Stellar interferometer experiment by measuring visibilities at different wavelengths

In this work we develop an experiment wherein the variation of the fringe visibilities with wavelength provides insights into the geometry of various stellar sources or components. The experiment is based on the Michelson stellar interferometer in which a filter wheel has been inserted between a det...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of physics 2024-05, Vol.45 (3), p.35306
Main Authors: Barata, J, Illarramendi, M A, Grandes, J, Zubia, J, Arrospide, E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
fringe visibility
polymer optical fibre
spatial coherence
stellar interferometry
temporal coherence
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Summary:In this work we develop an experiment wherein the variation of the fringe visibilities with wavelength provides insights into the geometry of various stellar sources or components. The experiment is based on the Michelson stellar interferometer in which a filter wheel has been inserted between a detecting camera and a telescope obscured by a double-aperture lid. The spatial and temporal incoherent light emitting from stellar sources has been simulated using polymer optical fibres and a broadband light-emitting diode. By measuring the visibilities of the central fringe at different wavelengths we are able to determine the morphology of the analysed light sources, provided that the baseline used is sufficiently long. The experiment is suitable for postgraduate students seeking to delve deeper into light coherence theory and to gain practical experience in optical stellar interferometry.
ISSN:0143-0807
1361-6404
DOI:10.1088/1361-6404/ad3d43