Evaluations and progress in the development of an adaptive optics system for ground object observation

Hereby we present the idea of a new passive sensor intended to compensate atmospheric turbulence distortions of object images. It is based on the applications of the already successful concept of adaptive optics. The main application of this sensor will be the compensation of the trajectory jitter of flaring objects in the far distance which will allow quicker identification and better tracking. The system consists of a wavefront sensor and a deformable correcting mirror, both commercially available, keeping the overall costs and size in reasonable limits. The research is divided into two main topics: the first is the characterization of the influence of the atmospheric turbulence on the object image when the observer's line of sight is parallel to the ground. The second is the development of the components and the software to achieve the required performances. First progress have been made on determining the shape of the deformable mirror with good accuracy by means of a modal reconstruction as well as in measuring the wave front distortions of a point-like source due to atmospheric turbulence.