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Parabolic mirrors used in pair to produce much higher intensity light beam ready for transmission?

Physics Asked on June 2, 2021

If a parabolic mirror is used to concentrate sunlight approximately to a focus point why can’t an another smaller parabolic mirror be used to reparalelise the beams that are leaving the focal point and depending of the area cross-section finaly get all possible desired densities of the reparalelized beam? Although that high intensity i.e. density reparalelized beams can reach longer distances to transfer energy(?).

One Answer

Of course it can be done although it is rarely used with two parabolic mirrors instead the Gregorian (parabolic + elliptic) or the Cassegrain (parabolic + hyperbolic) systems are used. There are some other variations on the idea, see Schwarzschild or Ritchey-Chretien systems [1], etc. to increase the field of view. The parabolic+parabolic combination has the disadvantage that its off-axis aberration, coma, is worse than the other two resulting in a very narrow FOV. Also the common focus is located between the two mirrors that is a rather inconvenient place. Compare P+P with P+H or P+E the latter two can bring the focus $out$ behind the primary mirror a much more convenient location.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritchey%E2%80%93Chr%C3%A9tien_telescope

Correct answer by hyportnex on June 2, 2021

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