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Since 2014, the LBT's First Light Adaptive Optics (FLAO) system has alsoincluded a seldom used capability, known as Enhanced Seeing Mode (ESM), thatcan improve the angular resolution over a 4' x 4' field of view (FOV). In fullAO operation, FLAO provides diffraction limited (DL) capabilities over a small(30" x 30") FOV. By comparison, ESM can achieve significantly enhancedresolution, over natural seeing, across a far larger FOV. This improvesoperational efficiency over standard seeing limited (SL) observations and isapplicable across a broader range of scientific targets. ESM uses 11 modes ofcorrection (including tip and tilt) to remove residual aberrations and jitterwhich significantly improves angular resolution over the full FOV. While thismode does not reach the DL, it can achieve uniform angular resolutions as goodas 0".22 over the FOV. Furthermore, it allows for the use of multi-objectspectroscopy with R~10,000 or imaging with angular resolution similar to thatachieved by the Wide-Field Camera 3 infrared channel on the Hubble SpaceTelescope, but powered by 11.6 meters of effective aperture in binocular mode.As part of the on-going characterization of ESM, we have demonstrated that evenin poor seeing conditions (1".5-2") the image quality delivered to the focalstation is improved by factors of 2-3. Here, we present the first results ofthe characterization of ESM, including systematic tests of the delivered PSFacross the FOV as a function of the brightness of, and distance from, the AOReference Star. We present a range of galactic and extra-galactic targetsshowing the improvements obtained over a broad range of seeing conditions andpropose ESM as a standard observational mode for near-Infrared observations.

Enhanced Seeing Mode at the LBT: A Method to Significantly Improve Angular Resolution over a 4' x 4' Field of View