Emerging trends of optical interferometry in astronomy

Abstract

The current status of the high spatial resolution imaging interferometry in optical astronomy is reviewed in the light of theoretical explanation, as well as of experimental constraints that exist in the present day technology. The basic mathematical interlude pertinent to the interferometric technique and its applications in astronomical observations are presented in detail. An elaborate account of the random refractive index fluctuations of the atmosphere producing random aberrations in the telescope pupil, elucidating the trade offs between long-exposure and short-exposure imaging is given. Further, the other methods viz., (i) speckle spectroscopy, (ii) speckle polarimetry, (iii) phase closure, (iv) aperture synthesis, (v) pupil plane interferometry, (vi) differential speckle interferometry etc., using single moderate or large telescopes are described as well. The salient features of various detectors that are used for recording short-exposure images are summarized. The mathematical intricacies of the data processing techniques for both Fourier modulus and Fourier phase are analyzed; the various schemes of image restoration techniques are examined as well with emphasis set on their comparisons. The recent technological innovation to compensate the deleterious effects of the atmosphere on the telescope image in real-time is enumerated. The experimental descriptions of several working long baseline interferometers in the visible band are summarized. The astrophysical results obtained till date are highlighted.