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MAGIC Intensity Interferometer as a powerful tool to understand massive stars

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 August 2024

Irene Jiménez Martínez*
Affiliation:
CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
V. A. Acciari
Affiliation:
IAC & University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
E. Colombo
Affiliation:
IAC & University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
J. Cortina
Affiliation:
CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
C. Delgado
Affiliation:
CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
C. Díaz
Affiliation:
CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
D. Fink
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut for Physics, Munich, Germany
M. Fiori
Affiliation:
INFN-Padova & Padova University, Department of Physics and Astronomy Padova, Italy
D. Guberman
Affiliation:
INFN-Pisa & Siena University, Pisa, Italy
T. Hassan
Affiliation:
CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
E. Lyard
Affiliation:
University of Geneva, Department of Astronomy, Geneva Switzerland
S. Mangano
Affiliation:
CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
M. Mariotti
Affiliation:
INFN-Padova & Padova University, Department of Physics and Astronomy Padova, Italy
G. Martínez
Affiliation:
CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
R. Mirzoyan
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut for Physics, Munich, Germany
G. Naletto
Affiliation:
INFN-Padova & Padova University, Department of Physics and Astronomy Padova, Italy
T. Njoh Ekoume
Affiliation:
IAC & University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
N. Produit
Affiliation:
University of Geneva, Department of Astronomy, Geneva Switzerland
M. Polo
Affiliation:
CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
J. J. Rodríguez
Affiliation:
CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
T. Schweizer
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut for Physics, Munich, Germany
R. Walter
Affiliation:
University of Geneva, Department of Astronomy, Geneva Switzerland
C. Wunderlich
Affiliation:
INFN-Pisa & Siena University, Pisa, Italy
L. Zampieri
Affiliation:
INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Abstract

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The Intensity Interferometry technique consists of measuring the spatial coherence (visibility) of an object via its intensity fluctuations over a sufficient range of telescope separations (baselines). This allows us to study the size, shape and morphology of stars with an unprecedented resolution. Cherenkov telescopes have a set of characteristics that coincidentally allow for Intensity Interferometry observations: very large reflective surfaces, sensitivity to individual photons, temporal resolution of nanoseconds and the fact that they come in groups of several telescopes. In the recent years, the MAGIC Collaboration has developed a deadtime-free Intensity Interferometry setup for its two 17 m diameter Cherenkov telescopes that includes a 4-channel GPU-based real-time correlator, 410–430 nm filters and new ways of splitting its primary mirrors into submirrors using Active Mirror Control (AMC). With this setup, MAGIC can operate as a long-baseline optical interferometer in the baseline range 40–90 m, which translates into angular resolutions of 0.5-1 mas. Additionally, thanks to its AMC, it can simultaneously measure the zero-baseline correlation or, by splitting into submirrors, access shorter baselines under 17 m in multiple u-v plane orientations. The best candidates to observe with this technique are relatively small and bright stars, in other words, massive stars (O, B and A types). We will present the science cases that are currently being proposed for this setup, as well as the prospects for the future of the system and technique, like the possibility of large-scale implementation with CTA.

Type
Poster Paper
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of International Astronomical Union

References

Acciari, V., et al. 2020, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 491, 1540 Google Scholar
Delgado, C., et al. 2021, in 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2021), Vol. 395, SISSA, 693Google Scholar
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