CAREER: A Portable Solar Adaptive Optics System for High-Resolution Imaging Investigations

PI将在加州州立大学北岭分校（CSUN）开发第一个便携式太阳自适应光学系统（PSAO），用于1 ìm至4.5 ìm红外波段的科学观测。他将使用PSAO与位于亚利桑那州图森附近基特峰的国家太阳天文台（NSO） 1.5米麦克马斯-皮尔斯望远镜（McMP）进行高分辨率太阳成像。PSAO将充分利用McMP的大孔径和红外高磁灵敏度。PSAO将利用波前传感器和带有120个高效执行器的可变形镜来有效校正大气湍流，以便在近红外波段提供高角度分辨率的图像。预期的科学结果将增强我们对太阳上小尺度磁场的动力学和结构的理解。PI还计划探索和评估用于太阳成像的多共轭自适应光学（MCAO）方法，因为这种技术为观测太阳活动区提供了一个大的校正视野。在夜间天文MCAO系统中，由于需要多颗激光导星，三维层析波前传感和重建一直是难以解决的问题。然而，太阳为MCAO层析成像波前传感提供了一个极好的机会，因为任何数量的等效“导星”都可以从太阳盘本身的位置获得。PI将使用PSAO的波前传感器来测量和重建不同高度湍流引起的波前误差，从而对MCAO技术进行定量性能评估。一旦PSAO得到充分证明，PI计划将他的技术转移到基特峰的NSO，并将50%的PSAO观测时间用于更广泛的太阳社区。他的层析波前传感和重建工作将是未来太阳望远镜MCAO技术发展的重要一步。该项目还将通过在CSUN开发一个新的高分辨率太阳成像实验室来整合研究和教育。该实验室将集中用于CSUN的教学、培训和技术开发，最初将涉及至少10名本科生、3名研究生和1名博士后研究员。该项目将为CSUN学生提供长期的物理和天文学跨学科培训，研究成果将纳入PI教授的课程。该计划还将在CSUN和NSO之间建立长期合作伙伴关系，这将为基特峰的额外学生培训和教育提供极好的机会。

The PI will develop the first portable solar adaptive optics system (PSAO) at California State University Northridge (CSUN) for scientific observations in the 1 ìm to 4.5 ìm infrared band. He will use the PSAO to perform high-resolution solar imaging with the National Solar Observatory (NSO) 1.5-meter McMath-Pierce telescope (McMP) on Kitt Peak near Tucson, Arizona. The PSAO will take full advantage of the McMP's large aperture and high magnetic sensitivity in the IR. The PSAO will utilize a wave-front sensor and deformable mirror with 120 efficient actuators to efficiently correct for atmospheric turbulence, in order to provide high angular resolution images in the near IR. The expected scientific results will enhance our understanding of the dynamics and structure of small scale magnetic fields on the Sun.The PI also plans to explore and evaluate Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) approaches for solar imaging, since this technique provides a large corrected field of view for observing solar active regions. For nighttime astronomy MCAO systems, 3D tomographic wave-front sensing and reconstruction have been difficult problems to solve, since multiple laser guide stars are needed. The Sun, however, provides an excellent opportunity for MCAO tomographic wave-front sensing, since any number of equivalent 'guide stars' can be obtained from sites on the solar disk itself. The PI will use the PSAO's wave-front sensor to measure and reconstruct turbulence-induced wave-front errors at different altitudes, allowing a quantitative performance evaluation of the MCAO technique. Once the PSAO is fully demonstrated, the PI plans to transfer his techniques to the NSO at Kitt Peak and make 50% of PSAO observing time available to the wider solar community. His tomographic wave-front sensing and reconstruction efforts will be important steps forward in developing future solar MCAO technologies for solar telescopes. This project will also integrate research and education through the development of a new Laboratory for High-Resolution Solar Imaging at CSUN. This lab will be used intensively for teaching, training, and technology development at CSUN, and initially involve at least ten undergraduates, three graduate students, and one postdoctoral researcher. This project will provide long-term cross-disciplinary training in physics and astronomy to CSUN students, and the research results will be incorporated into courses taught by the PI. The proposed program will also create a long-term partnership between CSUN and the NSO, which will provide excellent opportunities for additional student training and education at Kitt Peak.