Reduction and analysis of NPOI data: Mizar and Matar

Christian Hummel, Don Hutter (US Naval Observatory)
David Mozurkewich (Naval Research Laboratory)

Abstract:

The morning session will consist of three talks in order to introduce participants to NPOI and prepare them for the afternoon laboratory session. The first talk will introduce the topic of binary stars, their role for astrophysics, orbit determination, and imaging. The second talk will describe in detail the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer, its design, layout, and operation. The third talk will discuss technical aspects of optical interferometry with NPOI, such as atmospheric effects, seeing and scintillation, fringe visibility estimation and bias correction, and the calibration of visibilities amplitudes and closure phases.

In the afternoon, a brief overview of the steps of reducing and analysing NPOI data will be given. The participants will then reduce a data set of the double star Mizar and its calibrator, calibrate and image it. They will then model position angle and separation, and then fit an orbit to the astrometric data.

A brief review of experiences, results, and important facts to remember, will conclude this day of the school.

Applied Binary Star Research

Christian Hummel (US Naval Observatory)

Realaudio of lecture.
Viewgraphs PDF 840k Bytes.

Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer

D.J. Hutter (US Naval Observatory)

Realaudio of lecture.
Viewgraphs PDF 2400k Bytes.

Comments Concerning Calibration

David Mozurkewich (Naval Research Laboratory)

Audio not available
Viewgraphs PDF 1160k Bytes.

Laboratory Demos

Christian Hummel (US Naval Observatory)

Realaudio of Lab I.
Realaudio of Lab II.

Software:

• NPOI Support Pages
• Installation notes.
• atmospheres.tar.zip (62.5 MB)
• catalogs.tar.gz (67.2 MB)
• oyster.tar.gz (77.9 MB)

References:

• "Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer Observations of the Double Stars Mizar A and Matar"
  C.A. Hummel, D. Mozurkewich, J.T. Armstrong, A.R. Hajian, N.M. Elias II, and D.J. Hutter
  Astron. J. 116, 2536. (1998)

• The Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer
  J.T. Armstrong, D. Mozurkewich, L.J. Rickard, D.J. Hutter, J.A. Benson, P.F. Bowers, N.M. Elias II, C.A. Hummel, K.J. Johnston, D.F. Buscher, J.H. Clark III, L. Ha, L.-C. Ling, N.M. White, and R.S. Simon
  Astrophys. J. 496 550-571 (1998).

• Proceedings of the 2000 Michelson Summer School
  P.R. Lawson, editor
  Refer to talks by McAlister, Hummel, and others in the session on Binary Stars.

• Orbital and stellar parameters of Omicron Leonis from spectroscopy and interferometry
  Hummel C.A., Carquillat J.-M., Ginestet N., Griffin R.F., Boden A.F., Hajian A.R., Mozurkewich D., Nordgren T.E.
  Astron. J. 121, 1623 (2001).