Adaptive Optics is a technique for providing diffraction limited imaging or beam direction through distorting media, usually the atmosphere. Existing systems already give higher resolution on ground based telescopes than the Hubble Space Telscope at infra-red wavelengths and it is the critical technology for building 30-100 meter class ground-based telescopes; other applications range from vision research (overcoming the abberations of the eye) to deep space communication, the Air Borne Laser, and space debris removal. This colloquium will discuss the basic principles of Adaptive Optics, give some examples of applications, and talk about its future.

ANL Physics Division Colloquium Schedule