The interferometric data processing methods that we describe in this paper
use a number of innovative techniques. In particular, the implementation of the
wavelet transform allows us to obtain a good immunity of the fringe processing
to false detections and large amplitude perturbations by the atmospheric piston
effect, through a careful, automated selection of the interferograms. To
demonstrate the data reduction procedure, we describe the processing and
calibration of a sample of stellar data from the VINCI beam combiner. Starting
from the raw data, we derive the angular diameter of the dwarf star Alpha Cen
A. Although these methods have been developed specifically for VINCI, they are
easily applicable to other single-mode beam combiners, and to spectrally
dispersed fringes.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 17 pages, 19
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