When using a laser guide star (LGS) adaptive optics (AO) system, quasi-static aberrations are observed between the measured wavefronts from the LGS wavefront sensor (WFS) and the natural guide star (NGS) WFS. These LGS aberrations, which can be as much as 1200 nm RMS on the Keck II LGS AO system, arise due to the finite height and structure of the sodium layer. The LGS aberrations vary significantly between nights due to the difference in sodium structure. In this paper, we successfully model these LGS aberrations for the Keck II LGS AO system. We use this model to characterize the LGS aberrations as a function of pupil angle, elevation, sodium structure, uplink tip/tilt error, detector field of view, the number of detector pixels, and seeing. We also employ the model to estimate the LGS aberrations for the Palomar LGS AO system, the planned Keck I and the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) LGS AO systems. The LGS aberrations increase with increasing telescope diameter, but are reduced by central projection of the laser compared to side projection.

© 2007 Optical Society of America

1. J. W. Hardy, Adaptive Optics for Astronomical Telescopes (Oxford University Press, New York 1998).
2. C. E. Max, "Laser guide star operational issues," in Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics for Astronomy, N. Ageorges and C. Dainty, eds. (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1997), 89-106.
3. D. L. Fried and J. F. Belsher, "Analysis of fundamental limits to artificial-guide-star adaptive-optics-system performance for astronomical imaging," J. Opt. Soc. Am A 11, 277-287 (1994). [CrossRef]
4. M. A. van Dam, A. H. Bouchez, D. Le Mignant and P. L. Wizinowich "Quasi-static aberrations induced by laser guide stars in adaptive optics," Opt. Express 14, 7535-7540 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. P. L. Wizinowich, D. Le Mignant, A. H. Bouchez, R. D. Campbell, J. C. Y. Chin, A. R. Contos, M. A. van Dam, S. K. Hartman, E. M. Johansson, R. E. Lafon, H. Lewis, P. J. Stomski, D. M. Summers, C. G. Brown, P. M. Danforth and D. M. Pennington, "The W. M. Keck Observatory laser guide star adaptive optics system: overview," PASP 118, 297-309 (2006). [CrossRef]
6. M. A. van Dam, A. H. Bouchez, D. Le Mignant, R. D. Campbell, J. C. Y. Chin, S. K. Hartman, E. M. Johansson, R. Lafon, P. J. Stomski, Jr., D. M. Summers and P. L. Wizinowich, "The W. M. Keck Observatory laser guide star adaptive optics system: performance characterization," PASP 118, 310-318 (2006). [CrossRef]
7. D. Summers, A. H. Bouchez, J. Chin, A. Contos, S. Hartman, E. Johansson, R. Lafon, D. Le Mignant, P. Stomski, M. A. van Dam and P. L. Wizinowich, "Focus and pointing adjustments necessary for laser guide star adaptive optics at the W.M. Keck Observatory," in Advancements in Adaptive Optics, D. Bonaccini Calia, B. L. Ellerbroek and R. Ragazzoni, eds, Proc. SPIE 5490, 1117-1128 (2004). [CrossRef]
8. G. Herriot, P. Hickson, B. L. Ellerbroek, D. A. Andersen, T. Davidge, D. A. Erickson, I. P. Powell, R. M. Clare, L. Gilles, C. Boyer, M. Smith, L. Saddlemyer, J.-P. Vran, "NFIRAOS: TMT narrow field near-infrared facility adaptive optics," in Advances in Adaptive Optics II, B. L. Ellerbroek, D. Bonaccini Calia eds., Proc. SPIE 6272, 62720Q (2006). [CrossRef]
9. R. M. Clare, B. L. Ellerbroek, G. Herriot, and J. P. V’eran, "Adaptive optics sky coverage modeling for extremely large telescopes," Appl. Opt. 45, 8964-8978 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
10. P. L. Wizinowich, J. Chin, E. Johansson, S. Kellner, R. Lafon, D. Le Mignant, C. Neyman, P. Stomski, D. Summers, R. Sumner, M. van Dam,"Adaptive Optics Developements at Keck Observatory," in Advances in Adaptive Optics II, B. L. Ellerbroek, D. Bonaccini Calia eds., Proc. SPIE 6272, 627209 (2006). [CrossRef]
11. R. Dekany, V. Velur, H. Petrie, A. Bouchez, M. Britton, A. Morrissett, R. Thicksten, M. Troy, C. Shelton, T. Troung, J. Roberts, G. Brack, T. Trinh, S. Bikkannavar, S. Guiwits, J. Angione, F. Shi, E. Kibblewhite "Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics on the 5.1 Meter Telescope at Palomar Observatory," AMOS Technical Conference Proceedings (2005).
12. R. J. Noll, "Zernike polynomials and atmospheric turbulence," J. Opt. Soc. Am. 66, 207-211 (1976). [CrossRef]
13. P. S. Argall, O. N. Vassiliev, R. J. Sica, M. M. Mwangi,"Lidar Measurements Taken With a Large-Aperture Liquid Mirror. 2. Sodium Resonance-Fluorescence System," Appl. Opt.,  39, 2393-2400 (2000). [CrossRef]
14. A. Tokovinin and T. Travouillon, "Model of optical turbulence profile at Cerro Pach’on," Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 3651235-1242 (2006). [CrossRef]
15. L. A. Poyneer, "Scene-based Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensing: analysis and simulation," Appl. Opt. 42, 5807-5815 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. L. Gilles and B. L. Ellerbroek, "Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing with elongated sodium laser beacons: centroiding versus matched filtering," Appl. Opt. 45, 6568-6576 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
17. J. Nelson, G. H. Sanders, "TMT status report,"in Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes, L. M. Stepp ed., Proc. SPIE 6267, 745-761 (2006).
18. J. W. Beletic, "Follow the yellow-orange rabbit: a CCD optimized for wavefront sensing a pulsed sodium laser guide star," in Optical and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy J. D. Garnett, J. W. Beletic; eds., Proc. SPIE 5499, 302-309 (2004) [CrossRef]

Appl. Opt.

• R. M. Clare, B. L. Ellerbroek, G. Herriot, and J. P. V’eran, "Adaptive optics sky coverage modeling for extremely large telescopes," Appl. Opt. 45, 8964-8978 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• P. S. Argall, O. N. Vassiliev, R. J. Sica, M. M. Mwangi,"Lidar Measurements Taken With a Large-Aperture Liquid Mirror. 2. Sodium Resonance-Fluorescence System," Appl. Opt.,  39, 2393-2400 (2000). [CrossRef]
• L. A. Poyneer, "Scene-based Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensing: analysis and simulation," Appl. Opt. 42, 5807-5815 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• L. Gilles and B. L. Ellerbroek, "Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing with elongated sodium laser beacons: centroiding versus matched filtering," Appl. Opt. 45, 6568-6576 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

J. Opt. Soc. Am A

• D. L. Fried and J. F. Belsher, "Analysis of fundamental limits to artificial-guide-star adaptive-optics-system performance for astronomical imaging," J. Opt. Soc. Am A 11, 277-287 (1994). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am.

• R. J. Noll, "Zernike polynomials and atmospheric turbulence," J. Opt. Soc. Am. 66, 207-211 (1976). [CrossRef]

Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.

• A. Tokovinin and T. Travouillon, "Model of optical turbulence profile at Cerro Pach’on," Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 3651235-1242 (2006). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• M. A. van Dam, A. H. Bouchez, D. Le Mignant and P. L. Wizinowich "Quasi-static aberrations induced by laser guide stars in adaptive optics," Opt. Express 14, 7535-7540 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

PASP

• P. L. Wizinowich, D. Le Mignant, A. H. Bouchez, R. D. Campbell, J. C. Y. Chin, A. R. Contos, M. A. van Dam, S. K. Hartman, E. M. Johansson, R. E. Lafon, H. Lewis, P. J. Stomski, D. M. Summers, C. G. Brown, P. M. Danforth and D. M. Pennington, "The W. M. Keck Observatory laser guide star adaptive optics system: overview," PASP 118, 297-309 (2006). [CrossRef]
• M. A. van Dam, A. H. Bouchez, D. Le Mignant, R. D. Campbell, J. C. Y. Chin, S. K. Hartman, E. M. Johansson, R. Lafon, P. J. Stomski, Jr., D. M. Summers and P. L. Wizinowich, "The W. M. Keck Observatory laser guide star adaptive optics system: performance characterization," PASP 118, 310-318 (2006). [CrossRef]

Proc. SPIE

• P. L. Wizinowich, J. Chin, E. Johansson, S. Kellner, R. Lafon, D. Le Mignant, C. Neyman, P. Stomski, D. Summers, R. Sumner, M. van Dam,"Adaptive Optics Developements at Keck Observatory," in Advances in Adaptive Optics II, B. L. Ellerbroek, D. Bonaccini Calia eds., Proc. SPIE 6272, 627209 (2006). [CrossRef]
• G. Herriot, P. Hickson, B. L. Ellerbroek, D. A. Andersen, T. Davidge, D. A. Erickson, I. P. Powell, R. M. Clare, L. Gilles, C. Boyer, M. Smith, L. Saddlemyer, J.-P. Vran, "NFIRAOS: TMT narrow field near-infrared facility adaptive optics," in Advances in Adaptive Optics II, B. L. Ellerbroek, D. Bonaccini Calia eds., Proc. SPIE 6272, 62720Q (2006). [CrossRef]
• J. Nelson, G. H. Sanders, "TMT status report,"in Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes, L. M. Stepp ed., Proc. SPIE 6267, 745-761 (2006).
• J. W. Beletic, "Follow the yellow-orange rabbit: a CCD optimized for wavefront sensing a pulsed sodium laser guide star," in Optical and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy J. D. Garnett, J. W. Beletic; eds., Proc. SPIE 5499, 302-309 (2004) [CrossRef]

Other

• R. Dekany, V. Velur, H. Petrie, A. Bouchez, M. Britton, A. Morrissett, R. Thicksten, M. Troy, C. Shelton, T. Troung, J. Roberts, G. Brack, T. Trinh, S. Bikkannavar, S. Guiwits, J. Angione, F. Shi, E. Kibblewhite "Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics on the 5.1 Meter Telescope at Palomar Observatory," AMOS Technical Conference Proceedings (2005).
• J. W. Hardy, Adaptive Optics for Astronomical Telescopes (Oxford University Press, New York 1998).
• C. E. Max, "Laser guide star operational issues," in Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics for Astronomy, N. Ageorges and C. Dainty, eds. (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1997), 89-106.
• D. Summers, A. H. Bouchez, J. Chin, A. Contos, S. Hartman, E. Johansson, R. Lafon, D. Le Mignant, P. Stomski, M. A. van Dam and P. L. Wizinowich, "Focus and pointing adjustments necessary for laser guide star adaptive optics at the W.M. Keck Observatory," in Advancements in Adaptive Optics, D. Bonaccini Calia, B. L. Ellerbroek and R. Ragazzoni, eds, Proc. SPIE 5490, 1117-1128 (2004). [CrossRef]

Click here to see a list of articles that cite this paper

Related Journal Articles

• New modal wave-front sensor: a theoretical analysis (JOSAA)
• Wave-front slope estimation (JOSAA)
• Calibration of a Deformable Mirror and Strehl Ratio Measurements by Use of Phase Diversity (AO)
• Theory of branch-point detection and its implementation (JOSAA)
• Reconstruction of discontinuous light-phase functions (OL)

Related Conference Papers

• Linear Systems Modeling and Evaluation of Adaptive Optics in the Spatial Frequency Domain
• A Software Framework for Fast Adaptive Optics Control with Atmospheric Tomography
• Optimization of the Pre-Compensation of Non-Common Path Aberrations for Adaptive Optics Systems
• Aberrations Induced by Laser Guide Stars in Adaptive Optics
• AO System Design for Direct Exo-Planet Detection on the VLT