Optics in Astrophysics: Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Optics in Astrophysics, Cargese, France from 16 to 28 September 2002 (NATO Science Series II: Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry)

Astrophysics is facing challenging aims such as deep cosmology at redshift higher than 10 to constrain cosmology models, or the detection of exoplanets, and possibly terrestrial exoplanets, and several others. It requires unprecedented ambitious R&D programs, which have definitely to rely on a tight cooperation between astrophysics and optics communities. The book addresses most of the most critical interdisciplinary domains where they interact, or where they will do. A first need is to collect more light, i.e. telescopes still larger than the current 8-10 meter class ones. Decametric, and even hectometric, optical (from UV to IR wavelengths) telescopes are being studied. Whereas up to now the light collecting surface of new telescopes was approximately 4 times that of the previous generation, now this factor is growing to 10 to 100. This quantum leap urges to implement new methods or technologies developed in the optics community, both in academic labs and in the industry. Given the astrophysical goals and technological constraints, new generation adaptive optics with a huge number of actuators and laser guide stars devices have to be developed, from theoretical bases to experimental works. Two other newcomers in observational astrophysics are interferometric arrays of optical telescopes and gravitational wave detectors. Up-to-date reviews of detectors and of spectrographs are given, as well as forefront R&D in the field of optical coatings and of guided optics. Possible new ways to handle photons are also addressed, based on quantum physics. More and more signal processing algorithms are a part and parcel of any modern instrumentation. Thus finally the book gives two reviews about wavefront processing and about image restoration and deconvolution algorithms for ill conditioned cases. Annotation Astrophysics is facing challenging aimsnbsp; such as deep cosmology at redshift highernbsp; thannbsp; 10nbsp; tonbsp; constrainnbsp; cosmologynbsp; models, nbsp; ornbsp; thenbsp; detectionnbsp; of exoplanets, nbsp; and possiblynbsp; terrestrial exoplanets, nbsp; and severalnbsp; others. It requiresnbsp;unprecedented ambitiousnbsp;R & D programs, nbsp;which havenbsp;definitely to rely onnbsp; a tight cooperationnbsp; between astrophysics andnbsp; optics communities. Thenbsp;book addressesnbsp;most ofnbsp;the mostnbsp;criticalnbsp; interdisciplinary domains where theynbsp; interact, or wherenbsp; they will do.nbsp;nbsp;A first need isnbsp;to collect more light, i.e.nbsp;telescopes still larger than the current 8-10 meter class ones.nbsp;Decametric, nbsp;andnbsp;evennbsp;hectometric, nbsp;opticalnbsp;(fromnbsp;UVnbsp;tonbsp;IR wavelengths) telescopesnbsp;are beingnbsp;studied.nbsp; Whereas upnbsp; to nownbsp; the light collecting surface of new telescopesnbsp; was approximately 4 times that of the previous generation, now this factor is growing to 10 to 100.nbsp; This quantum leap urges to implement new methods or technologies developed in the optics community, nbsp;bothnbsp;innbsp;academicnbsp; labsnbsp;nbsp; andnbsp; innbsp; thenbsp; industry.nbsp; Givennbsp;the astrophysical goals andnbsp;technological constraints, new generation adaptive optics with anbsp;huge number of actuators and lasernbsp;guide stars devices have to be developed, nbsp; from theoretical bases to experimentalnbsp; works.nbsp; Two other newcomersnbsp;innbsp;observationalnbsp;astrophysicsnbsp; are interferometricnbsp; arraysnbsp; of optical telescopes and gravitationalnbsp; wave detectors. Up-to-date reviews of detectors and ofnbsp;spectrographs are given, as well asnbsp;forefront R & D in the field of optical coatings and of guided optics. Possible new ways to handle photonsnbsp;are alsonbsp;addressed, basednbsp;onnbsp;quantum physics.nbsp;nbsp; More andnbsp; more, signalnbsp; processingnbsp; algorithmsnbsp; arenbsp; anbsp;nbsp; partnbsp; andnbsp; parcelnbsp; ofnbsp; anynbsp; modern instrumentation.nbsp; Thusnbsp;finally the book gives twonbsp;reviews about wavefront processing and about image restoration and deconvolution algorithms for ill conditioned cases Astrophysics is facing challenging aims such as deep cosmology at redshift higher than 10 to constrain cosmology models, or the detection of exoplanets, and possibly terrestrial exoplanets, and several others. It requires unprecedented ambitious R & D programs, which have definitely to rely on a tight cooperation between astrophysics and optics communities. The book addresses most of the most critical interdisciplinary domains where they interact, or where they will do. A first need is to collect more light, i.e. telescopes still larger than the current 8-10 meter class ones. Decametric, and even hectometric, optical (from UV to IR wavelengths) telescopes are being studied. Whereas up to now the light collecting surface of new telescopes was approximately 4 times that of the previous generation, now this factor is growing to 10 to 100. This quantum leap urges to implement new methods or technologies developed in the optics community, both in academic labs and in the industry. Given the astrophysical goals and technological constraints, new generation adaptive optics with a huge number of actuators and laser guide stars devices have to be developed, from theoretical bases to experimental works. Two other newcomers in observational astrophysics are interferometric arrays of optical telescopes and gravitational wave detectors. Up-to-date reviews of detectors and of spectrographs are given, as well as forefront R & D in the field of optical coatings and of guided optics. Possible new ways to handle photons are also addressed, based on quantum physics. More and more signal processing algorithms are a part and parcel of any modern instrumentation. Thus finally the book gives two reviews about wavefront processing and about image restoration and deconvolution algorithms for ill conditioned cases Edited By Renaud Foy And Françoise-claude Foy. Proceedings Of The Nato Advanced Study Institute On Optics In Astrophysics, Cargèse, France, 16-28 September 2002--t.p. Verso. Published In Cooperation With Nato Public Diplomacy Division. Includes Bibliographical References.