The efficiency of the CHARA Array has proven satisfactory for the scientific programs enabled by the first-generation beam combination and detector systems. With multi-beam combination and more ambitious scientific goals, improvements in throughput and efficiency will be highly leveraged. Engineering data from several years of nightly operations are used to infer atmospheric characteristics and raw instrumental visibility in both classic optical and single- mode fiber beam combiners. This information is the basis for estimates of potential gains that could be afforded by the implementation of adaptive optics. This includes reduction of static and quasi-static aberrations, reduction of residual tilt error, compensation for differential atmospheric refraction, reduction of diffractive beam propagation losses, each leading to improved flux throughput and instrumental visibility, and to associated gains in operability and scientific productivity.

Date Published: 28 July 2008
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 7013, Optical and Infrared Interferometry, 70133B (28 July 2008); doi: 10.1117/12.790230

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7013:
Optical and Infrared Interferometry
Markus Schöller; William C. Danchi; Françoise Delplancke, Editor(s)