Stellar intensity interferometry: Experimental steps toward long-baseline observations

TL;DR

This paper discusses experimental preparations for long-baseline stellar intensity interferometry using arrays of air Cherenkov telescopes, including field tests and laboratory simulations to improve observational techniques.

Contribution

It reports on the development of experimental setups and initial tests for stellar intensity interferometry with long baselines and advanced correlators.

Findings

Successful setup of a testbed observatory with 3-m telescopes on a 23-m baseline.

Laboratory experiments achieving 1.4 ns time resolution for signal analysis.

Progress in correlator technology for stellar observations.

Abstract

Experiments are in progress to prepare for intensity interferometry with arrays of air Cherenkov telescopes. At the Bonneville Seabase site, near Salt Lake City, a testbed observatory has been set up with two 3-m air Cherenkov telescopes on a 23-m baseline. Cameras are being constructed, with control electronics for either off- or online analysis of the data. At the Lund Observatory (Sweden), in Technion (Israel) and at the University of Utah (USA), laboratory intensity interferometers simulating stellar observations have been set up and experiments are in progress, using various analog and digital correlators, reaching 1.4 ns time resolution, to analyze signals from pairs of laboratory telescopes.