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Optical aperture synthesis with electronically connected telescopes.

Dravins, Dainis LU orcid ; Lagadec, Tiphaine and Nuñez, Paul D (2015) In Nature Communications 6.
Abstract
Highest resolution imaging in astronomy is achieved by interferometry, connecting telescopes over increasingly longer distances and at successively shorter wavelengths. Here, we present the first diffraction-limited images in visual light, produced by an array of independent optical telescopes, connected electronically only, with no optical links between them. With an array of small telescopes, second-order optical coherence of the sources is measured through intensity interferometry over 180 baselines between pairs of telescopes, and two-dimensional images reconstructed. The technique aims at diffraction-limited optical aperture synthesis over kilometre-long baselines to reach resolutions showing details on stellar surfaces and perhaps... (More)
Highest resolution imaging in astronomy is achieved by interferometry, connecting telescopes over increasingly longer distances and at successively shorter wavelengths. Here, we present the first diffraction-limited images in visual light, produced by an array of independent optical telescopes, connected electronically only, with no optical links between them. With an array of small telescopes, second-order optical coherence of the sources is measured through intensity interferometry over 180 baselines between pairs of telescopes, and two-dimensional images reconstructed. The technique aims at diffraction-limited optical aperture synthesis over kilometre-long baselines to reach resolutions showing details on stellar surfaces and perhaps even the silhouettes of transiting exoplanets. Intensity interferometry circumvents problems of atmospheric turbulence that constrain ordinary interferometry. Since the electronic signal can be copied, many baselines can be built up between dispersed telescopes, and over long distances. Using arrays of air Cherenkov telescopes, this should enable the optical equivalent of interferometric arrays currently operating at radio wavelengths. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Nature Communications
volume
6
article number
6852
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:25880705
  • wos:000353703400019
  • scopus:84928027331
  • pmid:25880705
ISSN
2041-1723
DOI
10.1038/ncomms7852
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3f52c867-bd8a-46fe-b4cb-fbcf27b45d87 (old id 5341674)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:40:29
date last changed
2022-12-11 19:29:06
@article{3f52c867-bd8a-46fe-b4cb-fbcf27b45d87,
  abstract     = {{Highest resolution imaging in astronomy is achieved by interferometry, connecting telescopes over increasingly longer distances and at successively shorter wavelengths. Here, we present the first diffraction-limited images in visual light, produced by an array of independent optical telescopes, connected electronically only, with no optical links between them. With an array of small telescopes, second-order optical coherence of the sources is measured through intensity interferometry over 180 baselines between pairs of telescopes, and two-dimensional images reconstructed. The technique aims at diffraction-limited optical aperture synthesis over kilometre-long baselines to reach resolutions showing details on stellar surfaces and perhaps even the silhouettes of transiting exoplanets. Intensity interferometry circumvents problems of atmospheric turbulence that constrain ordinary interferometry. Since the electronic signal can be copied, many baselines can be built up between dispersed telescopes, and over long distances. Using arrays of air Cherenkov telescopes, this should enable the optical equivalent of interferometric arrays currently operating at radio wavelengths.}},
  author       = {{Dravins, Dainis and Lagadec, Tiphaine and Nuñez, Paul D}},
  issn         = {{2041-1723}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Nature Communications}},
  title        = {{Optical aperture synthesis with electronically connected telescopes.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7852}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/ncomms7852}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}