Heterodyne Spatial Interferometry of Circumstellar Dust Shells at a Wavelength of 11 Microns.
Abstract
The spatial distribution of the 11 micron thermal emission from circumstellar dust envelopes was studied using an infrared heterodyne interferometer. The spatial distribution of silicate grain emission was measured to probe the temperatures and densities of the circumstellar material and thereby to gain an understanding of the structures of circumstellar envelopes. The interferometer used consists of two separate telescopes, each of which is associated with a heterodyne receiver. Among the sources which were observed with this interferometer are alpha Orionis, o Ceti, VY Canis Majoris, and IRC +10216. The 11 micron brightness distributions of these objects all have spatially extended dust emission components. Other significant observations and results are reported.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- May 1979
- Bibcode:
- 1979PhDT.........6S
- Keywords:
-
- Physics: Astronomy and Astrophysics;
- Heterodyning;
- Interferometry;
- Stellar Envelopes;
- Optical Density;
- Stellar Luminosity;
- Thermal Emission;
- Astrophysics