Fast and optimal multiframe blind deconvolution algorithm for high-resolution ground-based imaging of space objects.

We report a multiframe blind deconvolution algorithm that we have developed for imaging through the atmosphere. The algorithm has been parallelized to a significant degree for execution on high-performance computers, with an emphasis on distributed-memory systems so that it can be hosted on commodity clusters. As a result, image restorations can be obtained in seconds to minutes.

Wave-front sensing with time-of-flight phase diversity.

We present a new way to sense atmospheric wave-front phase distortion. Short collimated pulses of laser light at ~350nm are projected from a small auxilliary telescope. Rayleigh scattering from each pulse is recorded over a wide range of height through the main telescope aperture in a continuous sequence of fast video frames by a detector conjugate to mid-height.

Extending the field of view of an adaptively corrected telescope by longitudinal pupil displacement.

A simple scheme is proposed to increase the corrected field of view of a telescope equipped with adaptive optics. The optical system's entrance pupil is projected forward into the atmosphere and is slightly reduced in size. The field in any given direction is then imaged through just a portion of the main aperture, while the full aperture is used to collect light from the reference beacons, which may be either natural stars or laser beacons.

Experimental results of ground-layer and tomographic wavefront reconstruction from multiple laser guide stars.

We describe results from the first multi-laser wavefront sensing system designed to support tomographic modes of adaptive optics (AO). The system, now operating at the 6.5 m MMT telescope in Arizona, creates five beacons by Rayleigh scattering of laser beams at 532 nm integrated over a range from 20 to 29 km by dynamic refocus of the telescope optics.

Concept for a laser guide beacon Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensor with dynamically steered subapertures.

We describe an innovative implementation of the Shack-Hartmann wave-front sensor that is designed to correct the perspective elongation of a laser guide beacon in adaptive optics. Subapertures are defined by the segments of a deformable mirror rather than by a conventional lenslet array. A bias tilt on each segment separates the beacon images on the sensor's detector.