Karlsruhe 2024 – scientific programme

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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik

T 85: Methods in astroparticle physics 4

T 85.1: Talk

Thursday, March 7, 2024, 16:00–16:15, Geb. 20.30: 2.067

Intensity interferometry with Fresnel lens telescopes — •Christopher Ingenhütt, Naomi Vogel, Andreas Zmija, Pedro Silva Batista, Stefan Funk, Gisela Anton, Alison Mitchell, and Adrian Zink — Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics (ECAP), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Intensity interferometry (II) correlates the photon streams of at least two telescopes with varying baselines to determine the angular diameter of stars with high (∼milliarcsecond) resolution. This method is less sensitive to atmospheric effects than similar methods and doesn’t set high requirements on the optical imaging capabilities of the individual telescopes. Limiting factors that determine the observable objects are light collection area and possible baselines. We built two telescopes, each using a 1m diameter Fresnel lens focusing the starlight onto a photomultiplier tube. By using widely available standardized aluminium and carbon fiber parts and complementing them with self-designed 3D-printed components, the telescope setup was kept both cheap and lightweight (∼10kg). The lightweight design also enables the telescopes to be repositioned, allowing data acquisition with multiple telescope baselines. We present an overview of the design and assembly process, characterize the telescopes with respect to photon rates from stars as well as from the night sky, and give an outline of potential observation targets.

Keywords: Intensity interferometry; telescopes; high angular resolution