Improvements on adaptive optics control approaches: experimental tests of wavefront correction forecasting

Abstract

The FORS (closed loop forecasting system) control algorithm has been already successfully applied to improve the efficiency of a simulated adaptive optics (AO) system. To test its performance in real conditions, we implemented this algorithm in a hardware AO demonstrator, introducing controlled aberrations into the system. We present here the results of introducing into the system both a simple periodic defocus aberration and a real open loop defocus time sequence acquired at the vacuum tower telescope solar telescope. In both cases, FORS yields a significant performance increase, improving the stability of the system in closed-loop conditions and decreasing the amplitude of the residual uncorrected wavefront aberrations.