CHARA array adaptive optics: complex operational software and performance
- Creators
- Anugu, Narsireddy
- ten Brummelaar, Theo
- Turner, Nils
- Anderson, Matthew
- Le Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste
- Sturmann, Judit
- Sturmann, Laszlo
- Farrington, Chris
- Vargas, Norm
- Majoinen, Olli
- Ireland, Michael
- Monnier, John
- Mourard, Denis
- Schaefer, Gail
- Gies, Douglas
- Ridgway, Stephen
- Kraus, Stefan
- Petit, Cyril
- Tallon, Michel
- Lim, C B
- Bério, Philippe
- Others:
- Steward Observatory ; University of Arizona
- Georgia State University ; University System of Georgia (USG)
- Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG) ; Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG ) ; Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Météo-France -Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Météo-France
- Australian National University (ANU)
- University of Michigan [Ann Arbor] ; University of Michigan System
- Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur ; COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)
- NSF's National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab)
- School of Physics and Astronomy [Exeter] ; University of Exeter
- DOTA, ONERA, Université Paris Saclay [Palaiseau] ; ONERA-Université Paris-Saclay
- Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon (CRAL) ; École normale supérieure - Lyon (ENS Lyon)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) ; Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- DOTA, ONERA, Université Paris Saclay [Châtillon] ; ONERA-Université Paris-Saclay
Description
The CHARA Array is the longest baseline optical interferometer in the world. Operated with natural seeing, it has delivered landmark sub-milliarcsecond results in the areas of stellar imaging, binaries, and stellar diameters. However, to achieve ambitious observations of faint targets such as young stellar objects and active galactic nuclei, higher sensitivity is required. For that purpose, adaptive optics are developed to correct atmospheric turbulence and non-common path aberrations between each telescope and the beam combiner lab. This paper describes the AO software and its integration into the CHARA system. We also report initial on-sky tests that demonstrate an increase of scientific throughput by sensitivity gain and by extending useful observing time in worse seeing conditions. Our 6 telescopes and 12 AO systems with tens of critical alignments and control loops pose challenges in operation. We describe our methods enabling a single scientist to operate the entire system.
Abstract
International audience
Additional details
- URL
- https://hal.science/hal-03090714
- URN
- urn:oai:HAL:hal-03090714v1
- Origin repository
- UNICA