Development of the Keck Interferometer with Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics for Microarcsecond Astrometry

AST-0619965/Wizinowich，夏威夷凯克干涉仪将进行两项技术改进，以实现对银河系中心前所未有的天体测量观测。第一个改进是通过使用附近明亮的星星提供活塞校正的相位参考模式，允许用凯克干涉仪观察较暗的科学物体。(The活塞校正说明了沿着干涉仪元件的光轴出现的相位波动的差异）。第二项改进是实现了精确度为30微弧秒的天体测量能力。凯克干涉仪的重要新科学能力将提供给广大的天文学家。

AST-0619965/Wizinowich, HawaiiTwo technical improvements will be made to the Keck Interferometer that will allow unprecedented astrometric observations of the galactic center. The first improvement is to allow fainter science objects to be observed with the Keck Interferometer by implementing a phase referencing mode that uses a bright nearby star to provide the piston correction. (The piston correction accounts for the difference in phase fluctuations that occur along the optical axes of the interferometer elements). The second improvement is to implement an astrometric capability with an accuracy of 30 microarcseconds. The significant new science capabilities of the Keck Interferometer will be available to a broad community of astronomers.