This award supports a research and development program investigating various aspects of adaptive optics and high resolution imaging techniques for astronomy. Areas to be investigated include the development of innovative methods of wavefront sensing using the properties of natural starlight and fast, low noise detectors in both visible and near infrared wavelengths, and the incorporation of speckle imaging, tip/tilt correction for image motion and full adaptive correction in scienceprograms at the 2.3 meter and 6.86 meter Multiple Mirror telescopes of the Steward Observatory. Graduate students will be involved in the development and use of these techniques.
