Phase retrieval for adaptive optics system calibration

Our objective in this report is to develop methods to determine the output pupil wavefront using intensity measurements directly from the science detector. This wavefront can then be used to determine a reference wavefront which will precorrect for the non-common-path aberrations and produce the desired wavefront at the science detector. We describe two phase retrieval algorithms that can be used and a set of simulation studies of AO system calibration. We present the initial experimental results of applying this technique in calibration of the Lick Observatory laser guidestar AO system in a later paper.