Numerical evaluation of an off-axis Point Spread Function reconstruction from the Woofer/Tweeter Adaptive Optics system

Abstract

This paper presents the derivation, implementation and testing of an off-axis Point Spread Function (PSF) reconstruction technique for the applied numerical model of the University of Victoria's dual Deformable Mirror (DM) Woofer-Tweeter (W/T) Adaptive Optics (AO) system. The methodology has been tested; it is based on the data saved by the AO system during the science exposure, and on the analytical expression of the anisoplanatic transfer function. This data is later used in the post-processing stage to reconstruct the off-axis PSF that degrades the AO system's performance at greater angular distances from the guide star (GS). Although the results are unique to the UVic W/T AO bench model, the proposed PSF reconstruction methodology will be applicable to other dual DM systems and to multi DM AO systems.