M. E. Filho, The VSI Team

Abstract
Much of the analysis in optical an infrared interferometry has relied on modeling of the visibility data, which can lead to ambiguous interpretation. However, next generation interferometric instruments are being designed to provide imaging capabilities in the optical and near-infrared.
In order to test the imaging potential of a next generation near-infrared interferometer – the VLTI-spectro-imager (VSI) – we have embarked on a study of image reconstruction and analysis of key science cases. Our main aim was to test the influence of the number of telescopes, observing nights and distribution of the visibility points on the quality of the reconstructed images. Our results show that observations using six ATs during one complete night yield the best results in general and is critical in most science cases. An optical, six telescope, ~200 meter baseline configuration will achieve 4 mas spatial resolution in the K band, which is comparable to ALMA and almost 50 times better than JWST will achieve. Our results show that such an instrument will be capable of imaging, with unprecedented detail, a plethora of sources, ranging from complex stellar surfaces to microlensing events.

Memorie della Societá Astronomica Italiana
P. Bonifacio

Memorie della Societá Astronomica Italiana
Volume 79, Page 1030
2008 August

>> ADS