Darrius Robinson

The Installation & Characterization of the Coronagraphic Upgrade to the Extreme Adaptive

Optics Test Bed

Extra Solar Planets

• Orbit stars other than the sun• Belong of planetary system• As of Aug 2006, over 200 known

exo-planets • First published detection in 1988• Referred to as Young Jupiter Planets

STAR

Astrometry

Current Methods Of Detection

Radial Velocity

Pulsar Timing

Transit Method

Gravitational micro-lensing

Circumstellar disks

Current Problem: Direct Imaging Technique

• Lack of consistent Direct Imaging Detection Technique

• Light from stars prevent us from viewing planets

• Large contrast difference between stars and planets

Star Vs YJ P

Intensity

YJP Star

Coronagraphs

Visible VS Infrared

Ultimate Goal

My Contribution

Measuring & Cutting Optical Fiber Cables

Installation of Components on LAO Testbed

Adding Shifts to IDL Code

Actual Testing & Collection of Data

Adding of Various Apertures to Code

Current Adaptive Optics Testbed Setup

Light & Diffraction Suppression

Pupil Plane

Camera Plane

Focal Plane

Pupil Plane

PRE -CORONAGRPAH

POST -CORONAGRPAH

Coronagraph Input & Lyot Stop

Various Lyot Stop Sizes

5 Pixels

10 Pixels

15 Pixels

20 Pixels

35 Pixels

40 Pixels

25 Pixels

30 Pixels

Simulated VS Actual

Contrast Plot with Cat’s Eye (Pre Coronagraph)

Inte

nsity

Distance From Center (λ/D)

Contrast Plot with & without Coronagraph Input

Acknowledgements

Darren Dillon Don Gavel

Katie M

Scott Severson