The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) will be called upon to support a polarimetric observing capability. Many different observing programs covering a range of different science areas are being considered for the TMT and a model of the overall polarization characteristics is being developed. The instrument development program will provide a means for polarimetric instruments to be developed, however the telescope itself and the AO system must be able to support polarimetric instruments. As a first step to defining the necessary polarimetric technical requirements we have created an international working group to carry out a study in which technical and cost implications will be balanced with scientific impact; new requirements will be generated with supporting science cases. We present here initial results of the instrumental polarization sensitivity of TMT with NFIRAOS, the first-light adaptive optics system.

Date Published: 4 August 2014
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 9150, Modeling, Systems Engineering, and Project Management for Astronomy VI, 915013 (4 August 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2056965

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9150:
Modeling, Systems Engineering, and Project Management for Astronomy VI
George Z. Angeli; Philippe Dierickx, Editor(s)