High-efficiency Autonomous Laser Adaptive Optics

Abstract

As new large-scale astronomical surveys greatly increase the number of objects targeted and discoveries made, the requirement for efficient follow-up observations is crucial. Adaptive optics imaging, which compensates for the image-blurring effects of Earth's turbulent atmosphere, is essential for these surveys, but the scarcity, complexity and high demand of current systems limits their availability for following up large numbers of targets. To address this need, we have engineered and implemented Robo-AO, a fully autonomous laser adaptive optics and imaging system that routinely images over 200 objects per night with an acuity 10 times sharper at visible wavelengths than typically possible from the ground. By greatly improving the angular resolution, sensitivity, and efficiency of 1-3 m class telescopes, we have eliminated a major obstacle in the follow-up of the discoveries from current and future large astronomical surveys.

Published in ApJL. 6 pages, 4 figures, and 1 table

References in corpus (7)

• The K2 Mission: Characterization and Early results
• The Gemini Deep Planet Survey -- GDPS
• SN 2006gy: An extremely luminous supernova in the galaxy NGC 1260
• The Automated Palomar 60-Inch Telescope
• The Palomar/Keck Adaptive Optics Survey of Young Solar Analogs: Evidence for a Universal Companion Mass Function
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Cited by in corpus (12)

• A survey of the high order multiplicity of nearby solar-type binary stars with Robo-AO
• An ancient extrasolar system with five sub-Earth-size planets
• Characterizing K2 Planet Discoveries: A super-Earth transiting the bright K-dwarf HIP 116454
• Characterization of the atmosphere of the hot Jupiter HAT-P-32Ab and the M-dwarf companion HAT-P-32B
• The Near-Ultraviolet Luminosity Function of Young, Early M-Type Dwarf Stars
• Planets Around Low-Mass Stars (PALMS). V. Age-Dating Low-Mass Companions to Members and Interlopers of Young Moving Groups
• Characterizing the Cool KOIs. VII. Refined Physical Properties of the Transiting Brown Dwarf LHS 6343 C
• Know the Star, Know the Planet. III. Discovery of Late-Type Companions to Two Exoplanet Host Stars
• Multiplicity of the Galactic Senior Citizens: A high-resolution search for cool subdwarf companions
• The Robo-AO automated intelligent queue system
• Second generation Robo-AO instruments and systems
• PULSE: The Palomar Ultraviolet Laser for the Study of Exoplanets