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

Keck干涉仪将进行两项技术改进，这将使我们能够对银河系中心进行前所未有的天文测量观测。第一个改进是使用凯克干涉仪实现相位参考模式，使用附近明亮的恒星提供活塞校正，从而允许观测较暗的科学物体。（活塞校正解释了发生在干涉仪元件光轴上的相位波动的差异）。第二个改进是实现精度为30微弧秒的天文测量能力。凯克干涉仪的重要的新科学能力将被广泛的天文学家所利用。

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.