Research Network for Adaptive Optics
Future Research Directions
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Participants in the Research Network for Adaptive Optics recognise the
need to establish advanced adaptive optics facilities within Australia
in key research areas. They have agreed to share their expertise to
ensure this outcome.
Here we consider the directions in which Network participants plan to develop their research, and the ways in which the Research Network can support that effort. The Research Network for Adaptive Optics embraces the following research areas:
The Research Network for Adaptive Optics is already playing a role in fostering the international collaborations that will address ELT adaptive optics issues. It will play an important role in the future in bring international adaptive optics experts to Australia to work with teams here. These activities will strengthen the adaptive optics expertise already available within Australia. The Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics of The Australian National University (ANU) has begun collaborations with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Germany and Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri in Italy to address issues associated with implementing adaptive optics on ELTs. ANU plan to collaborate with the Adaptive Optics Group at ESO running simulations of the adaptive optics systems on the ANU Supercomputer Facility as part of an ELT Design Study proposal being submitted to the European Union Sixth Framework Program. ANU also plan to collaborate with the Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri developing cost-effective glass membrane mirrors that will form the optical surface of large segmented adaptive mirrors for future ELTs. This work also forms part ELT Design Study proposal being submitted to the European Union Sixth Framework Program. This adaptive mirror technology may be useful for high-power laser applications within the Network, such as the space surveillance system under development by Electro Optics Systems Ltd. and laser beam shaping applications. As adaptive optics components reduce in cost, it becomes pertinent to ask at what point adaptive optics will be cost-effective on telescopes of modest aperture. A goal of the Research Network for Adaptive Optics will be to explore this question. The tip-tilt secondary mirror on the ANU 2.3 m telescope at Siding Spring Observatory delivers 0.7 arcsecond diameter images at near-infrared wavelengths in typical observing conditions. The diffraction limit of the telescope is 0.25 arcseconds at the same wavelength, so an adaptive optics system would have to reduce the image size by only a factor of three to achieve diffraction-limited performance. It is currently unclear over what field this correction can be obtained. Participants in the Research Network for Adaptive Optics will investigate the potential of multi-conjugate adaptive optics on the ANU 2.3 m telescope to address this question and implement such a system if the scientific return is judged to be sufficient. This investigation will require thorough characterization of the atmospheric turbulence profile above Siding Spring Observatory, for which adequate statistics are not available, and application of the same simulation tools that are being developed for multi-conjugate adaptive optics on ELTs as part of the European Union Sixth Framework Program proposal. Dr. John O'Byrne from the University of Sydney has experience in obtaining and reducing the SCIDAR data needed to characterize atmospheric turbulence and will assist in this work. The Antarctic Astronomy Group at the Univeristy of New South Wales are assessing the Antarctic high plateau for astronomical observations. Dome Concordia may be the best site in the world for ground-based astronomy with adaptive optics because there is evidence that the atmosphere is exceptionally stable above an inversion layer within a few hundred metres of the ice. This offers the possibility of wide-field adaptive optics correction with relatively simple adaptive optics systems. The Antarctic Astronomy Group has presented the first analysis of this possibility. However, the statistics of atmospheric turbulence above Dome Concordia during winter are still to be determined, and full simulations are needed of adaptive optics correction with actual turbulence profiles. The Antarctic Astronomy Group are working with French, Italian, and USA groups to obtain the necessary site data. Their experiences will be useful for the ANU group planning to measure atmospheric characteristics at Siding Spring Observatory and for Electro Optic Systems Ltd. that plans to obtain similar data at Mt. Stromlo Observatory. Simulations of adaptive optics correction in the Antarctic will benefit from the ELT studies planned by ANU. Australia aims to play a leading role in the study of potential benefits for siting an ELT in Antarctica, and much of this work will be carried out by participants in the Research Network for Adaptive Optics. Electro Optic Systems Ltd. is already developing an extreme adaptive optics system and lasers for their space surveillance activities. Electro Optic Systems Ltd. operates the Satellite Laser Ranging station at ANU's Mt. Stromlo Observatory near Canberra under contract from GeoScience Australia. They are also building the 1.8 m diameter outrigger telescopes for the Keck Interferometer. They have temporarily located one of these telescopes on Mt. Stromlo and are developing an extreme adaptive optics system for this telescope. The Research Network for Adaptive Optics will play a valuable role in providing them with broad-based knowledge, and over time will foster a pool of talented engineers and scientists from which they can draw staff trained in adaptive optics.
The Research Network for Adaptive Optics has an important role to play in ensuring the success of these ventures by fostering close collaboration between these groups as well as others in the Network, and promoting the results of these endeavours. The Research Network for Adaptive Optics has already facilitated communication between Network participants and Scan Optics Ltd. who have identified ophthalmic adaptive optics as an area of interest for their future product development.
Prof. Min Gu at the Centre for Micro-Photonics at the Swinburne University of Technology is a developing laser tweezers system. A goal is to use a dynamical-controlled optical system to control trapped particles. Both groups will be drawing on expertise in the Research Network for Adaptive Optics to realise these goal.
The Research Network for Adaptive Optics will provide a channel for ready exchange of information between participants with technical expertise and others with expertise in the end-uses of adaptive optics systems. By drawing on a wide range of technical expertise the Research Network will facilitate the timely development of both astronomical and ophthalmic adaptive optics systems in Australia. |
