Comparison of pump-laser characteristics for producing a mesospheric sodium guidestar for adaptive optical systems on large-aperture telescopes

John M. Telle; Peter W. Milonni; Paul D. Hillman

doi:10.1117/12.311918

24 June 1998 Comparison of pump-laser characteristics for producing a mesospheric sodium guidestar for adaptive optical systems on large-aperture telescopes

John M. Telle, Peter W. Milonni, Paul D. Hillman

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3264, High-Power Lasers; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.311918
Event: Optoelectronics and High-Power Lasers and Applications, 1998, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

We compare the effectiveness of various laser systems for producing a sodium guidestar in the mesosphere for large aperture telescopes. We discuss the requirements for two applications at two sites: satellite imaging at the Starfire Optical Range in Albuquerque, New Mexico (SI) and infrared astronomy at the Steward Observatory in Tucson, Arizona (IR). SI may use either a hybrid system employing a rayleigh and a sodium guidestar or a system employing only a sodium guidestar. IR will use only a sodium guide star. Our results are based on analysis and computation that have been compared to 5 different experiments. Parameters included in our comparison are pulse format, polarization, center frequency, and bandwidth. The infrared astronomy application power requirements are low enough that state of the art laser technology can meet them. But the satellite imaging application is problematic. Required powers are sufficiently high that thermo-optic effects in materials can be a problem.

Citation Download Citation

John M. Telle, Peter W. Milonni, and Paul D. Hillman "Comparison of pump-laser characteristics for producing a mesospheric sodium guidestar for adaptive optical systems on large-aperture telescopes", Proc. SPIE 3264, High-Power Lasers, (24 June 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.311918

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