Practical Optical Interferometry
Imaging at Visible and Infrared Wavelengths

A practically focused guide to optical interferometry, bringing together core concepts needed to plan observations, analyse data and reconstruct images.

David F. Buscher (Author), Malcolm Longair (Foreword by)

9781107042179, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 July 2015

286 pages, 155 b/w illus. 2 tables
23.5 x 16 x 1.7 cm, 0.57 kg

'In this slim and very readable book David F. Buscher does a fantastic job of providing a textbook, that covers the theory of using interferometry at optical and near infrared wavelengths that also provides a wealth of practical advice on all aspects of optical interferometry. It is pitched at a level valuable to undergraduate students learning about the subject, but also a useful addition for practising engineers, designers and scientists … It is lovely to see an introduction to the topic that assumes nothing in the way of background other than basic intelligence and an interest in the topic. … many of the ideas described are fully expressed in the interferometry simulation framework provided … I found this to be a very helpful book and would certainly be happy to recommend it either as a good student text, or a useful read for anyone else looking for an introduction to the field.' Mark Nicol, Contemporary Physics

Optical interferometry is a powerful technique to make images on angular scales hundreds of times smaller than is possible with the largest telescopes. This concise guide provides an introduction to the technique for graduate students and researchers who want to make interferometric observations and acts as a reference for technologists building new instruments. Starting from the principles of interference, the author covers the core concepts of interferometry, showing how the effects of the Earth's atmosphere can be overcome using closure phase, and the complete process of making an observation, from planning to image reconstruction. This rigorous approach emphasizes the use of rules-of-thumb for important parameters such as the signal-to-noise ratios, requirements for sampling the Fourier plane and predicting image quality. The handbook is supported by web resources, including the Python source code used to make many of the graphs, as well as an interferometry simulation framework, available at www.cambridge.org/9781107042179.

Principal symbols, functions and operators
List of abbreviations
Foreword
Preface
1. Making fringes
2. Basic imaging
3. Atmospheric seeing and its amelioration
4. Interferometers in practice
5. Measurement noise
6. Interferometric observation of faint objects
7. Observation planning
8. Data reduction
9. Model-fitting and image reconstruction
Appendix A. Fourier transforms
Appendix B. Supplementary online material
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Optical physics [PHJ], Physics [PH], Astronomy, space & time [PG], Mathematics & science [P]