Open AccessA Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor projected on to the sky with reduced focal anisoplanatism
Author(s) -
Butterley T.,
Love G. D.,
Wilson R. W.,
Myers R. M.,
Morris T. J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10160.x
Subject(s) - physics , wavefront , laser guide star , adaptive optics , optics , guide star , sky , wavefront sensor , telescope , focal length , laser , deformable mirror , astronomy , lens (geology)
A method for producing a laser guide star wavefront sensor for adaptive optics with reduced focal anisoplanatism is presented. A theoretical analysis and numerical simulations have been carried out and the results are presented. The technique, named Sky‐Projected Laser Array Shack–Hartmann (SPLASH), is shown to suffer considerably less from focal anisoplanatism than a conventional laser guide star system. The method is potentially suitable for large telescope apertures (∼8 m), and possibly for extremely large telescopes.