Performance Simulations for Kola: Achieving High-Resolution, Visible-Light AO Correction Over a 1 Arcminute Field

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Hauptverfasser: Peck, Brianna, Lu, Jessica R., Wang, Lianqi, DiGia, Brooke, Dekany, Richard, Bouchez, Antonin H., Wizinowich, Peter, Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A., Chun, Mark, Hinz, Philip, Claveau, Charles-Antoine
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Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Peck, Brianna
Lu, Jessica R.
Wang, Lianqi
DiGia, Brooke
Dekany, Richard
Bouchez, Antonin H.
Wizinowich, Peter
Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A.
Chun, Mark
Hinz, Philip
Claveau, Charles-Antoine
author_facet Peck, Brianna
Lu, Jessica R.
Wang, Lianqi
DiGia, Brooke
Dekany, Richard
Bouchez, Antonin H.
Wizinowich, Peter
Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A.
Chun, Mark
Hinz, Philip
Claveau, Charles-Antoine
contents We present performance simulations for a proposed visible-light, multi-conjugate adaptive optics system for the 10-meter W. M. Keck I telescope that aims to deliver near diffraction-limited angular resolution at optical wavelengths. Our proposed architecture, the Keck Optical Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics System (KOLA), combines multiple laser guide stars (LGS) and deformable mirrors to enable wide-field correction across a 60 arcsecond field of view. Simulations were conducted using the open-source Multi-Threaded Adaptive Optics Simulator (MAOS), which we validated against on-sky data for the current Keck I adaptive optics system. We evaluated KOLA performance across a range of design parameters and report key point spread function metrics, including Strehl ratio, full width at half maximum, and encircled energy radius. Example science-driven requirements include resolving black hole spheres of influence, probing crowded stellar fields, and imaging protoplanetary disks. Trade studies on actuator count and laser guide star configuration help inform future design decisions. We present a nominal KOLA design (10 LGS, 3 tip-tilt natural guide stars (TTNGS), and 3600 actuators on the adaptive secondary mirror). Performance simulations show a 15 mas angular resolution with a Strehl ratio of 34% at 652 nm on-axis. More work is needed to explore alternative LGS/TTNGS asterisms, optimize conjugation heights for high-altitude deformable mirrors, and test performance under poorer seeing conditions.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_17488
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Performance Simulations for Kola: Achieving High-Resolution, Visible-Light AO Correction Over a 1 Arcminute Field
Peck, Brianna
Lu, Jessica R.
Wang, Lianqi
DiGia, Brooke
Dekany, Richard
Bouchez, Antonin H.
Wizinowich, Peter
Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A.
Chun, Mark
Hinz, Philip
Claveau, Charles-Antoine
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
We present performance simulations for a proposed visible-light, multi-conjugate adaptive optics system for the 10-meter W. M. Keck I telescope that aims to deliver near diffraction-limited angular resolution at optical wavelengths. Our proposed architecture, the Keck Optical Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics System (KOLA), combines multiple laser guide stars (LGS) and deformable mirrors to enable wide-field correction across a 60 arcsecond field of view. Simulations were conducted using the open-source Multi-Threaded Adaptive Optics Simulator (MAOS), which we validated against on-sky data for the current Keck I adaptive optics system. We evaluated KOLA performance across a range of design parameters and report key point spread function metrics, including Strehl ratio, full width at half maximum, and encircled energy radius. Example science-driven requirements include resolving black hole spheres of influence, probing crowded stellar fields, and imaging protoplanetary disks. Trade studies on actuator count and laser guide star configuration help inform future design decisions. We present a nominal KOLA design (10 LGS, 3 tip-tilt natural guide stars (TTNGS), and 3600 actuators on the adaptive secondary mirror). Performance simulations show a 15 mas angular resolution with a Strehl ratio of 34% at 652 nm on-axis. More work is needed to explore alternative LGS/TTNGS asterisms, optimize conjugation heights for high-altitude deformable mirrors, and test performance under poorer seeing conditions.
title Performance Simulations for Kola: Achieving High-Resolution, Visible-Light AO Correction Over a 1 Arcminute Field
topic Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.17488