Staff profile

I am the founding director of the Durham University Space Research Centre (SPARC) a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and an Associate Professor (Research) in the Centre for Advanced Instrumentation (CfAI), Durham University, UK. 

In the CfAI, I lead the free-space optics group, studying how light travels through the Earth’s atmosphere. Initially this focussed on instrumentation for astronomy, building the scientific equipment that enables astronomers to use large ground-based telescopes to study planets orbiting distant stars, how galaxies form and evolve and even the nature of dark matter in the universe. More recently I have focussed on exchanging technology and techniques from astronomy into emerging sectors such as free-space optical communications (enabling global high-bandwidth and secure connectivity) and space surveillance and tracking (enabling the sustainable exploitation of space).

My personal research is concerned with forecasting, modelling, measuring and mitigating the Earth’s atmospheric turbulence for free-space optical applications such as astronomy, free-space optical communications and satellite surveillance and tracking.

Research Interests:

Atmospheric PhysicsThe Earth’s turbulent atmosphere has two detrimental effects on light propagation, i) the image appears to wobble and blurs, losing spatial information, and ii) the brightness varies, seen as twinkling and called scintillation, limiting the temporal photometric precision. My research is concerned with forecasting, modelling, measuring and mitigating this atmospheric turbulence.

Free-space Optical CommunicationsThe large bandwidth available from using visible light, as opposed to conventional radio communication, will enable 10-100 times higher data rates, helping us to meet demands for higher capacity data transmissions that societies around the world have become accustomed to, as well as to increase the volume of data retrieved from space science satellites used for Earth observation, inter-planetary and deep space missions.

Astronomical InstrumentationThe full potential of ground based optical telescopes can only be realised with the careful application of sophisticated instrumentation. I am particularly interested in Adaptive Optics technologies for wide-field and high-contrast imaging and high-precision time-resolved photometry.

Space Surveillance and TrackingThe detection, identification and tracking of objects in space (active satellites, debris, rocket bodies) is critical for the sustainable use of space for future generations. I develop innovative technology to accurately identify, track and characterise objects in space.

Space SustainabilityI am enthusiastic about multi-disciplinary research. Using novel instruments and techniques to enable the sustainable use of space, to grow the capacity and capabilities of space applications while protecting the space environment for present and future generations. This includes working with experts across law, international relations, and business operations to build a holistic model of the space environment.

Conference Paper

• Griffiths, R., Osborn, J., Farley, O., Butterley, T., Townson, M., & Wilson, R. (2023). The 24hSHIMM: a continuous day and night turbulence monitor for optical communications. In H. Hemmati, & B. S. Robinson (Eds.), Proceedings Volume 12413, Free-Space Laser Communications XXXV. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2648789
• Westerby-Griffin, L., Osborn, J., Farley, O. J. D., Griffiths, R., & Love, G. D. (2023). Atmospheric optical turbulence analysis in London’s financial district. In H. Hemmati, & B. S. Robinson (Eds.), Proceedings Volume 12413, Free-Space Laser Communications XXXV. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2648907
• Butterley, T., Sarazin, M., Le Louarn, M., Osborn, J., & Farley, O. J. (2020). Correction of finite spatial and temporal sampling effects in stereo-SCIDAR. . https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2562559
• Lombardi, G., Calia, B., Centrone, M., Talavera, M. R. G., Morris, T., Pfrommer, T., …Postigoh, A. D. U. (2017). Photometry and Spectrum measurements of the Laser Guide Star beam emission at Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos with the Gran Telescope Canarias. In Proceedings of the Adaptive Optics for Extremely Large Telescopes 5 (AO4ELT5) : Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, June 25-30, 2017 (1-7). https://doi.org/10.26698/ao4elt5.0045
• Bardou, L., Gendron, E., Rousset, G., Gratadour, D., Basden, A. G., Bonaccini, D., …Reyes Garcia-Talavera, M. (2017). Preliminary on-sky results of the CANARY experiment with an ELT-elongated sodium LGS. In Proceedings of the Adaptive Optics for Extremely Large Telescopes 5 (AO4ELT5) : Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, June 25-30, 2017. https://doi.org/10.26698/ao4elt5.0126
• Gendron, E., Morris, T., Basden, A., Vidal, F., Atkinson, D., Bitenc, U., …Younger, E. (2016). Final two-stage MOAO on-sky demonstration with CANARY. In E. Marchetti, L. M. Close, & J. Véran (Eds.), . https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2231432
• Townson, M., Kellerer, A., Osborn, J., Butterley, T., Morris, T., & Wilson, R. (2014). Daytime site characterisation of La Palma, and its relation to night-time conditions. In K. . R. Suzanne, I. S. McLean, & H. Takami (Eds.), Ground-based and airborne instrumentation for astronomy V. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2056451

Doctoral Thesis

• Osborn, J. (2010). Profiling the turbulent atmosphere and novel correction techniques for imaging and photometry in astronomy. (Thesis). Durham University. Retrieved from https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1618540

Journal Article

• Griffiths, R., Bardou, L., Butterley, T., Osborn, J., Wilson, R., Bustos, E., …Otarola, A. (2024). A comparison of next-generation turbulence profiling instruments at Paranal. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stae434
• Hartley, K. E., Farley, O. J. D., Townson, M. J., Osborn, J., & Wilson, R. W. (2023). Optical sparse telescope arrays and scintillation noise. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 526(1), 1235-1245. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad2835
• Quatresooz, F., Griffiths, R., Bardou, L., Wilson, R., Osborn, J., Vanhoenacker-Janvier, D., & Oestges, C. (2023). Continuous daytime and nighttime forecast of atmospheric optical turbulence from numerical weather prediction models. Optics Express, 31(21), 33850-33872. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.500090
• Osborn, J., & Alaluf, D. (2023). Line-of-sight optical Dome Turbulence Monitor. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 525(2), 1936-1940. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad2428
• Perera, S., Wilson, R. W., Butterley, T., Osborn, J., Farley, O. J., & Laidlaw, D. J. (2023). SHIMM: a versatile seeing monitor for astronomy. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 520(4), 5475-5486. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad339
• Hartley, K. E., Farley, O. J., Townson, M. J., Osborn, J., & Wilson, R. (2023). First On-Sky Demonstration of a Scintillation Correction technique using Tomographic Wavefront Sensing. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 520(3), 4134-4146. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad420
• Griffiths, R., Osborn, J., Farley, O., Butterley, T., Townson, M. J., & Wilson, R. (2023). Demonstrating 24-hour continuous vertical monitoring of atmospheric optical turbulence. Optics Express, 31(4), 6730-6740. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.479544
• O’Brien, S. M., Bayliss, D., Osborn, J., Bryant, E. M., McCormac, J., Wheatley, P. J., …West, R. G. (2022). Scintillation-limited photometry with the 20-cm NGTS telescopes at Paranal Observatory. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 509(4), 6111-6118. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab3399
• Farley, O., Townson, M., & Osborn, J. (2022). FAST: Fourier domain adaptive optics simulation tool for bidirectional ground-space optical links through atmospheric turbulence. Optics Express, 30(13), 23050-23064. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.458659
• Osborn, J., Blacketer, L., Townson, M. J., & Farley, O. J. (2022). Astrosat: forecasting satellite transits for optical astronomical observations. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 509(2), 1848-1852. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab3003
• Padovani, P., Cirasuolo, M., van der Burg, R., Cantalloube, F., George, E., Kasper, M., …Vigan, A. (2022). The ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope Working Groups. https://doi.org/10.18727/0722-6691/5286
• Dhillon, V., Bezawada, N., Black, M., Dixon, S., Gamble, T., Gao, X., …García-Alvarez, D. (2021). HiPERCAM: a quintuple-beam, high-speed optical imager on the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 507(1), 350-366. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab2130
• Nayak, A. S., Labadie, L., Sharma, T. K., Piacentini, S., Corrielli, G., Osellame, R., …Roth, M. M. (2021). First stellar photons for an integrated optics discrete beam combiner at the William Herschel Telescope. Applied Optics, 60(19), D129-D142. https://doi.org/10.1364/ao.423881
• Bardou, L., Gendron, E., Rousset, G., Gratadour, D., Basden, A., Bonaccini Calia, D., …Vidal, F. (2021). ELT-scale elongated LGS wavefront sensing: on-sky results. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 649, Article A158. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202038330
• Osborn, J., Townson, M., Farley, O., Reeves, A., & Mata Calvo, R. (2021). Adaptive Optics pre-compensated laser uplink to LEO and GEO. Optics Express, 29(4), 6113-6132. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.413013
• Sinquin, B., Prengere, L., Kulcsár, C., Raynaud, H., Gendron, E., Osborn, J., …Cohen, M. (2020). On-sky results for adaptive optics control with data-driven models on low-order modes. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 498(3), 3228-3240. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa2562
• Basu, S., Osborn, J., He, P., & DeMarco, A. (2020). Mesoscale modelling of optical turbulence in the atmosphere: the need for ultrahigh vertical grid resolution. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 497(2), 2302-2308. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa2010
• Cantalloube, F., Farley, O., Milli, J., Bharmal, N., Brandner, W., Correia, C., …Vigan, A. (2020). Wind-driven halo in high-contrast images. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 638, Article A98. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201937397
• Farley, O., Osborn, J., Morris, T., Fusco, T., Neichel, B., Correia, C., & Wilson, R. (2020). Limitations imposed by optical turbulence profile structure and evolution on tomographic reconstruction for the ELT. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 494(2), 2773-2784. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa795
• Butterley, T., Wilson, R., Sarazin, M., Dubbeldam, M., Osborn, J., & Clark, P. (2020). Characterization of the ground layer of turbulence at Paranal using a robotic SLODAR system. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 492(1), 934-949. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz3498
• Laidlaw, D. J., Osborn, J., Morris, T. J., Basden, A. G., Gendron, E., Rousset, G., …Wilson, R. W. (2020). Automated wind velocity profiling from adaptive optics telemetry. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 491(1), 1287-1294. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz3062
• Föhring, D., Wilson, R., Osborn, J., & Dhillon, V. (2019). Atmospheric scintillation noise in ground-based exoplanet photometry. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 489(4), 5098-5108. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz2444
• Suárez Gómez, S. L., González-Gutiérrez, C., Alonso, E. D., Santos, J. D., Rodríguez, M. L. S., Morris, T., …de Cos Juez, F. J. (2019). Experience with Artificial Neural Networks Applied in Multi-object Adaptive Optics. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 131(1004), Article 108012. https://doi.org/10.1088/1538-3873/ab1ebb
• Townson, M., Farley, O., Orban de Xivry, G., Osborn, J., & Reeves, A. (2019). AOtools - a Python package for adaptive optics modelling and analysis. Optics Express, 27(22), 31316-31329. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.27.031316
• Farley, O., Osborn, J., Morris, T., Fusco, T., Neichel, B., Correia, C., & Wilson, R. (2019). Identifying optical turbulence profiles for realistic tomographic error in adaptive optics. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 488(1), 213-221. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1669
• Basden, A., Jenkins, D., Morris, T., Osborn, J., & Townson, M. (2019). Efficient implementation of pseudo open loop control for adaptive optics on Extremely Large Telescopes. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 486(2), 1774-1780. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz918
• Farley, O., Osborn, J., Morris, T., Sarazin, M., Butterley, T., Townson, M., …Wilson, R. (2018). Representative optical turbulence profiles for ESO Paranal by hierarchical clustering. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 481(3), 4030-4037. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty2536
• Laidlaw, D. J., Osborn, J., Morris, T. J., Basden, A. G., Beltramo-Martin, O., Butterley, T., …Wilson, R. W. (2018). Optimizing the accuracy and efficiency of optical turbulence profiling using adaptive optics telemetry for extremely large telescopes. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 483(4), 4341-4353. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty3285
• Jia, P., Osborn, J., Kong, L., Laidlaw, D., Li, C., Farley, O., & Xue, G. (2018). Modelling synthetic atmospheric turbulence profiles with temporal variation using Gaussian mixture model. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 480(2), 2466-2474. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty1951
• Osborn, J., & Sarazin, M. (2018). Atmospheric turbulence forecasting with a general circulation model for Cerro Paranal. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 480(1), 1278-1299. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty1898
• Peng, J., Basden, A., & Osborn, J. (2018). Ground-layer adaptive-optics system modelling for the ChineseLarge Optical/Infrared Telescope. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 479(1), 829-843. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty1507
• Osborn, J., Wilson, R., Sarazin, M., Butterley, T., Chacon, A., Derie, F., …Townson, M. (2018). Optical turbulence profiling with Stereo-SCIDAR for VLT and ELT. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 478(1), 825-834. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty1070
• Basden, A., Bharmal, N., Jenkins, D., Morris, T., Osborn, J., Peng, J., & Staykov, L. (2018). The Durham Adaptive Optics Simulation Platform (DASP): Current status. SoftwareX, 7, 63-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.softx.2018.02.005
• González-Gutiérrez, C., Santos, J., Martínez-Zarzuela, M., Basden, A., Osborn, J., Díaz-Pernas, F., & De Cos Juez, F. (2017). Comparative Study of Neural Network Frameworks for the Next Generation of Adaptive Optics Systems. Sensors, 17(6), Article 1263. https://doi.org/10.3390/s17061263
• Basden, A., Bardou, L., Bonaccini-Calia, D., Buey, T., Centrone, M., Chemla, F., …Vidal, F. (2017). On-sky demonstration of matched filters for wavefront measurements using ELT-scale elongated laser guide stars. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 466(4), 5003-5010. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx062
• Guesalaga, A., Neichel, B., Correia, C., Butterley, T., Osborn, J., Masciadri, E., …Sauvage, J. (2017). Online estimation of the wavefront outer scale profile from adaptive optics telemetry. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 465(2), 1984-1994. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw2548
• Osborn, J., Butterley, T., Townson, M., Reeves, A., Morris, T., & Wilson, R. (2017). Turbulence velocity profiling for high sensitivity and vertical-resolution atmospheric characterization with Stereo-SCIDAR. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 464(4), 3998-4007. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw2685
• Derie, F., Wilson, R., Osborn, J., Dubbeldam, M., Sarazin, M., Ridding, R., …Lelouarn, M. (2016). Stereo-SCIDAR: Instrument and First Commissioning Results
• Basden, A., Atkinson, D., Bharmal, N., Bitenc, U., Brangier, M., Buey, T., …Younger, E. (2016). Experience with wavefront sensor and deformable mirror interfaces for wide-field adaptive optics systems. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 459(2), 1350-1359. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw730
• Reeves, A., Morris, T., Myers, R., Bharmal, N., & Osborn, J. (2016). A tomographic algorithm to determine tip-tilt information from laser guide stars. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 459(1), 333-341. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stw622
• Osborn, J., Föhring, D., Dhillon, V., & Wilson, R. (2015). Atmospheric scintillation in astronomical photometry. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 452(2), 1707-1716. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stv1400
• Osborn, J., Butterley, T., Föhring, D., & Wilson, R. (2015). Characterising atmospheric optical turbulence using stereo-SCIDAR. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 595(1), Article 012022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/595/1/012022
• Föhring, D., Wilson, R., Osborn, J., & Dhillon, V. (2015). Scintillation Noise in Exoplanet Transit Photometry. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 595(1), Article 012010. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/595/1/012010
• Butterley, T., Osborn, J., & Wilson, R. (2015). Error sources in SLODAR turbulence profile fitting. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 595(1), Article 012006. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/595/1/012006
• Osborn, J. (2015). Scintillation correction for astronomical photometry on large and extremely large telescopes with tomographic atmospheric reconstruction. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 446(2), 1305-1311. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stu2175
• Townson, M., Kellerer, A., Osborn, J., Butterley, T., Morris, T., & Wilson, R. (2015). Characterising daytime atmospheric conditions on La Palma. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 595, Article 012035. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/595/1/012035
• Osborn, J., Butterley, T., Perera, S., Fohring, D., & Wilson, R. (2015). Observations of the dynamic turbulence above La Palma using Stereo-SCIDAR. https://doi.org/10.20353/k3t4cp1131607
• Reeves, A., Myers, R., Morris, T., Osborn, J., & Bharmal, N. A. (2015). Retrieving tip-tilt information from Tomographic Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics Systems. https://doi.org/10.20353/k3t4cp1131633
• Osborn, J., Guzman, D., De Cos Juez, F., Basden, A., Morris, T., Gendron, E., …Rousset, G. (2014). Open loop tomography with artificial neural networks on CANARY: on-sky results. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 441(3), 2508-2514. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stu758
• Shepherd, H., Osborn, J., Wilson, R., Butterley, T., Avila, R., Dhillon, V., & Morris, T. (2014). Stereo-SCIDAR: optical turbulence profiling with high sensitivity using a modified SCIDAR instrument. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 437(4), 3568-3577. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stt2150
• Osborn, J. (2014). Scintillation correction for astronomical photometry on large and extremely large telescopes with tomographic atmospheric reconstruction. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 446(2), 1305-1311
• Osborn, J. (2012). Adaptive pupil masking for quasi-static speckle suppression. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 424(3), 2284-2291. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21392.x
• Osborn, J., De Cos Juez, F. J., Guzman, D., Butterley, T., Myers, R., Guesalaga, A., & Laine, J. (2012). Using artificial neural networks for open-loop tomography. Optics Express, 20(3), 2420-2434. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.20.002420
• De Cos Juez, F., Laine Cuervo, J., & Osborn, J. (2012). An ANN-based smart tomographic reconstructor in a dynamic environment. Sensors, 12(12), 8895-8911. https://doi.org/10.3390/s120708895
• Osborn, J., Wilson, R. W., Dhillon, V., Avila, R., & Love, G. D. (2011). Conjugate-plane photometry: reducing scintillation in ground-based photometry. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 411(2), 1223-1230. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17759.x
• Osborn, J., Wilson, R. W., Dhillon, V., Avila, R., & Love, G. D. (2011). Conjugate Plane Photometry: Reducing Scintillation for Ground-Based Fast Photometry. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 411(2), 1223-1230
• Osborn, J., Wilson, R., Butterley, T., Shepherd, H., & Sarazin, M. (2010). Profiling the surface layer of optical turbulence with SLODAR. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 406(2), 1405-1408. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16795.x
• De Cia, A., Malesani, D., Avila, R., Cox, G., Dhillon, V., Osborn, J., …Jakobsson, P. (2010). GRB 100925A/MAXI J1659-152 - NOT optical observations
• Osborn, J., Myers, R. M., & Love, G. D. (2009). PSF halo reduction in adaptive optics using dynamic pupil masking. Optics Express, 17(20), 17279-17292. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.17.017279

Presentation

• Westerby-Griffin, L., Osborn, J., Farley, O. J. D., Griffiths, R., & Love, G. D. (2023, January). Atmospheric optical turbulence measurements at varying elevation angles. Paper presented at Free-Space Laser Communications XXXV, San Francisco, United States
• Laidlaw, D. J., Osborn, J., Wilson, R. W., Morris, T. J., Butterley, T., Reeves, A. P., …Morel, C. (2016, July). Turbulence profiling for adaptive optics tomographic reconstructors