Vision: A Six-telescope Fiber-fed Visible Light Beam Combiner for the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer

reportActive / Technical Report | Accession Number: ADA633100 | Open PDF

Abstract:

Visible-light long baseline interferometry holds the promise of advancing a number of important applications in fundamental astronomy, including the direct measurement of the angular diameters and oblateness of stars, and the direct measurement of the orbits of binary and multiple star systems. To advance the field of visible-light interferometry requires development of instruments capable of combing light from 15 baselines 6 telescopes simultaneously. The Visible Imaging System for Interferometric Observations at NPOI VISION is a new visible light beam combiner for the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer NPOI that uses single-mode fibers to coherently combine light from up to six telescopes simultaneously with a image plane combination scheme. It features a photometric camera for calibrations and spatial filtering from single mode fibers with two Andor Ixon electron multiplying CCDs. This paper presents the VISION system, results of laboratory tests and results of commissioning on-sky observations.

Author(s):
Garcia, Eugenio V. ; Muterspaugh, Matthew W. ; Van Belle, Gerard ; Monnier, John D. ; Stassun, Keivan G. ; Ghasempour, Askari ; Clark, James H. ; Zavala, R. T. ; Benson, James A. ; Hutter, Donald J. ; Schmitt, Henrique R. ; Baines, Ellyn K. ; Jorgensen, Anders M. ; Strosahl, Susan G. ; Sanborn, Jason ; Zawicki, Stephen J. ; Sakosky, Michael F. ; Swihart, Samuel
Author Organization(s):
LOWELL OBSERVATORY FLAGSTAFF AZ
Descriptive Note:
Journal article
Supplementary Note:
Published in Publications of the Satronomical Society of the Pacific, 128:055004 (21p), May 2016. The work done with the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer (NPOI) was performed through a collaboration between the Naval Research Laboratory and the US Naval Observatory, in association with the Lowell Observatory, and was funded by the Office of Naval Research and the Oceanographer of the Navy. The original document contains color images.
Pagination:
0022

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement:
Approved For Public Release; Distribution Is Unlimited.

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Monitor Series:
ONR
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_6_Net Centric; JCA_8_Building Partnerships
Communities of Interest:
Air Platforms
Descriptor(s):
*OPTICAL INTERFEROMETERS, *TELESCOPES, CHARGE COUPLED DEVICES, RESOLUTION, SENSOR FUSION, VISIBLE SPECTRA
Field(s)/Group(s):
Test Facilities, Equipment and Methods, Optics
Keyword(s):
HIGH ANGULAR RESOLUTION, NPOI( NAVY PRECISION OPTICAL INTERFEROMETER)
Report Date:
2016 May 01
Creation Date:
2016 Jun 27