The present work focuses on an algorithm for obtaining data on the positions of the centers of gravity of subimages of sunspots from the Shack–Hartmann sensor measurements. The analysis of the positions of the centers of gravity of subimages formed by spaced subapertures is used in determining the verical profiles of optical turbulence and, specifically, the structural constant of turbulent fluctuations of the air refractive index C2n . The characteristics of optical turbulence determine the quality of astronomical images obtained on ground-based telescopes.
The paper describes the results of measuring the structural parameters of optical turbulence for different altitudes in the atmosphere above the Large Solar Vacuum Telescope of the Baikal Astrophysical Observatory. The structural parameters of optical turbulence we estimated from the measurement data of the Shack-Hartmann sensor for individual atmospheric layers by applying the analysis of wavefront distortions in crossed optical beams. To estimate the structural parameters of optical turbulence, we propose an approach based on statistical averaging normalized dimensionless characteristics of turbulence, the Fried parameter and averaged profile of optical turbulence at a given site.
The quality of astronomical observations is strongly related to the quality properties of the atmosphere. The studies of the atmosphere above observing sites are important for observation planning, instrument optimization, adaptive optics development. The high-altitude distributions of wind speed over the 6-meters Big Telescope Alt-Azimuthal of Special Astrophysical Observatory of Russian Academy Science for astronomical site characterization and the development of adaptive optics techniques are study. The data used from the NCEP/NCAR and ERA-Interium reanalysis, which is widely acknowledged as being reliable. Seasonal behaviors (mean, median, quantiles) of vertical distributions of wind speed are presented. Statistical analyses of the 200-mbar wind speed used as useful parameter for ranking astronomical sites in term of their suitability for adaptive optics is performed. The long-time trend of V200 is presented.
The paper presents the first results of comparative study of the optical turbulence at the sites of the Fuxian Lake Solar Observatory (FSO) and the Baikal Astrophysical Observatory (BAO). The distributions of the probability of the Fried parameter estimated from Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor measurements are analyzed.
We propose the concept of the new SCIDAR-based method to determine the characteristics of the atmospheric turbulent layers including its heights and strength. In this paper we discuss the possibility of the estimating of the heights of the atmospheric turbulent layers from the vertical profiles (along line of sight) of dimensionless characteristics of turbulence. The method is based on the analysis of the scintillation in crossed optical beams (with temporal lag) on the spaced subapertures of single Shack-Hartmann sensor (with field of view of order 40 arc.sec.) conjugated with the aperture.
In the paper we discuss the results of the measurements of the nighttime optical turbulence parameters performed by the mobile astronomical telescope MEADE at the Large solar vacuum telescope of the Baykal Astrophysical Observatory site. Measurements have been performed in the clear sky, when the surface-layer wind speed < 2 m/sec. The studies of the optical turbulence in the nighttime are relevant for improving our knowledge about mechanisms of the turbulence generation and dissipation at this site. It is known that diurnal variations in the energy and momentum fluxes, turbulence strength are modulated by topography. Regional peculiarities of the energetic structure of atmospheric fluctuations (including optical turbulence) is the basis for development of the parametrization methods.
The spatial analysis of the wavefront distortions registered by the Shack-Hartmann sensor of the adaptive optics (AO) system of Large solar vacuum telescope have been performed. In the paper the results of analysis of spatial structure of the wavefront within the field of view ~35 arcsec are discussed. It is shown that the wavefront distortions formed within the field of view ~35 arcsec are not random. There are the repetitive hills of spatial crosscorrelation functions in the field of view at the same intervals for different space subapertures. It is shown that spatial crosscorrelation functions do not contain pronounced kernel for finding the exact position of the atmospheric layer contributing to significant distortions in the wavefront incident on the telescope aperture.
To restore the height profiles of the atmospheric turbulence we used the analysis of the spatial crosscorrelation functions of wavefront distortions registered by the Shack-Hartmann sensor of the adaptive optics (AO) system of Large solar vacuum telescope. In the paper the results of analysis of spatial crosscorrelation function within the field of view ~35 arcsec are discussed. It is shown that the wavefront distortions formed within the field of view ~35 arcsec are not random. There are the repetitive hills of spatial crosscorrelation functions in the field of view at the same intervals for different space subapertures. It is shown that spatial crosscorrelation functions do not contain pronounced kernel for finding the exact position of the atmospheric layer contributing to significant distortions in the wavefront incident on the telescope aperture.
One of the approach to calculate the characteristics of the air refractive index fluctuations along line of sight for multiconjugated adaptive optics is based on the triangulating the wavefront distortions or/and scintillation amplitudes analysis. The description of the experiments aimed to measurements of the wavefront distortions and scintillation fluctuations is given. The scheme for recovering the optical distortions (wavefront) at the different heights is discussed. The results of changes of the wavefront distortions measured by Shack-Hartmann sensor in the spaced regions of images are discussed. The results obtained may be used for estimation of the real amplitudes of the wavefront distortions in crossed optical beams at the different heights using such method as SDimm+[ 5].
The work discusses the optical turbulence structure and dynamics at the Baykal Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) site. The characteristics of the optical turbulence including Fried radius, isoplanatic angle are analyzed. Estimates of the variations of the height profiles of the air refraction index turbulent fluctuations at the Baykal Astrophysical Observatory are given. Using the mean height profile of the structure characteristic of the air refraction index turbulent fluctuations, diurnal variations of the Fried radius at the BAO site are estimated.
The dynamics of turbulent characteristics including air index refraction vertical variations as well as effective turbulent velocity important for the functioning of the Large solar vacuum telescope (LSVT) adaptive optics system is considered. Long-term changes of the effective turbulent velocity and Fried radius in the atmospheric layer from 0 to 20 km are estimated using model of turbulence taking into account the shape of the energy spectrum over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. The possible experimental local model of Fried radius changes is discussed for the Large solar vacuum telescope site.
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