SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AEROSPACE REPORTS

A Biweekly Publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
VOLUME 44, ISSUE 2 - January 27, 2006

89 ASTRONOMY
Includes observations of celestial bodies; astronomical instruments and techniques; radio, gamma-ray, x-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared astronomy; and astrometry.

20060002789 Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ, USA, State Univ. of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA, Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC, USA

Abstracts of the Annual Meeting of Planetary Geologic Mappers. Held in Washington, DC. on June 23-24, 2005

Gregg, T. K. P.; Tanaka, K. L.; Saunders, R. S.; January 2005; 54 pp.; In English; Abstracts of the Annual Meeting of Planetary Geologic Mappers., June 23 - 24, 2005, Washington, DC. Report No.(s): PB2006-102326; USGS-OFR-2005-1271; No Copyright; Avail.: National Technical Information Service (NTIS)

Approximately 30 people attended the annual Planetary Mappers Meeting. The meeting was held at the National Air and Space Museum. The discussions focused on extraterrestrial geologic studies. This document contains abstracts of the presentations. NTIS

Mapping; Planetary Geology; Planetary Mapping

20060002872 Lawrence Livermore National Lab., Livermore, CA USA

Extreme Adaptive Optics Testbed: Results and Future Work

Evans, J. W.; Sommargren, G.; Poyneer, L.; Macintosh, B.; Severson, S.; Jul. 21, 2004; 12 pp.; In English Report No.(s): DE2005-15014457; UCRL-CONF-205378; No Copyright; Avail.: National Technical Information Service (NTIS)

Extreme adaptive optics systems are optimized for ultra-high-contrast applications, such as ground-based extrasolar planet detection. The Extreme Adaptive Optics Testbed at UC Santa Cruz is being used to investigate and develop technologies for high-contrast imaging, especially wavefront control. A simple optical design allows us to minimize wavefront error and maximize the experimentally achievable contrast before progressing to a more complex set-up. A phase shifting diffraction interferometer is used to measure wavefront errors with sub-nm precision and accuracy. We have demonstrated RMS wavefront errors of \h1.3 nm and a contrast of \g10-7 over a substantial region using a shaped pupil. Current work includes the installation and characterization of a 1024-actuator Micro-Electro-Mechanical- Systems (MEMS) deformable mirror, manufactured by Boston Micro-Machines, which will be used for wavefront control. In our initial experiments we can flatten the deformable mirror to 1.8-nm RMS wavefront error within a control radius of 5-13 cycles per aperture. Ultimately this testbed will be used to test all aspects of the system architecture for an extrasolar planet-finding AO system. NTIS

Adaptive Optics; Images

Source: NASA