Keck Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics System: 1 st & 2 nd Milestones

1. Keck Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics System:1st & 2nd Milestones AOWG TeleconOct. 17, 2003A. Bouchez, J. Chin, A. Contos, S. Hartman, E. Johansson, R. Lafon, D. Le Mignant, P. Stomski, D. Summers, M. van Dam, P. Wizinowich

2. Topics • Review 1st light results • Preliminary definition of 2nd light milestone & progress • Other priorities

3. LGS AO Top-level Milestones • Top-level milestones (as of fall/02): • 03Q4 - 1st corrected images on NIRC2 with laser • Achieved Sept. 18 & 19, 2003 • 04Q1 – LGS AO facility operable by AO experts • 04Q2 – 1st engineering science • 04Q3 – 1st shared risk science • 05Q2 – Operable for science by OA & 1 expert • 05Q3 – 1st queue scheduled science observing

4. First LGS Milestone Definition • Definition of the first corrected LGS AO images on NIRC2(KAON 235) . • Success Criteria: Achieve a Strehl ratio > 0.2 in Kp for the AO corrected image in the following situation: • NIRC2 image with an exposure time > 30 sec. • Down tip/tilt loop closed on a NGS V > 13 mag. • Achieved SR = 0.25 in Kp on a V = 14 NGS. • Higher order loop closed on the LGS. • Average seeing conditions. • Excellent to extraordinary seeing. • Telescope elevation > 60 & < 80. • Science object < 5 arcsec from NGS star. NGS < 10 arcsec off the image rotator axis. • Both NGS and LGS on-axis for 1st light. • Rotator in vertical angle mode at optimal angle for laser. • Also demonstrated in position angle mode.

5. First LGS Results (UT 9/20)“Audentes Fortuna Juvat” Virgile Extraordinary seeing

6. HK T Tauri B (UT 9/20) The star shown at the bottom right is the 106 yr old classical T Tauri star HK Tau A. HK Tau B at top left is believed to lie in the dark lane of a circumstellar disk. • NGS Vmag = 15 • Strehl = 4% at H & 12% at K’. • FWHM = 0.14, 0.11 & 0.13 mas at H, K’ & L’. • Exposure time = 30, 40 & 72 sec at H, K’ & L’. • Position angle = 145 • 240 counts from LGS on wavefront sensor at 500 Hz 3 color image: H, K’ & L’ are blue, green & red, respectively.

7. The LGS AO Team in Celebration

8. Acquisition Camera image of the LGS (UT 9/19 after optimization) LGS Rayleigh scatter LGS FWHM varied from 1.4 to 1.8 arcsec Altitude ~ 88 km

9. Acquisition Camera image of the LGSwith the primary mirror unstacked LGS best segment FWHM from 1.4” when stacked image was 1.7”

10. Significant Technical Progress (in support of this milestone) • STRAP operational standalone as tip/tilt sensor • LBWFS operating in 1x1 & 2x2 pixel binning • Providing focus to WFS stage & centroids for optimization • Wavefront sensor tracking versus elevation • Image sharpening based on LBWFS centroids successful • Laser image quality & power fairly stable • Laser diagnostics operational • LGS size qualitatively correlated with pointing & PIB images • Laser pointing with M3 • Operation scheme & prelim automation successful • Plus: • Laser Traffic Control System operational • EPICS upgrade for WFC command processor operational • K2aoserver operational for idl & Java tools (from HQ)

11. LGS AO Control Light from Telescope Offload to telescope TTM Tip/tilt LGS NGS IR transmissive dichroic Science Camera DM Offload focus to telescope Sodium transmissive dichroic STRAP Wavefront Controller Lenslets WFS LBWFS TSS x,y,z stage Focus (Tip/tilt to Laser) Centroids Pupil Orientation (Subaperture gains)

12. Laser Diagnostics

13. Error Budget

14. 2nd LGS Milestone DefinitionProposed Criteria • LGS facility operable by AO experts (by end of Dec/03). • Performance Success Criteria: • Achieve a Strehl > 0.2 in Kp for a V > 15 mag NGS. • Achieve a Strehl > 0.1 in Kp for a V > 17 mag NGS. • Corrected images on science camera < 5 min after slew. • Nod time < 20 sec (including opening & closing loops). • Operability Success Criteria: • LGS AO operable by 3 AO + 1 laser expert (+ NIRC2 operator). • All software tested & released in a controlled version (by Dec. 15) • Demonstrate correction over 50° < EL < 85°. • Off-axis science demonstrated for a target > 20 arcsec from NGS. • Nodding demonstrated over a 5x5” field. • Numbers indicate relative priorities. • Faint performance higher priority than off-axis operation

15. 2nd LGS Milestone Tasks

16. 2nd LGS Milestone Tasks

17. 2nd Light Run Summary(Oct. 10&11) • Cirrus/clouds for entire run. Managed to project laser through holes for short periods • Inadequate time to demo good LGS AO correction • Laser progress • Ran from summit control room (no laser access reqd) • Start of night alignment adequate for night • Much progress on understanding laser pointing • LGS AO progress • Progress on punchlist items, especially focus correction • Some training with tools • No progress on STRAP limiting mag since background high again (had been reduced prior to run) • Good NGS science performed through cirrus

18. Other AO FY04 Milestones

19. NGS AO Tasks

20. K2 AO Observing Calendar • Sept. None after 9/18. • Oct. 2-5 NIRC2; 10-11 LGS; 12-16 IF • Nov. 8-11 NIRC2; 14-16 IF; 17 LGS; 27-30 NIRC2 • Dec. 5-8 NIRC2; 10 LGS; 11-13 NIRSPAO; 15-17 LGS; 16-18, 23-26, 29-31 NIRC2 • Jan. 5-8 IF; 5, 9-12, 27 NIRC2 • Only ½ night on 1/27 • Appropriate gaps for significant AO changes: • 15 wk days from Fri. 10/17 to Th. 11/6. • 6 wk days from Tue. 11/18 to Tues. 11/25. • 9 wk days from Tue. 1/13 to Fri. 1/23. • Larger gaps available for laser changes.

21. AO 03B Calendar

22. AO 03B Calendar

23. AO 03B Calendar