1. J. Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) Operational Readiness
Christian Veillet
Director, LBT

2. LBT Compliance This presentation discusses LBTO readiness
Relationship to ORR Success Criteria: LBTO plans and procedures are complete and under configuration management; LBTO staffing is in place and trained; LBTO risks are documented and acceptable
Concerns: None
Liens: None 3.
The necessary interferometer operations plans and procedures are complete, documented and in place, and under configuration management
Green 5.
The necessary staffing is in place and training has taken place 6.
Project risks are documented and acceptable

3. LBT Is Ready to Support LBTI HOSTS Survey
All LBT systems have been functioning during LBTI commissioning block
Addressed maintenance issues with adaptive optics without impact to LBTI commissioning
Worked systems-level issues with LBTI to completion
Added engineering nights prior to LBTI runs to demonstrate readiness with margin for corrective action
LBT has demonstrated it is ready to support LBTI HOSTS Survey

4. LBTO Provides (1/2) Power, data communications
LBT Instruments
LBTI DX SX
FLAO/LUCI
Power, data communications
Telescope and AO command and control

5. LBTO Provides (2/2) Nighttime telescope operation Prerun checkouts
Telescope and AO systems
System maintenance
Adaptive secondaries and associated AO systems
Observing scheduling
LBTI run to best fit LBTI HOSTS strategy
Systems engineering support to LBTI for vibration suppression
Accelerometer system (OVMS)

6. PLRA LBT Performance Expectation
Performance envelope consistent with LBT specifications
Adaptive optics performance
Strehl ratio >60% at K-band
Diffraction-limited at 2 µm wavelength

7. LBT Seeing Meets LBTI Requirements
DIMM seeing measurements for 2014
DIMM is mounted on telescope structure
Looks at bright star near target
Measures dome and atmosphere seeing
Small FWHM limit ~0.5 due to instrument design
<r0> ~12 cm (550 nm)
ALTA Program for seeing prediction in Q-mode
AO operational limit
Note: DIMM values blah blah…

8. Weather Impact on Observing Nights
Weather: A-semesters (Feb–Jul) better and more predictable than B-semesters (Sep–Jan)

9. Adaptive Secondaries SX and DX
Key to LBTO operation:
Heavily used by the whole partnership with LBTI beyond the HOSTS program
Needed for the LUCIs (near-IR imagers/multiobject spectrographs) in GLAO (ARGOS) and AO mode
Very important for the smooth operation of the observatory once in Q-mode
ARGOS on-off
LUCI2-AO – S ~ 75% at K

10. LBTI AO Imaging Capabilities
Good conditions, bright guide stars
990 Hz, DX = 400 modes, SX= 300 modes
Maire et al. (2015)
Maire et al 2015 present (Some of) the highest contrast L’ data obtained to date. Exceptional sensitivity at small separations is due to high Strehl ratio and PSF stability.
On bright stars in good conditions, we can work at 400 spatial modes on DX and 300 on SX. At elevations below 50-60dgr (depending on the seeing) DX is limited to 300 modes.
HR 8799 Exoplanet System
LEECH Program

11. LBTI AO Stability Strehl ratio PSF stability during observation set
≥85% at L′ (4 μm)
≥98% at 10 μm
PSF stability during observation set
For nulling, corrected PSF stability throughout a sequence matters as much as Strehl ratio
Each PSF is stable to 50–100 nm
Average long-term, low-order wavefront error
≤1E-4 null stability at 10 μm
Noncommon-path aberration
Improves SR
Currently being applied for LUCI2
Analysis in progress for LBTI
“Stability” = how much does the PSF change of the course of an observation set as noncommon-path aberrations change? Causes may include flexure with elevation, long-term thermal drift in components. As we improve the non-common path mitigation, this should improve.
Strehl ratio should also improve with NCPA, but absolute SR is less important for nulling than the relative stability of the PSFs *relative to each other.*

12. Adaptive Secondaries
SX & DX adaptive secondary mirrors are required for LBTI HOSTS Survey and all other programs
ASMs are used for both seeing-limited and AO-corrected observing
Monitoring and maintenance
The ASMs are designed to be functional when missing some voice coil actuator/magnet control
LBT monitors the ASM health to establish maintenance and refurbishment requirements and schedule accordingly
Current refurbishment
Recoating of the spare thin-shell (the optical component of the ASM)
Rebonding detached magnets onto the SX ASM thin shell and system testing

13. AO Systems Future Plans
ASM contacts
Program to upgrade the electrical contacts onto the thin shell to improve reliability and robustness of ASMs
LBT operation with technical feedback from JPL
Maintain a fully operational spare thin shell to be swapped in either SX or DX side when necessary
SOUL upgrade
All pyramid WFS (PWFS) systems will be upgraded with more sensitive detectors
Expect sensitivity gain of 1–2 mags
Both FLAO & LBTI systems will have the same hardware and software
After upgrade is complete, the LBTI PWFS will be handed over to LBT for operation and maintenance
Expected completion ~2017/2018—no impact on SVP

14. LBT Is Ready to HOSTS