Prof. Michelle J. Creech-Eakman Profile

Prof. Michelle J. Creech-Eakman

Project Scientist at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

SPIE Involvement:

Conference Chair | Conference Program Committee | Editor | Author

Publications (39)

SPIE Conference Volume | November 16, 2016

Optical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging V

PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | August 4, 2016

A new path to first light for the Magdalena Ridge Observatory interferometer

Proc. SPIE. 9907, Optical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging V

KEYWORDS: Telescopes, Telescopes, Interferometers, Sensors, Interfaces, Interferometry, Space telescopes, Space telescopes, Relays, Infrared radiation, Situational awareness sensors, Magdalena Ridge Observatory

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The Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer (MROI) was the most ambitious infrared interferometric facility conceived of in 2003 when funding began. Today, despite having suffered some financial short-falls, it is still one of the most ambitious interferometric imaging facilities ever designed. With an innovative approach to attaining the original goal of fringe tracking to H = 14^th magnitude via completely redesigned mobile telescopes, and a unique approach to the beam train and delay lines, the MROI will be able to image faint and complex objects with milliarcsecond resolutions for a fraction of the cost of giant telescopes or space-based facilities. The design goals of MROI have been optimized for studying stellar astrophysical processes such as mass loss and mass transfer, the formation and evolution of YSOs and their disks, and the environs of nearby AGN.

The global needs for Space Situational Awareness (SSA) have moved to the forefront in many communities as Space becomes a more integral part of a national security portfolio. These needs drive imaging capabilities ultimately to a few tens of centimeter resolution at geosynchronous orbits. Any array capable of producing images on faint and complex geosynchronous objects in just a few hours will be outstanding not only as an astrophysical tool, but also for these types of SSA missions. With the recent infusion of new funding from the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) in Albuquerque, NM, MROI will be able to attain first light, first fringes, and demonstrate bootstrapping with three telescopes by 2020.

MROI’s current status along with a sketch of our activities over the coming 5 years will be presented, as well as clear opportunities to collaborate on various aspects of the facility as it comes online. Further funding is actively being sought to accelerate the capability of the array for interferometric imaging on a short time-scale so as to achieve the original goals of this ambitious facility

PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | August 4, 2016

Architecture design study and technology road map for the Planet Formation Imager (PFI)

Proc. SPIE. 9907, Optical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging V

KEYWORDS: Signal to noise ratio, Mid-IR, Telescopes, Stars, Imaging systems, Image restoration, L band, Heterodyning, Planets, Visibility

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The Planet Formation Imager (PFI) Project has formed a Technical Working Group (TWG) to explore possible facility architectures to meet the primary PFI science goal of imaging planet formation in situ in nearby starforming regions. The goals of being sensitive to dust emission on solar system scales and resolving the Hill-sphere around forming giant planets can best be accomplished through sub-milliarcsecond imaging in the thermal infrared. Exploiting the 8-13 micron atmospheric window, a ground-based long-baseline interferometer with approximately 20 apertures including 10km baselines will have the necessary resolution to image structure down 0.1 milliarcseconds (0.014 AU) for T Tauri disks in Taurus. Even with large telescopes, this array will not have the sensitivity to directly track fringes in the mid-infrared for our prime targets and a fringe tracking system will be necessary in the near-infrared. While a heterodyne architecture using modern mid-IR laser comb technology remains a competitive option (especially for the intriguing 24 and 40μm atmospheric windows), the prioritization of 3-5μm observations of CO/H2O vibrotational levels by the PFI-Science Working Group (SWG) pushes the TWG to require vacuum pipe beam transport with potentially cooled optics. We present here a preliminary study of simulated L- and N-band PFI observations of a realistic 4-planet disk simulation, finding 21x2.5m PFI can easily detect the accreting protoplanets in both L and N-band but can see non-accreting planets only in L band. We also find that even an ambitious PFI will lack sufficient surface brightness sensitivity to image details of the fainter emission from dust structures beyond 5 AU, unless directly illuminated or heated by local energy sources. That said, the utility of PFI at N-band is highly dependent on the stage of planet formation in the disk and we require additional systematic studies in conjunction with the PFI-SWG to better understand the science capabilities of PFI, including the potential to resolve protoplanetary disks in emission lines to measure planet masses using position-velocity diagrams. We advocate for a specific technology road map in order to reduce the current cost driver (telescopes) and to validate high accuracy fringe tracking and high dynamic range imaging at L, M band. In conclusion, no technology show-stoppers have been identified for PFI to date, however there is high potential for breakthroughs in medium-aperture (4-m class) telescopes architecture that could reduce the cost of PFI by a factor of 2 or more.

PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | August 4, 2016

High fidelity imaging of geosynchronous satellites with the MROI

Proc. SPIE. 9907, Optical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging V

KEYWORDS: Telescopes, Spatial frequencies, Interferometers, Satellites, Satellites, Interferometry, Satellite imaging, Space telescopes, Spatial resolution, Earth observing sensors, Earth observing sensors, Visibility

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SPIE Conference Volume | August 20, 2014

Optical and Infrared Interferometry IV

PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | July 24, 2014

Magdalena Ridge Observatory interferometer: 2014 status update

Proc. SPIE. 9146, Optical and Infrared Interferometry IV

KEYWORDS: Observatories, Telescopes, Mirrors, Interferometers, Space telescopes, Relays, Optical alignment, Optical instrument design, Prototyping, Magdalena Ridge Observatory

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PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | July 24, 2014

The MROI fringe tracker: laboratory tracking with ICONN

Proc. SPIE. 9146, Optical and Infrared Interferometry IV

KEYWORDS: Mirrors, Spectrographs, Detection and tracking algorithms, Polarization, Interferometers, Sensors, Wavefronts, Optical alignment, Visibility, Magdalena Ridge Observatory

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PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | September 24, 2012

NESSI: an optimized Near-Infrared (NIR) Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) for exoplanet studies

Proc. SPIE. 8446, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV

KEYWORDS: Near infrared, Telescopes, Spectrographs, Stars, Sensors, Spectroscopy, Exoplanets, Astronomical imaging, Spectroscopes, Magdalena Ridge Observatory

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PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | September 24, 2012

Mechanical design of NESSI: New Mexico Tech extrasolar spectroscopic survey instrument

Proc. SPIE. 8446, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV

KEYWORDS: Optomechanical design, Telescopes, Mirrors, Spectrographs, Interfaces, Optical fabrication, Space telescopes, Aluminum, Optical alignment, Mechanical engineering

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PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | September 12, 2012

The MROI's capabilities for imaging geosynchronous satellites

Proc. SPIE. 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III

KEYWORDS: Signal to noise ratio, Telescopes, Interferometers, Satellites, Solar cells, Image restoration, Interferometry, Satellite imaging, Space telescopes, K band

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PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | September 12, 2012

The Magdalena Ridge Observatory interferometer: a status update

Proc. SPIE. 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III

KEYWORDS: Observatories, Telescopes, Mirrors, Interferometers, Computing systems, Space telescopes, Relays, Optical alignment, Prototyping, Magdalena Ridge Observatory

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PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | September 12, 2012

The MROI fringe tracker: closing the loop on ICoNN

Proc. SPIE. 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III

KEYWORDS: Spectrographs, Light sources, Detection and tracking algorithms, Modulation, Interferometers, Cameras, Sensors, Calibration, Control systems, Modulators

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PROCEEDINGS ARTICLE | September 12, 2012

Final mechanical and opto-mechanical design of the Magdalena Ridge Observatory Interferometer

Proc. SPIE. 8445, Optical and Infrared Interferometry III

KEYWORDS: Telescopes, Mirrors, Spectrographs, Prisms, Metrology, Sensors, Aluminum, Laser metrology, Prototyping, Magdalena Ridge Observatory

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