6 Conclusion

In this paper, the figure residual error and the tilt residual error for adaptive optics systems are analyzed. The optimum imaging observation wavelengths giving the maximum resolution of a partial correction adaptive optics system are expressed as the function of the wavefront residual errors for short-exposure and long exposure imaging respectively. As an example, the optimum observing wavelength and the corresponding imaging resolution for the 61-element adaptive optical system at the 1.2 m telescope of the Yunnan Observatory are presented. The results show the optimum imaging observation wavelength of AOS depends directly on the wavefront residual error of AOS. The larger the wavefront residual error, the longer the optimum imaging observation wavelength.

Furthermore, it is necessary to note that the discrete nature of atmospheric transmission bands, the noise characteristics of the detector and its quatumn efficiency etc. must be considered for the selection of the practical imaging observation wavelength of astronomical telescopes with adaptive optics.

This work may be useful not only in designing adaptive optics system for astronomical telescopes but also in planning the experiments for astronomical telescopes with AOS.

Acknowledgements

This work is funded by the Hi-tech Project of China and National Natural Science Foudation of China (No. 19789301). The authors acknowledge the reviewers for valuable suggestions.