Optimising alignment of a multi-element telescope

Kamga, Morgan M.

Optimising alignment of a multi-element telescope

dc.contributor.author	Kamga, Morgan M.
dc.date.accessioned	2013-04-23T07:44:51Z
dc.date.available	2013-04-23T07:44:51Z
dc.date.issued	2013-04-23
dc.description	A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Computational and Applied Mathematics University of the Witwatersrand September 20, 2012	en_ZA
dc.description.abstract	In this thesis, we analyse reasons for poor image quality on the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) and we analyse control methods of the segmented primary mirror. Errors in the control algorithm of SALT (circa 2007) are discovered. More powerful numerical procedures are developed and in particular, we show that singular value decomposition method is preferred over normal equations method as used on SALT. In addition, this method does not require physical constraints to some mirror parameters. Sufficiently accurate numerical procedures impose constraints on the precision of segment actuator displacements and edge sensors. We analyse the data filtering method on SALT and find that it is inadequate for control. We give a filtering method that achieves improved control. Finally, we give a new method (gradient flow) that gives acceptable control from arbitrary, imprecise initial alignment.	en_ZA
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10539/12677
dc.language.iso	en	en_ZA
dc.subject.lcsh	Large astronomical telescopes - South Africa.
dc.subject.lcsh	Image analysis.
dc.title	Optimising alignment of a multi-element telescope	en_ZA
dc.type	Thesis	en_ZA