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Summary: The unique Antarctic atmosphere: implications
for adaptive optics
Jon S. Lawrence1
, Michael C.B. Ashley1
, Michael G. Burton1
, James P.
Lloyd2
, and John W.V. Storey1
1
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
2
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA 91125, USA
Abstract. The turbulence structure of the atmosphere is the primary limitation to
adaptive optics system performance on extremely large telescopes -- driving current
world-wide site testing campaigns. The potential for adaptive optics correction on
extremely large telescopes located at Dome C station on the Antarctic plateau is in-
vestigated here. Due to the unique atmospheric characteristics of this site it is found
that a natural guide star adaptive optics system with a single deformable mirror should
outperform a multi-conjugate multi-laser guide star system at a mid-latitude site.
1 Introduction
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