Computing imaging data using intensity correlation interferometry
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, at a computational station, photodetection data, originating at a source, encompassing a set of frequency channels and collected at a plurality of light gathering telescopes;
determining, through the computational station, correlation between the received photodetection data in each frequency channel;
determining, through the computational station, a time average of the correlation between the received photodetection data in the each frequency channel;
determining, through the computational station, an average over the set of frequency channels to arrive at a mutual coherence magnitude for each pair of the plurality of light gathering telescopes; and
determining, through the computational station, imaging data of the source based on applying a phase retrieval technique that computes the imaging data from the determined mutual coherence magnitude and the correlation between the received photodetection data.
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Abstract
A method includes receiving, at a computational station, photodetection data, originating at a source, encompassing a set of frequency channels and collected at a number of light gathering telescopes. The method also includes determining correlation between the received photodetection data in each frequency channel, and determining a time average of the correlation between the received photodetection data in the each frequency channel. Further, the method includes determining an average over the set of frequency channels to arrive at a mutual coherence magnitude for each pair of the number of light gathering telescopes, and computing imaging data of the source based on the determined mutual coherence magnitude and the correlation between the received photodetection data.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a computational station, photodetection data, originating at a source, encompassing a set of frequency channels and collected at a plurality of light gathering telescopes; determining, through the computational station, correlation between the received photodetection data in each frequency channel; determining, through the computational station, a time average of the correlation between the received photodetection data in the each frequency channel; determining, through the computational station, an average over the set of frequency channels to arrive at a mutual coherence magnitude for each pair of the plurality of light gathering telescopes; and determining, through the computational station, imaging data of the source based on applying a phase retrieval technique that computes the imaging data from the determined mutual coherence magnitude and the correlation between the received photodetection data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An interferometer comprising:
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a plurality of detectors configured to detect photodetection data originating at a source and encompassing a set of frequency channels; a correlator to receive the detected photodetection data and to determine correlation between the received photodetection data in each frequency channel; a recorder to record the determined correlation; and a computational station to determine an average over the set of frequency channels to arrive at a mutual coherence magnitude for each pair of the plurality of detectors and to determine imaging data of the source based on applying a phase retrieval technique that computes the imaging data from the determined mutual coherence magnitude and the correlation between the received photodetection data. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A planet imaging system comprising:
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a plurality of spacecrafts, each of which includes a light gathering telescope to collect photodetection data encompassing a set of frequency channels from a source; a plurality of canceling collectors placed appropriately to negate an effect of any light emitting body closer to the source than the plurality of spacecrafts; a first pod combiner to collect the photodetection data from the plurality of spacecrafts; a second pod combiner to collect the photodetection data from the plurality of canceling collectors; an imaging combiner to collect data from both the first pod combiner and the second pod combiner; and a computational station to receive data from the imaging combiner, to compute the correlation between the photodetection data in each frequency channel, to determine a time average of the correlation between the photodetection data in the each frequency channel, to determine an average over the set of frequency channels to arrive at a mutual coherence magnitude for each pair of the plurality of spacecrafts, and to determine imaging data of the source based on applying a phase retrieval technique that computes the imaging data from the determined mutual coherence magnitude and the correlation between the received photodetection data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification