UK Programme for the European Extremely Large Telescope

Lead Research Organisation: Durham University
Department Name: Physics

Abstract

Included in "UK Programme for the European Extremely Large Telescope" , Cunningham et al, September 2010. (Attached)

Planned Impact

Included in "UK Programme for the European Extremely Large Telescope - Pathways to Impact" (Attached)

Publications

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Barr D (2015) Reducing adaptive optics latency using Xeon Phi many-core processors in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Basden A (2015) Investigation of POWER8 processors for astronomical adaptive optics real-time control in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Basden A (2014) Real-time correlation reference update for astronomical adaptive optics in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Basden A (2015) Sensitivity improvements for Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors using total variation minimization in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Basden A (2014) A real-time simulation facility for astronomical adaptive optics in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Basden A (2014) Faulty actuator tolerance in deformable mirrors for Extremely Large Telescope multi-object adaptive optics in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Bitenc U (2015) On-sky tests of the CuReD and HWR fast wavefront reconstruction algorithms with CANARY in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Gendron E (2011) MOAO first on-sky demonstration with CANARY in Astronomy & Astrophysics

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Harris R (2015) Photonic spatial reformatting of stellar light for diffraction-limited spectroscopy in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Osborn J (2014) Open-loop tomography with artificial neural networks on CANARY: on-sky results in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

 
Description The funding secured the UK leadership of the CANARY UK-France project, with Durham as overall PI. CANARY has achieved the following world firsts, which are fully consistent with the goals of this funding:

Laser Multi-Object AO (MOAO) demonstrated on-sky
- this is a technology required for the MOS (Multi-Object Spectrograph) on the forthcoming European Extremely Large Telescope. The technology will allow, for example, a survey of the first galaxies to form in the universe, exploring the mechanisms which give the universe its particular form. It overcomes the effects of atmospheric turbulence on ground-based telescopes and does so over a very wide field of view. Artificial stars, produced by powerful lasers, are used to sense the atmospheric turbulence above the telescope and and to correct its effects.

Laser Tomographic AO (LTAO) demonstrated on-sky
- this is an atmospheric correction technology required by the UK-led HARMONI first-light instrument on the forthcoming European Extremely Large Telescope.

Full Linear Quadratic Gaussian Conreol demonstrated on-sky
- optimally removes the effects of windshake on telescope images.

AO feed of a photonic lantern spectrograph demonstrated on-sky

optimal feeding of a new photonic technology spectrograph using adaptive optics

Artificial Neural Net tomographic reconstructor demonstrated on-sky,
- technology allowing adaptive optics turbulence correction to adapt automatically to changes in the atmospheric configuration

CuReD and HWR wavefront reconstructors demonstrated on-sky
- new high-speed computational methods for adaptive optics for exoplanet imaging.

MOAO and LTAO are required for the ELT-MOS, ELT-IFU (HARMONI), METIS, and possibly HIRES. This work has secured our position in the MOS and HIRES projects, including the position of AO Systems Engineer and Real-time control lead for the MOS.
Exploitation Route We note that MOAO technology is used in Keck's future NGAO system and LTAO is a workhorse mode of GMT.
Sectors Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology

URL https://www.dur.ac.uk/cfai/projects/canary/
 
Description Yes, the funding secured the UK leadership of the CANARY UK-France project, with myself as overall PI. CANARY has achieved the following world firsts, which are fully consistent with the goals of this funding: Laser Multi-Object AO (MOAO) demonstrated on-sky Laser Tomographic AO (LTAO) demonstrated on-sky Full Linear Quadratic Gaussian Conreol demonstrated on-sky AO feed of a photonic lantern spectrograph demonstrated on-sky Artificial Neural Net tomographic reconstructor demonstrated on-sky, CuReD and HWR wavefront reconstructors demonstrated on-sky MOAO and LTAO are required for the ELT-MOS, ELT-IFU (HARMONI), METIS, and possibly HIRES. This work has secured our position in the MOS and HIRES projects, including the position of AO Systems Engineer and Real-time control lead for the MOS. The success of CANARY has secured EU funding (OPTICON) and ESO support for CANARY Phase D (Na LGS Spot Elongation) I note that MOAO technology is used in Keck's future NGAO system and LTAO is a workhorse mode of GMT.
First Year Of Impact 2011
Sector Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology
 
Description EU FP7 OPTICON (2) WP1
Amount £202,000 (GBP)
Funding ID 312430 
Organisation European Commission 
Department Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)
Sector Public
Country European Union (EU)
Start 01/2013 
End 12/2016
 
Description European Space Agency TRP
Amount £283,554 (GBP)
Funding ID TEC-MMO/2014/127 
Organisation ESA - ESTEC 
Sector Public
Country Netherlands
Start 03/2015 
End 05/2018
 
Description CANARY 
Organisation Heriot-Watt University
Department School of Engineering & Physical Sciences
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Overall leadership of the CANARY project. Approximately equal contribution with Obs de Paris to the design, build and test. Real-time controller.
Collaborator Contribution Design of Diffractive optical elements for Laser Guide Star constellation projection
Impact Proof that Natural Guide Star Multi-Object Adaptive Optics works on-sky
Start Year 2007
 
Description CANARY 
Organisation Observatory of Paris
Department Laboratory for Space Science and Astrophysical Instrumentation
Country France 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Overall leadership of the CANARY project. Approximately equal contribution with Obs de Paris to the design, build and test. Real-time controller.
Collaborator Contribution Design of Diffractive optical elements for Laser Guide Star constellation projection
Impact Proof that Natural Guide Star Multi-Object Adaptive Optics works on-sky
Start Year 2007
 
Description CANARY 
Organisation Pontifical Catholic University of Chile
Department Department of Industry and System Engineering
Country Chile 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Overall leadership of the CANARY project. Approximately equal contribution with Obs de Paris to the design, build and test. Real-time controller.
Collaborator Contribution Design of Diffractive optical elements for Laser Guide Star constellation projection
Impact Proof that Natural Guide Star Multi-Object Adaptive Optics works on-sky
Start Year 2007
 
Description CANARY 
Organisation UK Astronomy Technology Centre (ATC)
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Overall leadership of the CANARY project. Approximately equal contribution with Obs de Paris to the design, build and test. Real-time controller.
Collaborator Contribution Design of Diffractive optical elements for Laser Guide Star constellation projection
Impact Proof that Natural Guide Star Multi-Object Adaptive Optics works on-sky
Start Year 2007
 
Description CANARY 
Organisation University of Oviedo
Department Gijón Polytechnic School of Engineering
Country Spain 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Overall leadership of the CANARY project. Approximately equal contribution with Obs de Paris to the design, build and test. Real-time controller.
Collaborator Contribution Design of Diffractive optical elements for Laser Guide Star constellation projection
Impact Proof that Natural Guide Star Multi-Object Adaptive Optics works on-sky
Start Year 2007
 
Description E-ELT MOS 
Organisation Observatory of Paris
Country France 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Adaptive Optics for the E-ELT MOS
Collaborator Contribution Full co-partners in the study with key roles divided
Impact Phase A Design study for EAGLE Adaptive Optics
Start Year 2010