Design, layout, and early results of a feasibility experiment for sodium-layer laser-guide-star adaptive optics

The authors describe the design and the early results of a feasibility experiment for sodium-layer laser-guide-star adaptive optics. Copper-vapor-laser-pumped dye lasers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory`s Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation program are used to create the guide star. The laser beam is projected upward from a beam director that is located {approximately}5 m from a 0.5-m telescope and forms an irradiance spot {approximately} 2 m in diameter at the atmospheric-sodium layer (at an altitude of 95 km). The laser guide star is approximately fifth magnitude and is visible to the naked eye at the top of the Rayleigh-scattered laser beam. To date, the authors have made photometric measurements and open-loop wave-front-sensor measurements of the laser guide star. They give an overview of the experiment`s design and the laser systems, describe the experimental setup, show preliminary photometric and open-loop wave-front-sensor data on the guide star, and present predictions of closed-loop adaptive-optics performance based on these experimental data. The long-term goal of this effort is to develop laser guide stars and adaptive optics for use with large astronomical telescopes. 26 refs., 17 figs., 2 tabs.