Kilometric arrays of 27 telescopes: studies and prototyping for elements of 0.2 m, 1.5 m, and 12- to 25-m size

Antoine Labeyrie

doi:10.1117/12.317164

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24 July 1998 Kilometric arrays of 27 telescopes: studies and prototyping for elements of 0.2 m, 1.5 m, and 12- to 25-m size

Antoine Labeyrie

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Proceedings Volume 3350, Astronomical Interferometry; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.317164
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 1998, Kona, HI, United States

Abstract

The 'densified pupil' imaging mode, now developed for large multi-telescope interferometers, will provide images and spectro-images of compact objects, directly at the recombined focus. It requires telescopes of identical sizes and allows trading field for luminosity. The principle is applicable to dilute arrays of small, medium or large telescopes, 0.2m to beyond 25m in size, using similar recombination systems and cophasing methods. Design solutions are discussed for each case, and particularly for the medium-scale Optical Very Large Array of 27 telescopes, spanning one kilometer, studied at Haute Provence. We build a prototype 1.5m OVLA element. Solutions for the beam recombiner are discussed, and will be assessed with a testbed interferometer involving 27 small mobile heliostats forming a 100 or 300m ring. Larger versions of the OVLA, employing unit telescopes of 10 to 25m, are also considered, in connection with the large telescope study initiated by the Lund group. In space, arrays of free-flying telescopes can in principle resolve continental detail of exo-planets. Equipped with additional out-rigger mirrors providing baselines of 10,000 to 100,000 kilometers, such space arrays can in principle provide images of pulsars and naked neutron stars.

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Antoine Labeyrie "Kilometric arrays of 27 telescopes: studies and prototyping for elements of 0.2 m, 1.5 m, and 12- to 25-m size", Proc. SPIE 3350, Astronomical Interferometry, (24 July 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.317164

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