Designing an automated alignment system in fluctuating thermal environments for opto-mechanical components at MROI

The Beam Relay System at the Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer, exposed to outdoor environmental conditions, includes 6-inch mirrors mounted on aluminum frames and steel platforms, equipped with piezoelectric motors and a laser/camera alignment system. This subsystem faces challenges with misalignments that disrupt observations, addressed by a proposed correction strategy. The system uses temperature sensor data around mirrors to predict and correct misalignments as a feedforward control system through calibrated motors, and incorporates a periodic closed-loop control system using light source and camera. Advanced predictive models refined over time using temperature, shear, and tilt data, aim to maintain beam stability within interferometric tolerances, ensuring optimal performance.