Bibliographic Citation
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| Title | Sodium-layer laser-guide-star experimental results |
| Creator/Author | Avicola, K. ; Brase, J.M. ; Morris, J.R. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CA (United States)] [and others] |
| Publication Date | 1994 Feb 01 |
| OSTI Identifier | OSTI ID: 272760 |
| DOE Contract Number | W-7405-ENG-48 |
| Other Number(s) | Journal ID: JOAOD6; ISSN 0740-3232; TRN: TRN: 95:007795-0002 |
| Resource Type | Journal Article |
| Resource Relation | Journal Name: Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part A: Optics and Image Science; Journal Volume: 11; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1994 |
| Subject | 66 PHYSICS; TELESCOPES; VISIBILITY; LASER RADIATION; OPTICAL SYSTEMS; LIGHT SCATTERING; FEASIBILITY STUDIES; OPTICS; EARTH ATMOSPHERE |
| Description/Abstract | The authors describe a series of experiments to characterize the sodium-layer guide star that was formed with the highpower laser developed for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation program. An emission spot size of 3.0 m was measured, with an implied laser irradiance spot diameter of 2.0 m. The rms spot motion at the higher laser powers, with active beam-pointing control, was less than 0.5 arcsec and had little effect on the observed spot size under these conditions. The authors measured the resonant backscatter from the sodium layer as a function of laser power to obtain a saturation curve. With a transmitted power of 1100 W and an atmospheric transmission of 0.6, the irradiance from the guide star at the ground was 10 (photons/cm{sup 2})/ms, corresponding to a visual magnitude of 5.1. The implications for the performance of wave-front sensors with a laser guide star of this magnitude and resulting closed-loop adaptive-optics performance are discussed. 13 refs., 9 figs. |
| Country of Publication | United States |
| Language | English |
| Format | Medium: X; Size: pp. 825-831 |
| System Entry Date | 2009 Dec 16 |
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