The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) has been enhanced by installation of the PAVO beam combiner,
which uses an electron-multiplying CCD detector giving a fast, low-noise 2D readout. This allows PAVO to provide
wide-band wavelength dispersed beam combination, which improves sensitivity and scientific productivity. PAVO also
provides pupil segmentation which improves the instrumental fringe visibility. A remote operations facility has been
established, which allows SUSI to be operated from Sydney or elsewhere. A new control system for the longitudinal
dispersion corrector and siderostats is under development. Installation has commenced of a high precision differential
astrometry system (MUSCA) which aims to detect planets in binary star systems.
The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) has now been operating with a significanly more sensitive beam
combiner system (the Red Table) for several years. A number of novel results from the realms of single, binary and
pulsating star astrophysics are presented. Simultaneous dual beam-combiner operation with the Red Table and an
upgraded Blue Table has been demonstrated, enabling a high spectral dispersion oberving mode for stellar studies. Plans
for a major upgrade are briefly described. One component of this will be remote operation of the array for routine
observational data taking, with first steps on this path reported here with the inception of the Sydney Remote Operations
Center. The backbone of future plans with SUSI center around the installation of the southern of the twin PAVO
instruments. PAVO is also discussed in more detail in Ireland et al, this proceedings.
The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer is a long baseline optical interferometer located in northern New South Wales, Australia. It has a North-South array of eleven fixed input siderostat stations giving a range of baselines from 5 to 640 m. Currently ten baselines from 5 to 160 m are fully operational and beam-combination and detection systems for the spectral ranges 430-520nm and 550-950nm are available. Dichroic beam-splitters have been introduced to allow simultaneous observations with both spectral systems. The original blue beam-combination system has been upgraded to improve sensitivity and to allow rapid wavelength switching. A software scheduler has been developed to automate much of the observational procedure including the acquisition of a star, fringe search and acquisition, recording of fringe scans, and the taking of photometric scans. A data pipeline for processing the observational data has been further developed to include seeing corrections and this has improved the calibration of the observational data. Preliminary results of scientific observations with both blue and red
systems, including observations of single stars, binary stars and Cepheid variables are described.
The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) is a long-baseline optical interferometer operating at an observatory near Narrabri in Australia. SUSI features a 640 m long North-South array with 11 fixed siderostat stations. New science from the Blue (400-500 nm) and from the recently commissioned Red (500-950 nm) fringe detectors will be presented. Recent technological developments, mainly associated with the new Red detection system, encompassing wavefront correction, fringe encoding, wavelength switching and data analysis strategies, are described.
The Sydney University Multiple Mirror Telescope (SUMMIT) is a medium-sized telescope designed specifically for high resolution stellar spectroscopy. Throughout the design emphasis has been placed on high efficiency at low cost. The telescope consists of four 0.46 m diameter mirrors mounted on a single welded steel frame. Specially designed mirror cells support and point each mirror, allowing accurate positioning of the images on optical fibers located at the foci of the mirrors. Four fibers convey the light to the future location of a high resolution spectrograph away from the telescope in a stable environment. An overview of the commissioning of the telescope is presented, including the guidance and automatic mirror alignment and focussing systems. SUMMIT is located alongside the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer at the Paul Wild Observatory, near Narrabri, Northern New South Wales.
The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) is a long baseline optical interferometer located at the Paul Wild Observatory in northern New South Wales, some 400 km NNW of Sydney. An extensive observational and development program is in progress. The status of the observational program, data reduction techniques, and recent results are reported. Instrumental developments including the development and installation of new tip-tilt mirrors and the design and implementation of a red beam-combination system that includes a group-delay tracker will be described. Auxiliary instrumentation to provide complementary data for the interpretation of SUSI observations has been installed alongside SUSI and this will be outlined briefly.
High resolution spectra are required to complement the angular dimensions of pulsating stars and binary systems determined with the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer. To meet this need a multiple mirror telescope feeding a spectrograph via optical fibers is being developed. The design has been inspired by the Multi- Telescope Telescope project at Georgia State University but much of the design of the Sydney University Multiple Mirror Telescope is new. In particular, an adjustable mirror cell has been designed to allow the accurate alignment of the starlight on the input end of the fiber in its focal plane. Alignment tests carried out on a prototype cell are reported.
The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) is a long baseline optical interferometer located at the Paul Wild Observatory in northern New South Wales, some 400km NNW of Sydney. SUSI has been designed to measure the angular sizes of stars of essentially all spectral types and luminosity classes and to measure the angular separations of close binary stars. In addition to the science programs planned for SUSI, the technical features of the instrument dictated by these programs are discussed. The current status of the instrument and science programs, and the plans for further development of the instrument are described.
The Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI) is a long baseline optical amplitude interferometer. In its initial configuration it is a two aperture, single ro instrument with wavefront-tilt corrections and dynamic optical path length compensation. It has been designed to measure the angular dimensions of stars of essentially all spectral types as well as the angular separations of binary stars. SUSI is located alongside the Australia Telescope at the Paul Wild Observatory, near Narrabri in northern New South Wales, Australia. It has a North-South array of input stations giving baselines covering the range from 5 m to 640 m. The baselines are being progressively commissioned, starting with the shorter ones, in parallel with an observing program aimed at fine-tuning the performance of the instrument. Progress and results from the commissioning program and the current status of the instrument are described.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.