PSD-based simulation algorithm for Wide FoV AO design: application to ELT studies
Résumé
Several Wide Field of view Adaptive Optics [WFAO] concepts like Multi-Conjugate AO [MCAO], Multi-Object AO [MOAO] or Ground-Layer AO [GLAO] are under study for the next generation of Extremely Large Telescopes [ELTs]. Each system will provide a specific performance, achievable FoV, sky coverage, etc... Simulating such kind of systems is, however, one of the main issue to be addressed, especially in term of computation time. In this paper, we present a Phase Spectrum Density [PSD] simulation tool which can provide fast but realistic PSFs for performance evaluation. All the configurations specific to WFAO systems are considered including Guide Stars [GS] configuration/magnitude, profile knowledge (Cn2/layers distribution), number/altitudes of Deformable Mirrors [DM]. After a brief presentation of the theoretical basis of the method, we compare the results with a full end-to-end simulation code. Then, we illustrate the capabilities of this tool with a comparative study of the expected performance of the different WFAO systems planned for the E-ELT. We investigate the expected correction provided by a an MCAO, GLAO and MOAO systems, working with either 4 or 9 Guide Stars [GSs].