Les effets optiques de la turbulence atmosphérique dans les images astronomiques

Abstract

The often blurry appearance of astronomical images at a telescope focus is attributed to atmospheric agitation.The study of the light propagation through the turbulent Earth atmosphere has made it possible to understand the existence of optical turbulence resulting from diffraction phenomena that accompany the refraction of light rays.Optical turbulence is described by parameters (Fried parameter, isoplanetism angle, coherence time, external scale) which characterize the amplitude and the phase of the wave front on the telescope pupil.We deduce the properties of the images (short or long exposure) formed at the telescope focus as well as the description of the effects of turbulence on these images (scintillation, agitation, spreading) and on interferometric observations (piston effect).

Keywords

• Turbulence atmosphérique
• Turbulence optique
• Formation des images
• Haute résolution angulaire
• Optique adaptative
• Sélection de site
• Astronomie