The misalignment induced aberrations of TMA telescopes.
The next major space-borne observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope, will be a 6.6M field-biased, obscured, three-mirror anastigmat (TMA). Over the used field of view, the performance of TMA telescopes is dominated by 3(rd) order misalignment aberrations. Here it is shown that two dominant 3(rd) order misalignment aberrations arise for any TMA telescope. One aberration, field constant 3(rd) order coma is a well known misalignment aberration commonly seen in two-mirror Ritchey Chretien telescopes. The second aberration, field-asymmetric, field-linear, 3(rd) order astigmatism is a new and unique image orientation dependence with field derived here for the first time using nodal aberration theory.
Thompson
Kevin P
KP
Optical Research Associates, 3280 E. Foothill Blvd, Suite 300, Pasadena, California 91107, USA. kevin@opticalres.com
Schmid
Tobias
T
Rolland
Jannick P
JP
D016477:Artifacts; D001256:Astronomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008027:Light; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D055096:Optical Devices; D012542:Scattering, Radiation