PASSATA - Object oriented numerical simulation software for adaptive optics

TL;DR

PASSATA is a versatile, CUDA-accelerated simulation software for adaptive optics systems, capable of modeling various configurations and telescope sizes, aiding performance evaluation and system design.

Contribution

This paper introduces the latest version of PASSATA, an object-oriented, GPU-accelerated software that simulates multiple adaptive optics configurations for ground-based telescopes.

Findings

Supports multiple AO system types including single and multi conjugate

Simulates telescopes from 8m to 40m class with various sources

Offers high computational speed through CUDA implementation

Abstract

We present the last version of the PyrAmid Simulator Software for Adaptive opTics Arcetri (PASSATA), an IDL and CUDA based object oriented software developed in the Adaptive Optics group of the Arcetri observatory for Monte-Carlo end-to-end adaptive optics simulations. The original aim of this software was to evaluate the performance of a single conjugate adaptive optics system for ground based telescope with a pyramid wavefront sensor. After some years of development, the current version of PASSATA is able to simulate several adaptive optics systems: single conjugate, multi conjugate and ground layer, with Shack Hartmann and Pyramid wavefront sensors. It can simulate from 8m to 40m class telescopes, with diffraction limited and resolved sources at finite or infinite distance from the pupil. The main advantages of this software are the versatility given by the object oriented approach and the speed given by the CUDA implementation of the most computational demanding routines. We describe the software with its last developments and present some examples of application.