Simulations to unlock Micro-Arcsecond Astronomy with La Palma Quantum Interferometry (LPQI)

Stars in the night sky, even in nearby multi-star systems, generally appear as unresolved points of light through conventional telescopes. Achieving sub-milliarcsecond resolution at optical wavelengths requires the use of interferometric techniques. While Michelson stellar interferometers now reach baselines of up to 300 m, extending angular resolution to even finer scales demands a complementary approach: Intensity Interferometry (II). The recent global resurgence of II has opened new possibilities for high-precision studies of massive and evolved stars.

The Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (ORM) on La Palma, with its large-aperture telescopes and long baselines, offers a unique platform for advancing II. In this talk, I will present simulated results for stellar systems within the framework of the La Palma Quantum Interferometry (LPQI) initiative. These simulations focus on identifying promising stellar targets and assessing achievable signal-to-noise ratios. The results demonstrate the potential to resolve binary systems at micro-arcsecond scales, enabling precise measurements of stellar radii and orbital parameters in close massive binaries, modeling Roche-lobe geometries in Wolf–Rayet systems, and establishing the foundation for exoplanet astrometry in stellar systems, where traditional detection methods are often limited.

Fecha y lugar: 15/12/2025 – 13:00 | Salón de Actos
Nitu Rai
Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital