Adaptive Optics for Vision Science - Term Paper Example

Astronomers have come up with a system that improves on the optic systems; used to study space that can counter this distortion brought about by the front waves, a system known as “Adaptive Optics”. Adaptive optics refers to an astronomy technology that improves the performance of optical systems through reduction turbulence of the earth’s atmosphere distortions. Adaptive optic system purposes to correct deformations Caused by the turbulence of the earth’s atmosphere. This correction happens by using deformed mirrors that are controlled by a computer so as to compensate for the distortion by the incoming wavefront.

The image obtained through this system is usually as sharp as the ones taken in space. The system allows observation of dimmer (faint) astronomical details of the corrected optical system that would possibly be observed from the ground. For the system to work effectively, it requires a bright reference star located close to the object being studied. Astronomers do create artificial stars by shining a very strong laser beam into the upper atmosphere of the earth, in cases where an appropriate natural star is not available around the object of study (Hardy, 2010).

Normally, light gets distorted as it passes through the wavefront thus preventing the formation of sharp images by a telescope placed on earth’s surface. The adaptive optic system eliminates this blurring effect of the atmosphere. The adaptive optics works by measuring atmospheric distortion in the light coming from the star or the other artificial source of light. Electronic signals are then sent to a deformable mirror that rapidly changes its shape to correct this distortion. This system has the ability to see hundreds of separate beams of light while looking at a single beam of light from a star even those that have been deviated due to atmospheric turbulence.