Future Opportunities for Adaptive Optics Galactic Science

Andrea GhezUniversity of California Los Angeles

Targets/Science Young Stars

Direct detection of planets Dynamical measurements of low mass binaries (calibrate pre-main sequence

evolutionary tracks) Circumstellar Disks

Grain growth Structure induced by young planets

Embedded Young Objects Envelope/Disk structure

Evolved Stars Mass loss

Globular Clusters Dynamical measurements (astrometric and spectroscopic) to search for

intermediate mass black holes Photometric measurements to study stellar population

Galactic Center Dynamical measurements (astrometric and spectroscopic) to search for

extended dark matter & Ro Spectroscopy - stellar population and dynamics

Much of this Science Benefits From High Strehl Over

Small/Modest FOV

● Strehls at 3.8 m: S= 0.5 – 0.7●~2 hour on-source integration using NIRC2/AO.● Peak disk = 1/2750 of GG Tau A peak

For Grain Growth Studies Need High Strehl Over Large Wavelength Range & Polarimetry

WFPC2F814W

NICMOSF110W

NICMOSF160W

NIRC2L'

Observations Models

0.3m 1.5m1.25m0.9m0.5m =amax

Many of These Object are Very Red - How Can we Compete With the IR WFS at VLT?

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First direct detection of

a giant planet?

Note: SIFONI has optical WFSFirst spectrum of Sgr A*?

How Much Would an IR TT Sensor Help the LGS vs. an IR-WFS?

5”

LGS Strehls under great conditions, 0.35 (K) and 0.7 (L’) Guide Stars: (1) K = 7 mag at 5”, (2) R = 13.2 mag at 30” (3) 13.7 mag at 20”

External Fund Raising Opportunity at UCLA if there is a Route to

Improve GC observations Moore Foundation

Originally approached last fall by UCLA for Center for IR, now considering IR-WFS proposal

UCLA Funds from Dean Development Office interested VC Research (Roberto Peccei) also offered help

But how best to match this with a strategic plan

Would an IR TT/WFS Help the building Pressure on Grey Time?

Our current AO systems are moving a community that traditionally requests bright time to gray time

Conclusions

There are lots of great AO targets within our Galaxy Need to figure our how to make LGS more available (and robust)

Most benefit from high strehl performance over small/modest fields of view

Increasing wavelength range and adding polarimetry will benefit some studies (e.g., grain growth) Visible AO Thermal IR (3-5 micron) optimized AO system

IR TT/WFS offers advantage for dusty targets (YSO, Mass Loss, GC) Fund raising opportunity at UCLA for GC observations Reduces pressure on grey time