Introduction to Interferometry

Full Course

Lecturer: Prof. Rudolf LePoole

As a student in Leiden Rudolf Le Poole participated in Lunar Research as a member of the 'Ranger Evaluation Team' (1965-'66) with Gerard P Kuiper (Tucson, Arizona), evaluating the Lunar surface bearing strength for the future astronaut visitors. Upon return to Leiden he finished university education and started participating in the commissioning of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. Astronomical interest in stellar dynamics etc. soon indicated the need for better astrometry, which shaped much of his career's effort: both a high-precision photographic plate measuring engine (Astroscan), but much more fundamental the participation in ESA's Hipparcos Science Team (1977-1997) shaped his technical expertise, also in interfaces with industry. He helped commission the Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos (La Palma, Canaries) (1984-'87), helped upgrade the 3.60m Telescope at La Silla, and he became External Scientist for the first (sub)-mm camera SCUBA on the James Clark Maxwell Telescope (1987-'96). Since 1997 he was the Project Scientist for NEVEC, the NOVA-ESO VLTI Expertise Centre. He taught a variety of courses, many of which were linked to observing facilities, later also at the Technical University of Delft (after (formal) retirement from Leiden). Since then (2007) he also serves 1 day/ week as advisor for TNO, a Dutch government-linked technical expertise company in Space and ground-based Astronomy.

Summary

In astronomical interferometry, it is possible to achieve high-resolution observations mixing signals from a cluster of comparatively small telescopes rather than a single very expensive monolithic telescope. These lecures will cover the elementary concepts of imaging in interferometry, both in radio the optical. Some of the topics covered will be how to extract the information from astronomical interferometry data and interpreting the results, as well as the different types of interfereometers currently available and the science that they make possible.

Outline

Session 1 - Fourier Transform Basics (1)

See also: Live Stream Video | Slides | References

Session 2 - Fourier Transform Basics (1)

See also: Live Stream Video | Slides | Exercises | References

Session 3 - Interferometry (1)

See also: Live Stream Video | Slides | References

Session 4 - Interferometry (2)

See also: Live Stream Video | Slides | Exercises | References

Session 5 - Interferometry (3)

See also: Live Stream Video | Slides | References

Session 6 - Interferometry (4)

See also: Live Stream Video | Slides | Exercises | References

Session 7 - Interferometry (5)

See also: Live Stream Video | Slides | References

Session 8 - Interferometry (6)

See also: Live Stream Video | Slides | Exercises | References

Session 9 - Epilogue