ARGOS: a laser star constellation for the LBT

Shrikrishna Kanneganti; Sebastian Rabien; Matthias Deysenroth; Julian Ziegleder; Hans Gemperlein; Marcus Haug

doi:10.1117/12.862448

22 July 2010 ARGOS: a laser star constellation for the LBT

Shrikrishna Kanneganti, Sebastian Rabien, Matthias Deysenroth, Julian Ziegleder, Hans Gemperlein, Marcus Haug

Proceedings Volume 7736, Adaptive Optics Systems II; 77364D (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.862448
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

ARGOS is an innovative multi-star adaptive optics system being built for use with LUCIFER on the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). LUCIFER is a wide field imager and multi-object spectrograph. Using a constellation of laser guide stars permits PSF correction over a wide field in exchange for a relatively small sacrifice in achievable correction. The laser constellation consists of three stars per each of the two eyes of the LBT. The stars are nominally positioned on a circle 2' in radius, but each star can be moved by upto 0.5' in any direction. Nd:YAG (SHG) lasers from InnoLas Laser GmbH are used to create the green (532nm) laser stars, and have an output above 18 W each at the planned pulsing frequency of 10kHz. The lasers are launched using a 40cm telescope and focused at a height of 12 km. The laser system is designed to be optically simple yet configurable. It also provisions for a central sodium laser to be installed later. We detail the characteristics of the laser system and the current state of its development.

Citation Download Citation

Shrikrishna Kanneganti, Sebastian Rabien, Matthias Deysenroth, Julian Ziegleder, Hans Gemperlein, and Marcus Haug "ARGOS: a laser star constellation for the LBT", Proc. SPIE 7736, Adaptive Optics Systems II, 77364D (22 July 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.862448

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