Interferometry of distant sources

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on the challenges of obtaining interference fringes from distant light sources, particularly when the source is extended and has a broad energy spectrum. It highlights that while stars appear pointlike, their emitted light's coherence length can be affected by distance, with a coherence length defined as c/Δω, where Δω represents the bandwidth of the light. There is uncertainty about the coherence length of broad-spectrum light, as its phase may vary randomly, complicating measurements. Participants seek clarification on how Δω is defined and measured in the context of stellar light. Understanding these factors is crucial for improving interferometric techniques with distant sources.
naima
Gold Member
Messages
936
Reaction score
54
When you try to get fringes, the worse is when the source is extended and the light has a large energy spectrum.
With a star, the source seems pointlike. Is there another advantage as regards with bandwidth?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
naima said:
Is there another advantage as regards with bandwidth?

What do you mean?
 
Suppose that an optical polychromatical signal is emitted at a given pointlike place during T. It has a coherence length there. When the signal propagates its shape changes and its Fourier transform too. If we measure the coherence length at a far distance of the souce, Is it the same?
 
I read that the coherence length of the light coming from a star is ##c/ \Delta \omega##
What is the definition of this Delta? How is it measured?
 
I'm sorry, I don't know much about this topic, but I'll try to help as best I can.

naima said:
If we measure the coherence length at a far distance of the souce, Is it the same?

If we're talking about broad-spectrum light, then I'm not sure there is a coherence length since the phase varies randomly.

naima said:
I read that the coherence length of the light coming from a star is ##c/ \Delta \omega##
What is the definition of this Delta? How is it measured?

I think delta is given by the bandwidth of the emitted light. I'm not sure how this applies to the light emitted from a star, though.
 
TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'
This is indirectly evidenced by a map of the distribution of gamma-ray bursts in the night sky, made in the form of an elongated globe. And also the weakening of gamma radiation by the disk and the center of the Milky Way, which leads to anisotropy in the possibilities of observing gamma-ray bursts. My line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Gamma radiation should be absorbed to some extent by dust and other components of the interstellar medium. As a result, with an extragalactic origin, fewer...
This thread is dedicated to the beauty and awesomeness of our Universe. If you feel like it, please share video clips and photos (or nice animations) of space and objects in space in this thread. Your posts, clips and photos may by all means include scientific information; that does not make it less beautiful to me (n.b. the posts must of course comply with the PF guidelines, i.e. regarding science, only mainstream science is allowed, fringe/pseudoscience is not allowed). n.b. I start this...

Similar threads

Back
Top