Numerical simulations of the LBT adaptive secondary mirror

In this paper we describe the design of the deformable mirror of the Large Binocular Telescope adaptive secondary unit. Starting from the optical design, a numerical model of the ultra-thin, aspherical glass shell, accommodating the 918 magnets on the selected actuator geometry, has been run. As a result, we can evaluate the response of this crucial component of the telescope optics with great accuracy. The DM is analyzed from the mechanical standpoint -- gravity deformations, wavefront residue, residue of low-order Zernike aberrations, corrections of magnetic interactions -- in order to compute the optical performances in the most demanding operational circumstances.