Dr. Joel Sánchez Bermúdez

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico

Interferometric imaging with GRAVITY/VLTI

Abstract: In Astronomy, interferometry is an observational technique that delivers us the major resolution possible to study physical processes at the smallest spatial scales that we can probe with our instruments. It is used extensively at radio wavelengths and, since more than a decade, it has been converted into an important technique for infrared Astronomy. However, in the infrared interferometry is restricted to the use of arrays with only a few telescopes. Meanwhile interferometric imaging is the most intuitive way to understand the data, recovering images from sparse arrays is an “ill-posed” problem, with less data (equations) than pixels (unknowns) to recover. In this talk, we will present the basic concepts for image infrared image reconstruction. In particular, we will present the cases of two objects: Eta Car (one of the most massive stars known) and HD 163296 (a very intriguing YSO) imaged with the near-infrared interferometer GRAVITY at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer. Finally, we will describe the areas of opportunity to improve interferometric imaging.