Sky coverage estimation for multiconjugate adaptive optics systems: strategies and results

Abstract

We propose an improvement of the sky coverage estimation for multiconjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) systems. A new algorithm is presented which allows us to account for the real corrected field-of-view surface corrected by an MCAO system [depending on guide star (GS) positions and system characteristics] as well as the type of strategy (star-oriented or layer-oriented) considered for the wavefront sensing. An application to the European Southern Observatory MCAO demonstrator (MAD) system is considered. In the context of this particular application, the importance of parameters such as the GS geometry, the generalized isoplanatic angle and the magnitude difference between GSs is highlighted.