Gemini North Laser Adaptive Optics Performance: First Science Data

Details Gemini North Laser Adaptive Optics Performance: First Science Data Gemini North Laser Adaptive Optics Performance: First Science Data

Dec 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006aas...20913003t&link_type=abstract

2007 AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, #130.03; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society,

Physics

Optics

Scientific paper

The Gemini North Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics system, Altair/LGS, has been offered for science use in semesters 2006B and 2007A with both NIRI (near-infrared imaging and spectroscopy) and NIFS (near-infrared integrated field unit spectroscopy). Altair/LGS uses a 589 nm laser beacon projected into the sodium layer at roughly 90 km altitude to sense and correct high-order atmospheric turbulence and primary mirror shape. An additional natural guide star is needed nearby to correct low-order tip/tilt only, allowing a roughly 3 magnitude decrease in guide star brightness and a wider corrected field than non-laser systems.
We examine the first available science data for system performance parameters useful for potential users. The primary indicators of performance are signal-to-noise ratio increase, Strehl ratio and angular resolution as a function of tip/tilt guide star brightness. Also critically important for science is guide star availability as a function of galactic latitude and declination, corrected field of view, and guide star angular separation. We examine all of these metrics using the first science data collected with the Altair/LGS system and review planned performance enhancements directly relevant to science users.

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