Exploiting information theory for general-purpose image reconstruction in optical interferometry

This project aims to develop new software for reconstructing images from measurements with arrays of optical telescopes such as the VLTI and CHARA. Such telescope arrays, known as interferometers, do not form images directly, but rely on sophisticated computer algorithms to reconstruct the best possible image from partial data. Existing algorithms do a reasonable job of this, but different algorithms often produce results that differ in important ways, hindering the scientific interpretation of the images. We will use a new approach that allows the uncertainty in the reconstructed image to be estimated, enabling more reliable, and hence more scientifically useful, results.