LGS AO system

Julian C. Christou, Maxime Boccas, Angelic Ebbers, Richard M. McDermid, Richard Oram, Chadwick Trujillo, Brian Walls

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

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Gemini North (GN) AO system, Altair, has been routinely operating in LGS mode since 2007. Due to the initial optical design, the NGS field-of-view (FoV) is limited to a radius ~ 25" which limits the potential science. To improve this, we have tested the AO/LGS operation using a peripheral wavefront sensor (PWFS) whose patrol field is ~ 4'-7' from the target. This expanded NGS FoV permits greater sky coverage but with decreased resolution, FWHM ~ 0.1" - 0.2" making this mode very suitable for non-imaging spectrographic and integral field unit observations. We present the hardware and software upgrades to PWFS and Altair as well as the software necessary for making this observing mode a routine and integral part of GN operations. Characterization and performance of this new operation mode, known as LGS+P1, are presented.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdaptive Optics Systems III
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes
EventAdaptive Optics Systems III - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Duration: Jul 1 2012Jul 6 2012

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume8447
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Conference

ConferenceAdaptive Optics Systems III
Country/TerritoryNetherlands
CityAmsterdam
Period7/1/127/6/12

Keywords

  • Adaptive optics
  • Laser guide star
  • Na laser spectrum
  • Off-axis guiding
  • Super-seeing

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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