Integrated Laboratory Demonstrations of Multi-Object Adaptive Optics on a Simulated 10-Meter Telescope at Visible Wavelengths

One important frontier for astronomical adaptive optics (AO) involves methods such as Multi-Object AO and Multi-Conjugate AO that have the potential to give a significantly larger field of view than conventional AO techniques. A second key emphasis over the next decade will be to push astronomical AO to visible wavelengths. We have conducted the first laboratory simulations of wide-field, laser guide star adaptive optics at visible wavelengths on a 10-meter-class telescope. These experiments, utilizing the UCO/Lick Observatory's Multi-Object / Laser Tomography Adaptive Optics (MOAO/LTAO) testbed, demonstrate new techniques in wavefront sensing and control that are crucial to future on-sky MOAO systems. We (1) test and confirm the feasibility of highly accurate atmospheric tomography with laser guide stars, (2) demonstrate key innovations allowing open-loop operation of Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors (with errors of ~30 nm) as will be needed for MOAO, and (3) build a complete error budget model describing system performance. The AO system maintains a performance of 32.4% Strehl on-axis, with 24.5% and 22.6% at 10" and 15", respectively, at a science wavelength of 710 nm (R-band) over the equivalent of 0.8 seconds of simulation. The MOAO-corrected field of view is ~25 times larger in area than that limited by anisoplanatism at R-band. Our error budget is composed of terms verified through independent, empirical experiments. Error terms arising from calibration inaccuracies and optical drift are comparable in magnitude to traditional terms like fitting error and tomographic error. This makes a strong case for implementing additional calibration facilities in future AO systems, including accelerometers on powered optics, 3D turbulators, telescope and LGS simulators, and external calibration ports for deformable mirrors.Comment: 29 pages, 11 figures, submitted to PAS

Adaptive Optics Imaging Survey of Luminous Infrared Galaxies

We present high resolution imaging observations of a sample of previously unidentified far-infrared galaxies at z < 0.3. The objects were selected by cross-correlating the IRAS Faint Source Catalog with the VLA FIRST catalog and the HST Guide Star Catalog to allow for adaptive optics observations. We found two new ULIGs (with L_FIR equal to or greater than 10^{12} L_sun) and 19 new LIGs (with L_FIR equal to or greater than 10^{11} L_sun). Twenty of the galaxies in the sample were imaged with either the Lick or Keck adaptive optics systems in H or K'. Galaxy morphologies were determined using the two dimensional fitting program GALFIT and the residuals examined to look for interesting structure. The morphologies reveal that at least 30% are involved in tidal interactions, with 20% being clear mergers. An additional 50% show signs of possible interaction. Line ratios were used to determine powering mechanism; of the 17 objects in the sample showing clear emission lines - four are active galactic nuclei and seven are starburst galaxies. The rest exhibit a combination of both phenomena.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A

Adaptive Optics Imaging Survey of Luminous Infrared Galaxies, AJ 131, 2877 (2006

ABSTRACT We present high resolution imaging observations of a sample of previously unidentified far-infrared galaxies at z &lt; 0.3. The objects were selected by crosscorrelating the IRAS Faint Source Catalog with the VLA F IRST catalog and the HST Guide Star Catalog to allow for adaptive optics observations. We found two new ULIGs (with L F IR ≥ 10 12 L ) and 19 new LIGs (with L F IR ≥ 10 11 L ). Twenty of the galaxies in the sample were imaged with either the Lick or Keck adaptive optics systems in H or K . Galaxy morphologies were determined using the two dimensional fitting program GALFIT and the residuals examined to look for interesting structure. The morphologies reveal that at least 30% are involved in tidal interactions, with 20% being clear mergers. An additional 50% show signs of possible interaction. Line ratios were used to determine powering mechanism; of the 17 objects in the sample showing clear emission lines -four are active galactic nuclei and seven are starburst galaxies. The rest exhibit a combination of both phenomena

Update and Status of the Aerospace Stellar Spectral Energy Distribution Catalog

The Aerospace program to observe bright infrared (IR) stars, including variables, and make them into temporary standard candles to calibrate space-based sensors has been in its operational phase for several years. The observations-based program and the instruments that are being used to obtain the observations will be described. At the present time, four instruments on three telescopes have been used in the production of these high quality spectral energy distributions (SED). The results of the observations with two of these instruments will be compared and shown to meet the 8% absolute radiometric requirement for the catalog. This paper will show comparisons of spectrophotometry with stellar models normalized to COBE photometry for spectral types that are not expected to vary. Examples of some variable star spectra at multiple epochs will be shown. These SEDs have been used to calibrate multiple on-orbit sensors in a number of programs, and where one can readily compare the ground-based thermal vacuum chamber calibration with the SED as provided by The Aerospace Corporation, the agreement has been 5% or better. For spectral types that are not expected to vary, the COBE photometry and that of the SED catalog have shown consistent agreement to 0-4%. The uniformity and reliability of the SED catalog have enabled the comparison of a number of scientific objects over many epochs with confidence at the 5% level, enabling tight constraints to be put on models for stars with dusty disks and to delineate the giant planet climactic behavior with time. This work is supported at The Aerospace Corporation by the Independent Research and Development Program. 1 Visiting Astronomer at the Infrared Telescope Facility, which is operated by the University of Hawaii under Cooperative Agreement no. NNX-08AE38A with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Science Mission Directorate, Planetary Astronomy Program