5th Laser Technology and Systems for Astronomy Workshop, November 8-9, 2009

Fall 2008 Workshop

Announcement

This year the Center for Adaptive Optics will once again be hosting a two-day workshop on Laser Technology and Systems for Astronomy. The purpose of these workshops is to foster information interchange between astronomy uses laser system developers, and scientists studying the interaction of the mesospheric sodium with laser light. We will discuss our experience, perceived challenges and future potentials in improving sodium laser guidestar performance and use this meeting opportunity to exchange ideas and develop collaborations.

Technical topics might include

• Status of the telescope LGS AO projects. 2nd generation laser requirements.
• Modeling the laser to sodium coupling physics and return signal.
• Sodium return signal measurements.
• Key component technologies status (mixing crystals, fibers).
• Methods of beam transport, projection, and uplink correction.
• Lessons learned in field hardening for mountaintop operation.
• Strategies for making the laser technology available to the astronomical community.

I welcome your ideas and suggestions! This is a follow-up to our earlier workshops in November 2006, March 2007, November 2007, and November 2008 at which we heard about some of the latest cutting edge developments.

On the Interactive web pages on Sodium Laser Guidestar research web page you will find: … table of lasers on-sky and reported characteristics … table of ongoing laser development projects … list of past and upcoming meetings … people contact list … blog area for commentary. The web pages are editable by everyone, just like “Wikipedia” pages. (To start editing or make entries to the blog, you just need to register, which is quick and easy. But you can peruse the pages without registering.)

Agenda

• Fall 2009 Laser Workshop Agenda pdf format
• Fall 2009 Laser Workshop Agenda: word format

Logistics

Venue

The workshop will be held in conjunction with the Center for Adaptive Optics Fall Retreat at the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Conference Center in Southern California. The Fall Retreat starts Thursday November 5 and lasts until Sunday November 8. The Laser Workshop will start out as a breakout session of the Retreat starting the morning of Sunday November 8 and will last through the end of the day on Monday November 9. Attendees of the workshop will be able to spend the extra night (Sunday) at the UCLA conference center and meals will be provided. The CfAO will be opening up registration in early September. Workshop attendees should register for the Retreat and check the "Attending Laser Workshop" box.

Invitees:

• Sean Adkins, Keck Observatory
• Mark Ammons, University of Arizona Steward Observatory
• Christoph Baranec, Caltech
• Antonin Bouchez, Caltech Optical Observatories
• Corinne Boyer, Thirty Meter Telescope Project
• Domenico Bonaccini Calia, European Southern Observatory
• Justin Bronder, AFRL/SOR
• Dmitry Budker, UC Berkeley
• Jason Chin, Keck Observatory
• Julian Christou, Gemini Observatory
• Iyad Dajani, AFRL / SOR
• Jay Dawson, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• Richard Dekany, Caltech Optical Observatories
• Craig Denman, Fasortronics Inc.
• Celine D'Orgeville, Gemini Observatory
• Daren Dillon, Lick Observatory
• Dan Eklund, NOAO
• Dennis Elkins, Evans and Sutherland
• Brent Ellerbroek, Thirty Meter Telescope Project
• Sebastian Engner, NOAJ / Subaru
• Bob Fugate, Fasortronics Inc., New Mexico Tech
• Don Garner, Evans and Sutherland
• Don Gavel, Lick Observatory
• Luc Gilles, TMT
• James Graham, UC Berkeley
• Wolfgang Hackenberg, European Southern Observatory
• Alan Hankla, Lockheed Martin Coherent Technology
• Michael Hart, University of Arizona Steward Observatory
• Masayuki Hattori, NOAJ / Subaru
• Yutaka Hayano, Subaru Telescope
• Paul Hillman, Fasortronics Inc.
• Ron Holzlohner, European Southern Observatory
• Meguru Ito, Subaru Telescope
• Joe Janni, AMOS
• Erik Johansson, Keck Observatory
• Tom Kane, Stanford University
• Ed Kibblewhite, University of Chicago
• Natalie Kostinski, Princeton University
• Claire Max, UC Santa Cruz
• Steven Morgan, Princeton University
• Jesper Munch, U. Adelaide
• Chris Neyman, Keck Observatory
• Andrew Norton, UC Santa Cruz / LAO
• Angel Otarola, TMT
• Brian Patton, UC Berkeley
• Dee Pennington, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• Thomas Pfrommer, University of British Columbia, Victoria
• Marc Reinig, UC Santa Cruz / LAO
• Francois Rigaut, Gemini Observatory
• Simon Rochester, UC Berkeley
• Hideki Takami, Subaru Telescope
• Luke Taylor, ESO
• Alan Tracy, Lockheed Martin Coherent Technology
• Viswa Velur, Caltech Optical Observatories
• Lianqi Wang, TMT
• Peter Wizinowich, Keck Observatory

and anyone else attending the CfAO Fall Retreat and is interested in lasers for astronomy AO.

Again, my thanks to those who are participating in these workshops and I encourage you all to join in the discussions and planning for future workshops.