An overview of guidestar laser technologies

Donald T. Gavel

doi:10.1117/12.927023

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13 September 2012 An overview of guidestar laser technologies

Donald T. Gavel

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Proceedings Volume 8447, Adaptive Optics Systems III; 84470E (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.927023
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

We present a summary update of sodium laser guidestar technology, including an overview of the results from a series of Laser Guidestar Workshops hosted by the Center for Adaptive Optics over the past few years. There has been considerable advancement in the understanding of laser light interaction with mesospheric sodium which has an impact on the choice of laser systems where the objective is to produce the best wavefront measurement with a minimum of laser power and expense. We will also summarize our efforts on an NSF funded MRI program to build a high-Strehl AO system for imaging and spectroscopy covering the near IR science bands from 0.9 to 2.2 micron wavelength. The system includes a new 10 watt pulsed fiber laser developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory tuned in spectral and pulse format for optimum sodium return.

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Donald T. Gavel "An overview of guidestar laser technologies", Proc. SPIE 8447, Adaptive Optics Systems III, 84470E (13 September 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.927023

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