Sodium guidestar signal levels measured at AMOS and comparison to theory
Abstract
On-sky testing of the continuous-wave (CW) sodium guidestar at AMOS involved collections from May 2017 to January 2019 and have been compared with theoretical expectations. Sodium-beacon photon returns were measured with wavefront sensors on the 3.6m AEOS telescope. In addition, launch telescope and main telescope transmission was estimated from earlier collections from stars. Detailed comparisons of sodium returns to theory properly account for atmospheric and optical transmission, sodium and laser linewidths, laser tuning to sodium line, laser polarization, population saturation, superflourescence, and geomagnetic field effects. Adaptive optics performance implications are discussed
- Publication:
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Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference
- Pub Date:
- September 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019amos.confE..81S
- Keywords:
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- Adaptive Optics;
- Artificial Beacons;
- Laser Guidestars;
- Imaging;
- Wavefront Compensation