July 2, 2003
Here I review the current state of the field of optical stellar interferometry, concentrating on ground-based work although a brief report of space interferometry missions is included. We pause both to reflect on decades of immense progress in the field as well as to prepare for a new generation of large interferometers just now being commissioned (most notably, the CHARA, Keck and VLT Interferometers). First, this review summarizes the basic principles behind stellar interferometry needed by the lay-physicist and general astronomer to understand the scientific potential as well as technical challenges of interferometry. Next, the basic design principles of practical interferometers are discussed, using the experience of past and existing facilities to illustrate important points. Here there is significant discussion of current trends in the field, including the new facilities under construction and advanced technologies being debuted. This decade has seen the influence of stellar interferometry extend beyond classical regimes of stellar diameters and binary orbits to new areas such as mapping the accretion disks around young stars, novel calibration of the Cepheid Period-Luminosity relation, and imaging of stellar surfaces. The third section is devoted to the major scientific results from interferometry, grouped into natural categories reflecting these current developments. Lastly, I consider the future of interferometry, highlighting the kinds of new science promised by the interferometers coming on-line in the next few years. I also discuss the longer-term future of optical interferometry, including the prospects for space interferometry and the possibilities of large-scale ground-based projects. Critical technological developments are still needed to make these projects attractive and affordable.
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September 14, 2006
Interferometry has brought many new constraints in optical astronomy in the recent years. A major leap in this field is the opening of large interferometric facilities like the Very Large Telescope Interferometer and the Keck Interferometer to the astronomical community. Planning for the future is both easy --most specialists know in which directions to develop interferometry-- and difficult because of the increasing complexity of the technique. I present a short status of in...
December 6, 2010
High-resolution observations by visible and near-infrared interferometers of both single stars and binaries have made significant contributions to the foundations that underpin many aspects of our knowledge of stellar structure and evolution for cool stars. The CS16 splinter on this topic reviewed contributions of optical interferometry to date, examined highlights of current research, and identified areas for contributions with new observational constraints in the near futur...
July 10, 2009
What is long-baseline optical/IR stellar interferometry? A few years ago, many astronomers might not have been able to answer that question properly. This is today hopefully not the case anymore, because mainstream facilities, such as the VLTI, the Keck-I or the CHARA array, offer now this delicate technique to an astronomer who wants to observe his favourite object at the highest angular resolution available. The large teaching effort on what is interferometry and for what p...
April 15, 2008
I try to present a small view of the properties and issues related to astronomical interferometry observations. I recall a bit of history of the technique, give some basic assessments to the principle of interferometry, and finally, describe physical processes and limitations that affect optical long baseline interferometry and which are, in general, very useful for everyday work. Therefore, this text is not intended to perform strong demonstrations and show accurate results,...
February 6, 2002
The present `state of the art' and the path to future progress in high spatial resolution imaging interferometry is reviewed. The review begins with a treatment of the fundamentals of stellar optical interferometry, the origin, properties, optical effects of turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere, the passive methods that are applied on a single telescope to overcome atmospheric image degradation such as speckle interferometry, and various other techniques. These topics include...
March 1, 2023
After decades of experimental projects and fast-paced technical advances, optical / infrared (O/IR) interferometry has seen a revolution in the last years. The GRAVITY instrument at the VLTI with four 8 meter telescopes reaches thousand times fainter objects than possible with earlier interferometers, and the CHARA array routinely offers up to 330 meter baselines and aperture-synthesis with six 1 meter telescopes. The observed objects are fainter than 19 magnitude, the images...
November 29, 2000
Interferometric techniques are at the forefront of modern astronomical instrumentation. A new generation of instruments are either operating or nearing completion, including arrays of small telescopes as well as the ``big guns'' (VLTI and Keck). A number of space interferometers for the detection of extra-solar planets are also being planned. I review the current state of play and describe the latest developments in the field.
May 8, 2009
A short review of recent results in long-baseline optical interferometry pertaining to fundamental stellar parameters and the future possibilities this area over the next decade. Included are discussions of accurate stellar masses, links between asteroseismology and interferometry, precise radii and effective temperatures, limb darkening and convection, stellar rotation, and high angular resolution imaging.
December 7, 2018
Astrometry is a powerful technique in astrophysics to measure three-dimensional positions of stars and other astrophysical objects, including exoplanets and the gravitational influence they have on each other. Interferometric astrometry is presented here as just one in a suite of powerful astrometric techniques, which include space-based, seeing-limited and wide-angle adaptive optics techniques. Fundamental limits are discussed, demonstrating that even ground-based techniques...
July 15, 2011
For many decades the determination of accurate fundamental parameters for stars (masses, radii, temperatures, luminosities, etc.) has mostly been the domain of eclipsing binary systems. That has begun to change as long-baseline interferometric techniques have improved significantly, and powerful new instruments have come online. This paper will review the status of the field, and in particular how the knowledge of precise stellar properties helps us understand stars. Main-seq...