Daniel Meschke

First laboratory results with the LINC-NIRVANA high layer wavefront sensor

In the field of adaptive optics, multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) can greatly increase the size of the corrected field of view (FoV) and also extend sky coverage. By applying layer oriented MCAO (LO-MCAO) [4], together with multiple guide stars (up to 20) and pyramid wavefront sensors [7], LINC-NIRVANA (L-N for short) [1] will provide two AO-corrected beams to a Fizeau interferometer to achieve 10 milliarcsecond angular resolution on the Large Binocular Telescope. This paper presents first laboratory results of the AO performance achieved with the high layer wavefront sensor (HWS). This sensor, together with its associated deformable mirror (a Xinetics-349), is being operated in one of the L-N laboratories. AO reference stars, spread across a 2 arc-minute FoV and with aberrations resulting from turbulence introduced at specific layers in the atmosphere, are simulated in this lab environment. This is achieved with the Multi-Atmosphere Phase screen and Stars (MAPS) [2] unit. From the wavefront data, the approximate residual wavefront error after correction has been calculated for different turbulent layer altitudes and wind speeds. Using a somewhat undersampled CCD, the FWHM of stars in the nearly 2 arc-minute FoV has also been measured. These test results demonstrate that the high layer wavefront sensor of LINC-NIRVANA will be able to achieve uniform AO correction across a large FoV.

LINC-NIRVANA Pathfinder: testing the next generation of wave front sensors at LBT

LINC-NIRVANA will employ four wave front sensors to realize multi-conjugate correction on both arms of a Fizeau interferometer for LBT. Of these, one of the two ground-layer wave front sensors, together with its infrared test camera, comprise a stand-alone test platform for LINC-NIRVANA. Pathfinder is a testbed for full LINC-NIRVANA intended to identify potential interface problems early in the game, thus reducing both technical, and schedule, risk. Pathfinder will combine light from multiple guide stars, with a pyramid sensor dedicated to each star, to achieve ground-layer AO correction via an adaptive secondary: the 672-actuator thin shell at the LBT. The ability to achieve sky coverage by optically coadding light from multiple stars has been previously demonstrated; and the ability to achieve correction with an adaptive secondary has also been previously demonstrated. Pathfinder will be the first system at LBT to combine both of these capabilities. Since reporting our progress at A04ELT2, we have advanced the project in three key areas: definition of specific goals for Pathfinder tests at LBT, more detail in the software design and planning, and calibration. We report on our progress and future plans in these three areas, and on the project overall.

Calibrating the interaction matrix for the LINC-NIRVANA high layer wavefront sensor

LINC-NIRVANA is a near-infrared Fizeau interferometric imager that will operate at the Large Binocular Telescope. In preparation for the commissioning of this instrument, we conducted experiments for calibrating the high-layer wavefront sensor of the layer-oriented multi-conjugate adaptive optics system. For calibrating the multi-pyramid wavefront sensor, four light sources were used to simulate guide stars. Using this setup, we developed the push-pull method for calibrating the interaction matrix. The benefits of this method over the traditional push-only method are quantified, and also the effects of varying the number of push-pull frames over which aberrations are averaged is reported. Finally, we discuss a method for measuring mis-conjugation between the deformable mirror and the wavefront sensor, and the proper positioning of the wavefront sensor detector with respect to the four pupil positions.

An Infrared Test Camera for LBT adaptive optics commissioning

A joint project among INAF--Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna (Italy), Università di Bologna--Dipartimento di Astronomia (Italy) and Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie (Heidelberg, Germany) led in about one year to the construction of two infrared test cameras for the LBT Observatory. Such cameras will be used to test the performance achieved by the telescope adaptive optics system as well as to prepare the telescope pointing model and to completely test all the focal stations at the Gregorian focus. In the present article the design and the integration of the two test cameras are described. The achieved performances are presented as well.

An atmospheric turbulence generator for dynamic tests with LINC-NIRVANA's adaptive optics system

LINC-NIRVANA[1] (LN) is an instrument for the Large Binocular Telescope[2] (LBT). Its purpose is to combine the light coming from the two primary mirrors in a Fizeau-type interferometer. In order to compensate turbulence-induced dynamic aberrations, the layer oriented adaptive optics system of LN[3] consists of two major subsystems for each side: the Ground-Layer-Wavefront sensor (GLWS) and the Mid- and High-Layer Wavefront sensor (MHLWS). The MHLWS is currently set up in a laboratory at the Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg. To test the multi-conjugate AO with multiple simulated stars in the laboratory and to develop the necessary control software, a dedicated light source is needed. For this reason, we designed an optical system, operating in visible as well as in infrared light, which imitates the telescopes optical train (f-ratio, pupil position and size, field curvature). By inserting rotating surface etched glass phase screens, artificial aberrations corresponding to the atmospheric turbulence are introduced. In addition, different turbulence altitudes can be simulated depending on the position of these screens along the optical axis. In this way, it is possible to comprehensively test the complete system, including electronics and software, in the laboratory before integration into the final LINC-NIRVANA setup. Combined with an atmospheric piston simulator, also this effect can be taken into account. Since we are building two identical sets, it is possible to feed the complete instrument with light for the interferometric combination during the assembly phase in the integration laboratory.

LINC-NIRVANA for the large binocular telescope: setting up the world’s largest near infrared binoculars for astronomy

LINC-NIRVANA (LN) is the near-infrared, Fizeau-type imaging interferometer for the large binocular telescope (LBT) on Mt. Graham, Arizona (elevation of 3267 m). The instrument is currently being built by a consortium of German and Italian institutes under the leadership of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany. It will combine the radiation from both 8.4 m primary mirrors of LBT in such a way that the sensitivity of a 11.9 m telescope and the spatial resolution of a 22.8 m telescope will be obtained within a 10.5×10.5 arcsec 2 scientific field of view. Interferometric fringes of the combined beams are tracked in an oval field with diameters of 1 and 1.5 arcmin. In addition, both incoming beams are individually corrected by LN’s multiconjugate adaptive optics system to reduce atmospheric image distortion over a circular field of up to 6 arcmin in diameter. A comprehensive technical overview of the instrument is presented, comprising the detailed design of LN’s four major systems for interferometric imaging and fringe tracking, both in the near infrared range of 1 to 2.4 μm, as well as atmospheric turbulence correction at two altitudes, both in the visible range of 0.6 to 0.9 μm. The resulting performance capabilities and a short outlook of some of the major science goals will be presented. In addition, the roadmap for the related assembly, integration, and verification process are discussed. To avoid late interface-related risks, strategies for early hardware as well as software interactions with the telescope have been elaborated. The goal is to ship LN to the LBT in 2014.

Integration of the Mid-High Wavefront Sensor to the Linc-Nirvana post-focal relay

LINC-NIRVANA is an infrared camera working in Fizeau interferometric mode. The beams coming from the two primary mirrors of the LBT are corrected for the effects of the atmospheric turbulence by two Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) systems, working in a scientific field of view of 2 arcminutes. One single arm MCAO system includes two wave-front sensors, driving two deformable mirrors, one for the ground layer correction (LBT secondary mirror) and one for the correction of a mid-high layer (up to a maximum distance of 15 km). The first of the two Mid-High Wavefront Sensors (MHWS) was integrated and tested as a stand-alone unit in the laboratory at INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, where the telescope was simulated by means of a simple afocal system illuminated by a set of optical fibers. Then the module was delivered to the MPIA laboratories in Heidelberg, where is going to be integrated and aligned to the post-focal optical relay of one LINC-NIRVANA arm, including the deformable mirror. A number of tests are in progress at the moment of this writing, in order to characterize and optimize the system functionalities and performance. A report is presented about the status of this work.

GRAVITY: microarcsecond astrometry and deep interferometric imaging with the VLTI

We present the adaptive optics assisted, near-infrared VLTI instrument GRAVITY for precision narrow-angle astrometry and interferometric phase referenced imaging of faint objects. With its two fibers per telescope beam, its internal wavefront sensors and fringe tracker, and a novel metrology concept, GRAVITY will not only push the sensitivity far beyond what is offered today, but will also advance the astrometric accuracy for UTs to 10 μas. GRAVITY is designed to work with four telescopes, thus providing phase referenced imaging and astrometry for 6 baselines simultaneously. Its unique capabilities and sensitivity will open a new window for the observation of a wide range of objects, and — amongst others — will allow the study of motion within a few times the event horizon size of the Galactic Center black hole.

Tips and tricks for aligning an image derotator

One possible key reference element in optical alignment is represented by the rotational stage, a mechanical bearing, or any similar suitable device having enough accuracy and precision so that optical tolerances are reasonably relaxed wrt imperfections in the rotational movement. This allows a safe, reliable, easy to reproduce, determination of both rays parallel to the axis or to their centering within almost any plane. An image derotator, that in its simplest form is made up by three flat mirrors arranged in a so called K-mirror layout, moving together on a precision rotating stage, seems to be the most safe, strong, and self built-in alignment tool. Moreover you can use the mechanical part as well as the optical one. Care has to be given when internally and externally aligning has to be accomplished within a certain degree of precision. To further make the situation more complex, the technical overall requirements can be tight enough that the distribution of the error budget among the various components (imperfect mechanical rotation, imperfect internal alignment, flexures during rotations) is not due to a single item. In this case, in fact, a number of tips and tricks can be useful to find out which is the best approach to follow. The specific case of the two K-mirrors on board LINCNIRVANA is here illustrated in a few lessons.

An alignment strategy for the optics of LINC-NIRVANA

LINC-NIRVANA is an instrument to combine the light from both LBT primary mirrors in an imaging Fizeau interferometer. The goals in terms of resolution and field of view are quite ambitious, which leads to a complex instrument consisting of a bunch of subsystems. The layer oriented MCAO system alone is already quite complicated and to get everything working together properly is not a small challenge. As we are reaching the completion of LINC-NIRVANAs subsystems, it becomes more and more important to define a strategy to align all these various subsystems. The specific layout of LINC-NIRVANA imposes some restrictions and difficulties on the sequence and the method of this alignment. The main problem for example is that we have to get two perfectly symmetrical focal planes to be able to properly combine them interferometrically. This is the major step on which all further alignment is based on, since all the subsystems (collimator and camera optics, wavefront sensors, cold IR optics, etc.) rely on these focal planes as a reference. I will give a small introduction on the optics of the instrument and line out the resulting difficulties as well as the strategy that we want to apply in order to overcome these.