RELATIVE ADVANTAGES OF INTERFEROMETER OVER TELESCOPE FOR MEASURING SOURCE SIZES

Abstract

In the report an analysis of the Michelson stellar, Fizeau double- slit and the folding interferometers is given and their relative merits are compared to a telescope for performing source size measurements. The atmospheric effects upon these instruments are examined. Experimental procedures describing the use of the Michelson stellar interferometer are given. Experimental difficulties encountered in the program are also discussed. It is concluded that interferometers are a better instrument than telescopes for source size measurements in the presence of a turbulent atmosphere if information about the source geometry and intensity distribution is available. When the source geometry and intensity distribution are not known, then none of the instruments give an absolute source size measurement under turbulent conditions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 05, 1965
Accession Number
AD0614248

Entities

People

  • George O. Reynolds
  • Helmut Hecksher

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Diffraction
  • Geometry
  • Intensity
  • Light Sources
  • Low Light Levels
  • Massachusetts
  • Mathematical Analysis
  • Measurement
  • Michelson Interferometers
  • Operations Research
  • Optical Instruments
  • Radiation
  • Schematic Diagrams
  • Shape
  • Two Dimensional
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Image Processing and Computer Vision.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Space