Perspective of long baseline optical interferometry

Abstract

This article is a sort of sequel of the earlier extensive review by Saha (1991a) where emphasis was laid down on the ground based single aperture, as well as on the working long baseline optical interferometers (LBI) situated at the various observatories across the globe that are producing a large amount of astronomical results. Since the future of high resolution astronomy lies with the new generation of arrays, the numerous technical challenges of developing such systems are addressed indicating the current trends and the path to future progress in interferometry. The new generation interferometers such as Palomar testbed interferometer (PTI), Navy prototype optical interferometer (NPOI), Keck interferometer, Very large telescope interferometer (VLTI), Center for high angular resolution astronomy (CHARA) array, Optical very large array (OVAL), Mitaka optical infrared arrays (MIRA), etc., are being developed. A few of them, viz., PTI, NPOI, IOTA are producing results. Among the working interferometers that have been described earlier by Saha (1999a), the expansion of the Grand interferometre a deux (two) telescopes (GI2T), Infrared and optical telescope array (IOTA) are in progress. The current status of all these interferometers stated above are enumerated. The data analysis being carried out using the working interferometers are also described. The space interferometry programmes are advancing very fast. Among the notable ones are the Space technology 3 (ST3), Space interferometry mission (SIM), and Darwin; they have already received funds. The technical details of these interferometers and their objectives are highlighted.