Implications of Atmospheric Differential Refraction for Adaptive Optics Observations

Open Access

1 April 2002

journal article
Published by IOP Publishing in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Vol. 114 (794) , 450-461
https://doi.org/10.1086/342495

Abstract

Many adaptive optics systems operate by measuring the distortion of the wavefront in one wavelength range and performing the scientific observations in a second, different wavelength range. One common technique is to measure wavefront distortions at wavelengths <~1 micron while operating the science instrument at wavelengths >~1 micron. The index of refraction of air decreases sharply from shorter visible wavelengths to near-infrared wavelengths. Therefore, because the adaptive optics system is measuring the wavefront distortion in one wavelength range and the science observations are performed at a different wavelength range, residual image motion occurs and the maximum exposure time before smearing of the image can be significantly limited. We demonstrate the importance of atmospheric differential refraction, present calculations to predict the effect of atmospheric differential refraction, and finally discuss the implications of atmospheric differential refraction for several current and proposed observatories.Comment: PASP, accepted 15 January 200

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This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit:

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