Adaptive Optics (AO) is used to correct dynamic aberrations in optical systems. CfAI conducts projects in Astronomical and non-Astronomical AO.

Astronomical AO is principally for reducing the aberrations produced by the turbulent atmosphere above ground-based telescopes operating at near-IR and visible light wavelengths. It can also remove other dynamically changing aberrations within the telescope system. However, where such telescope aberrations change on timescales longer than a few seconds, the term active optics is normally used.

Resources

• CfAI AO Overview (last modified: 1 February 2017)