Atmospheric refractivity effects on mid-infrared ELT adaptive optics

We discuss the effect of atmospheric dispersion on the performance of a mid-infrared adaptive optics assisted instrument on an extremely large telescope (ELT). Dispersion and atmospheric chromaticity is generally considered to be negligible in this wavelength regime. It is shown here, however, that...

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Главные авторы: Kendrew, S, Jolissaint, L, Mathar, R, Stuik, R, Hippler, S, Brandl, B
Формат: Journal article
Язык:English
Опубликовано: 2008
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author Kendrew, S
Jolissaint, L
Mathar, R
Stuik, R
Hippler, S
Brandl, B
author_facet Kendrew, S
Jolissaint, L
Mathar, R
Stuik, R
Hippler, S
Brandl, B
author_sort Kendrew, S
collection OXFORD
description We discuss the effect of atmospheric dispersion on the performance of a mid-infrared adaptive optics assisted instrument on an extremely large telescope (ELT). Dispersion and atmospheric chromaticity is generally considered to be negligible in this wavelength regime. It is shown here, however, that with the much-reduced diffraction limit size on an ELT and the need for diffraction-limited performance, refractivity phenomena should be carefully considered in the design and operation of such an instrument. We include an overview of the theory of refractivity, and the influence of infrared resonances caused by the presence of water vapour and other constituents in the atmosphere. `Traditional' atmospheric dispersion is likely to cause a loss of Strehl only at the shortest wavelengths (L-band). A more likely source of error is the difference in wavelengths at which the wavefront is sensed and corrected, leading to pointing offsets between wavefront sensor and science instrument that evolve with time over a long exposure. Infrared radiation is also subject to additional turbulence caused by the presence of water vapour in the atmosphere not seen by visible wavefront sensors, whose effect is poorly understood. We make use of information obtained at radio wavelengths to make a first-order estimate of its effect on the performance of a mid-IR ground-based instrument. The calculations in this paper are performed using parameters from two different sites, one `standard good site' and one `high and dry site' to illustrate the importance of the choice of site for an ELT.
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spelling oxford-uuid:30968ecb-04e4-4f03-9bc6-2c772b5b33d12022-03-26T13:02:16ZAtmospheric refractivity effects on mid-infrared ELT adaptive opticsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:30968ecb-04e4-4f03-9bc6-2c772b5b33d1EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2008Kendrew, SJolissaint, LMathar, RStuik, RHippler, SBrandl, BWe discuss the effect of atmospheric dispersion on the performance of a mid-infrared adaptive optics assisted instrument on an extremely large telescope (ELT). Dispersion and atmospheric chromaticity is generally considered to be negligible in this wavelength regime. It is shown here, however, that with the much-reduced diffraction limit size on an ELT and the need for diffraction-limited performance, refractivity phenomena should be carefully considered in the design and operation of such an instrument. We include an overview of the theory of refractivity, and the influence of infrared resonances caused by the presence of water vapour and other constituents in the atmosphere. `Traditional' atmospheric dispersion is likely to cause a loss of Strehl only at the shortest wavelengths (L-band). A more likely source of error is the difference in wavelengths at which the wavefront is sensed and corrected, leading to pointing offsets between wavefront sensor and science instrument that evolve with time over a long exposure. Infrared radiation is also subject to additional turbulence caused by the presence of water vapour in the atmosphere not seen by visible wavefront sensors, whose effect is poorly understood. We make use of information obtained at radio wavelengths to make a first-order estimate of its effect on the performance of a mid-IR ground-based instrument. The calculations in this paper are performed using parameters from two different sites, one `standard good site' and one `high and dry site' to illustrate the importance of the choice of site for an ELT.
spellingShingle Kendrew, S
Jolissaint, L
Mathar, R
Stuik, R
Hippler, S
Brandl, B
Atmospheric refractivity effects on mid-infrared ELT adaptive optics
title Atmospheric refractivity effects on mid-infrared ELT adaptive optics
title_full Atmospheric refractivity effects on mid-infrared ELT adaptive optics
title_fullStr Atmospheric refractivity effects on mid-infrared ELT adaptive optics
title_full_unstemmed Atmospheric refractivity effects on mid-infrared ELT adaptive optics
title_short Atmospheric refractivity effects on mid-infrared ELT adaptive optics
title_sort atmospheric refractivity effects on mid infrared elt adaptive optics
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AT jolissaintl atmosphericrefractivityeffectsonmidinfraredeltadaptiveoptics
AT matharr atmosphericrefractivityeffectsonmidinfraredeltadaptiveoptics
AT stuikr atmosphericrefractivityeffectsonmidinfraredeltadaptiveoptics
AT hipplers atmosphericrefractivityeffectsonmidinfraredeltadaptiveoptics
AT brandlb atmosphericrefractivityeffectsonmidinfraredeltadaptiveoptics