130 research outputs found
The unlikely rise of masking interferometry: leading the way with 19th century technology
The exquisite precision delivered by interferometric techniques is rapidly
being applied to more and more branches of optical astronomy. One particularly
successful strategy to obtain structures at the scale of the diffraction limit
is Aperture Masking Interferometry, which is presently experience a golden age
with implementations at a host of large telescopes around the world. This
startlingly durable technique, which turns 144 years old this year, presently
sets the standard for the recovery of faint companions within a few resolution
elements from the core of a stellar point spread function. This invited review
will give a historical introduction and overview of the modern status of the
technique, the science being delivered, and prospects for new advances and
applications.Comment: This is an invited review for SPIE Amsterdam in 2012. It presents a
brief history of masking interferometry, and some thoughts on future
progress. 11 pages, 4 figs, lots of ref
Simulating a dual beam combiner at SUSI for narrow-angle astrometry
The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) has two beam combiners,
i.e. the Precision Astronomical Visible Observations (PAVO) and the
Microarcsecond University of Sydney Companion Astrometry (MUSCA). The primary
beam combiner, PAVO, can be operated independently and is typically used to
measure properties of binary stars of less than 50 milliarc- sec (mas)
separation and the angular diameters of single stars. On the other hand, MUSCA
was recently installed and must be used in tandem with the for- mer. It is
dedicated for microarcsecond precision narrow-angle astrometry of close binary
stars. The performance evaluation and development of the data reduction
pipeline for the new setup was assisted by an in-house computer simulation tool
developed for this and related purposes. This paper describes the framework of
the simulation tool, simulations carried out to evaluate the performance of
each beam combiner and the expected astrometric precision of the dual beam
combiner setup, both at SUSI and possible future sites.Comment: 28 pages, 23 figures, accepted for publication in Experimental
Astronomy. The final publication is available at http://link.springer.co
Direct Detection of the Brown Dwarf GJ 802B with Adaptive Optics Masking Interferometry
We have used the Palomar 200" Adaptive Optics (AO) system to directly detect
the astrometric brown dwarf GJ 802B reported by Pravdo et al. 2005. This
observation is achieved with a novel combination of aperture masking
interferometry and AO. The dynamical masses are 0.1750.021 M and
0.0640.032 M for the primary and secondary respectively. The
inferred absolute H band magnitude of GJ 802B is M=12.8 resulting in a
model-dependent T of 1850 50K and mass range of
0.057--0.074 M.Comment: 4 Pages, 5 figures, emulateapj format, submitted to ApJ
High Angular Resolution Stellar Imaging with Occultations from the Cassini Spacecraft II: Kronocyclic Tomography
We present an advance in the use of Cassini observations of stellar
occultations by the rings of Saturn for stellar studies. Stewart et al. (2013)
demonstrated the potential use of such observations for measuring stellar
angular diameters. Here, we use these same observations, and tomographic
imaging reconstruction techniques, to produce two dimensional images of complex
stellar systems. We detail the determination of the basic observational
reference frame. A technique for recovering model-independent brightness
profiles for data from each occulting edge is discussed, along with the
tomographic combination of these profiles to build an image of the source star.
Finally we demonstrate the technique with recovered images of the {\alpha}
Centauri binary system and the circumstellar environment of the evolved
late-type giant star, Mira.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, Accepted by MNRA
A low cost scheme for high precision dual-wavelength laser metrology
A novel method capable of delivering relative optical path length metrology
with nanometer precision is demonstrated. Unlike conventional dual-wavelength
metrology which employs heterodyne detection, the method developed in this work
utilizes direct detection of interference fringes of two He-Ne lasers as well
as a less precise stepper motor open-loop position control system to perform
its measurement. Although the method may be applicable to a variety of
circumstances, the specific application where this metrology is essential is in
an astrometric optical long baseline stellar interferometer dedicated to
precise measurement of stellar positions. In our example application of this
metrology to a narrow-angle astrometric interferometer, measurement of
nanometer precision could be achieved without frequency-stabilized lasers
although the use of such lasers would extend the range of optical path length
the metrology can accurately measure. Implementation of the method requires
very little additional optics or electronics, thus minimizing cost and effort
of implementation. Furthermore, the optical path traversed by the metrology
lasers is identical with that of the starlight or science beams, even down to
using the same photodetectors, thereby minimizing the non-common-path between
metrology and science channels.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Applied Optic
Low-cost scheme for high-precision dual-wavelength laser metrology
A method capable of delivering relative optical path length metrology with nanometer precision is demonstrated. Unlike conventional dual-wavelength metrology, which employs heterodyne detection, the method developed in this work utilizes direct detection of interference fringes of two He-Ne lasers as well as a less precise stepper motor open-loop position control system to perform its measurement. Although the method may be applicable to a variety of circumstances, the specific application in which this metrology is essential is in an astrometric optical long baseline stellar interferometer dedicated to precise measurement of stellar positions. In our example application of this metrology to a narrow-angle astrometric interferometer, measurement of nanometer precision could be achieved without frequency-stabilized lasers, although the use of such lasers would extend the range of optical path length the metrology can accurately measure. Implementation of the method requires very little additional optics or electronics, thus minimizing the cost and effort of implementation. Furthermore, the optical path traversed by the metrology lasers is identical to that of the starlight or science beams, even down to using the same photodetectors, thereby minimizing the noncommon path between metrology and science channels.This research was supported under the Australian
Research Council’s Discovery Project funding
scheme. Y. K. was supported by the University of
Sydney International Scholarship (USydIS)
Precision Masses of the low-mass binary system GJ 623
We have used Aperture Masking Interferometry and Adaptive Optics (AO) at the
Palomar 200'' to obtain precise mass measurements of the binary M dwarf GJ 623.
AO observations spread over 3 years combined with a decade of radial velocity
measurements constrain all orbital parameters of the GJ 623 binary system
accurately enough to critically challenge the models. The dynamical masses
measured are m_{1}=0.371\pm0.015 M_{\sun} (4%) and m_{2}=0.115\pm0.0023
M_{\sun} (2%) for the primary and the secondary respectively. Models are not
consistent with color and mass, requiring very low metallicities.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for Ap
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