Facility Class Guide Star Laser Systems for Astronomical Adaptive Optics

用于天文自适应光学的星激光系统设施等级指南

• 批准号: 0100845
• 负责人: Doug Simons
• 金额: $ 330万
• 依托单位: Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Cooperative Agreement
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-04-01 至 2010-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0100845&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Facility; Class; Guide; Star; Laser

AbstractThis award supports a collaborative effort among the Gemini Observatory, the U.S. Air Force Starfire Optical Range, and the Keck Observatory to develop reliable sodium wavelength lasers for use as adaptive optics guide stars. Used to excite the sodium D lines in the sodium layer of the Earth's atmosphere, the laser creates an "artificial guide star" that can be used as a point source to measure the aberrations in the incoming stellar wavefront caused by the atmosphere. The technique, originally developed by the Department of Defense, has been proven. The purpose of this program is to advance the state-of-the-art in available laser power and to provide a design for a reliable, low-cost laser that could be operated at many observatories without the necessity for specialized and expensive technical support. The development program will be carried out by industrial firms under the guidance of the collaborating institutions and an expert advisory committee.

该奖项支持双子座天文台、美国空军星火光学靶场和凯克天文台之间的合作努力，以开发可靠的钠波长激光器，用作自适应光学引导星。 用于激发地球大气钠层中的钠D线，该激光创建了一个“人造引导星星”，可用作点源来测量大气引起的入射恒星波前的像差。 这项技术最初由国防部开发，现已得到证实。 该计划的目的是提高现有激光功率的最新水平，并提供一种可靠、低成本的激光器设计，这种激光器可以在许多天文台运行，而不需要专门和昂贵的技术支持。 开发计划将由工业公司在合作机构和专家咨询委员会的指导下实施。