AGILIS: Agile Guided Interferometer for Longbaseline Imaging Synthesis

Demonstration and concepts of reconfigurable optical imaging interferometers

¹ European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany
e-mail: jwoillez@eso.org
² W. M. Keck Observatory, 65-1288 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kamuela, HI 96743, USA
³ Canada France Hawaii Telescope, 65-1238 Mamalahoa Hwy., Kamuela, HI 96743, USA
⁴ Gemini Observatory, 670 A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
⁵ Subaru Telescope, 650 A’ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
⁶ Université d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, Bd de l’Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice Cedex 4, France
⁷ LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, UPMC, Université Paris-Diderot, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
⁸ XLIM, 123 avenue Albert Thomas, 87060 Limoges, France
⁹ École Polytechnique, Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas, Route de Saclay, 91128 Palaiseau, France

Received: 26 January 2017
Accepted: 7 March 2017

Abstract

Context. In comparison to the radio and sub-millimetric domains, imaging with optical interferometry is still in its infancy. Due to the limited number of telescopes in existing arrays, image generation is a demanding process that relies on time-consuming reconfiguration of the interferometer array and super-synthesis.

Aims. Using single mode optical fibres for the coherent transport of light from the collecting telescopes to the focal plane, a new generation of interferometers optimized for imaging can be designed.

Methods. To support this claim, we report on the successful completion of the ‘OHANA Iki project: an end-to-end, on-sky demonstration of a two-telescope interferometer, built around near-infrared single mode fibres, carried out as part of the ‘OHANA project.

Results. Having demonstrated that coherent transport by single-mode fibres is feasible, we explore the concepts, performances, and limitations of a new imaging facility with single mode fibres at its heart: Agile Guided Interferometer for Longbaseline Imaging Synthesis (AGILIS).

Conclusions. AGILIS has the potential of becoming a next generation facility or a precursor to a much larger project like the Planet Formation Imager (PFI).