Research Division Seminar
The new laboratory for innovation in Opto-Mechanics at the IAC

Abstract

What would a 35m-scale narrow field-of-view telescope look like that is designed for high dynamic range direct imaging science? The EU has charged the IAC in a 5 year program to explore and develop the concepts and technologies that could make such a ground-based telescope possible. From tensegrity mechanics to astrophotonic wavefront sensing and control in Fizeau optics, the IAC and IACTEC "Laboratory for Innovation in Optomechanics (LIOM)" is just now starting these research activities. This talk will outline the motivation, concepts, and prototypes that LIOM and the IAC will advance over the next few years.