Emulation of dual-conjugate adaptive optics on an 8-m class telescope

Abstract:
In this article we present a downscaled laboratory setup emulating five natural guide stars, a layered static atmosphere and a 7.5-m aperture telescope equipped with dual-conjugate adaptive optics at a wavelength of 2.2 mum. Three reconstruction alternatives were evaluated; conventional adaptive optics, field-averaged conventional adaptive optics and dual-conjugate adaptive optics. The results were compared with Zemax-simulations of the setup. The expected increase of the size of the isoplanatic patch, using dual-conjugate adaptive optics, was confirmed. (C) 2003 Optical Society of America.