Variable area manifolds for ring mirror heat exchangers

A laser ring mirror assembly is disclosed which supports and cools an annular ring mirror of a high powered laser with a cooling manifold which has a coolant flow design which is intended to reduce thermal distortions of the ring mirror by minimizing azimuthal variations in temperature around its circumference. The cooling manifold has complementary pairs of cooling passages each of which conduct coolant in opposite flow directions. The manifold also houses adjusters which vary the depth between the annular ring mirror and each cooling, and which vary the flow area of the cooling passage to produce a control over the cooling characteristics of the cooling manifold.