Dual use of adaptive optics systems: astronomical observations at the Air Force Maui Optical Station (AMOS)

Abstract

Within the last decade, the declassification of adaptive optics techniques and systems developed for defense purposes opened new opportunities to the astronomical community. Since the military resolution requirements are not qualitatively different from the astronomical ones, astronomers may profit from the quite sizable investments already made. On the other hand, the astronomical observations are much more demanding than the military ones with respect to the required accuracy, stability and sensitivity. In 1994, after contacts made during an adaptive optics meeting in Munich, we started a joint project to observe the ejected matter from the luminous blue variable (LBV) P-Cygni with the AMOS compensated imaging system (CIS). In this paper we describe the problems encountered and the experience gained in more than two years of operations with CIS. The satisfactory results obtained so far prompted us to plan a more ambitious program. We aim to profit from the acquired know-how for preparing a proposal of astronomical observations designed in such a way of taking the utmost advantage of the capabilities of the new USAF AEOS adaptive optics system.