Optical aperture synthesis with electronically connected telescopes.

Dainis Dravins,Paul D Nuñez,Tiphaine Lagadec

doi:10.1038/ncomms7852

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.

Highlights

Highest resolution imaging in astronomy is achieved by interferometry, connecting telescopes over increasingly longer distances and at successively shorter wavelengths
The highest angular resolution is presently offered by phase/amplitude interferometers combining light from telescopes separated by baselines up to a few hundred metres
While atmospheric issues could be avoided by telescope arrays in space, such are impeded by their complexity and their cost

Summary

Optical aperture synthesis with electronically connected telescopes

Highest resolution imaging in astronomy is achieved by interferometry, connecting telescopes over increasingly longer distances and at successively shorter wavelengths. 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. Concepts have been proposed to extend such facilities to scales of a kilometre or more, as required for surface imaging of bright stars with typical sizes of a few milliarcseconds. Their realization remains challenging, both due to required optical and atmospheric stabilities within a fraction of an optical wavelength, and the need to span many interferometric baselines (given that optical light cannot be copied with retained phase, but must be divided and diluted by beamsplitters to achieve interference among multiple telescope pairs). We present a laboratory demonstration of a multi-telescope array to verify the end-to-end sequence of operation from observing star-like sources to reconstruction of their images

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