Combining spatially filtered Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing and coronography in closed loop AO simulations

We made complete end-to-end adaptive optics (AO) simulations to model the closed loop performance with and without pupil apodization, a spatially filtered wavefront sensor (SF-WFS) and a coronagraph. We investigated the SF performance (the Strehl ratio and the stellar intensity reduction in the halo) with several configurations in different seeing conditions. We also ran several extensive coronagraph simulations modeling a 32m telescope to obtain an investigate the exoplanet detection possibilities. The results show that a four-quadrant phase mask coronagraph can damp the intensity about 105 times from the original intensity at seeing conditions having r0=20 cm at 0.5μm. When the SF is used, an additional intensity reduction of about 50-70% can be obtained.