Simulation model based approach for long exposure atmospheric point spread function reconstruction for laser guide star multiconjugate adaptive optics

Abstract

This paper discusses an innovative simulation model based approach for long exposure atmospheric point spread function (PSF) reconstruction in the context of laser guide star (LGS) multiconjugate adaptive optics (MCAO). The approach is inspired from the classical scheme developed by Véran et al. [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A14, 3057 (1997)10.1364/JOSAA.14.003057JOAOD61084-7529] and Flicker et al. [Astron. Astrophys.400, 1199 (2003)10.1051/0004-6361:20030022AAEJAF0004-6361] and reconstructs the long exposure optical transfer function (OTF), i.e., the Fourier transformed PSF, as a product of separate long-exposure tip/tilt removed and tip/tilt OTFs, each estimated by postprocessing system and simulation telemetry data. Sample enclosed energy results assessing reconstruction accuracy are presented for the Thirty Meter Telescope LGS MCAO system currently under design and show that percent level absolute and differential photometry over a 30 arcsec diameter field of view are achievable provided the simulation model faithfully represents the real system.