Science and technology progress at the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer
2012
This paper presents an overview of recent progress at the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer (SUSI). Development
of the third-generation PAVO beam combiner has continued. The MUSCA beam combiner for high-precision
differential astrometry using visible light phase referencing is under active development and will be the subject of a
separate paper. Because SUSI was one of the pioneering interferometric instruments, some of its original systems are old
and have become difficult to maintain. We are undertaking a campaign of modernization of systems: (1) an upgrade of
the Optical Path Length Compensator IR laser metrology counter electronics from a custom system which uses an
obsolete single-board computer to a modern one based on an FPGA interfaced to a Linux computer - in addition to
improving maintainability, this upgrade should allow smoother motion and higher carriage speeds; (2) the replacement of
the aged single-board computer local controllers for the siderostats and the longitudinal dispersion compensator has been
completed; (3) the large beam reducing telescope has been replaced with a pair of smaller units with separate accessible
foci. Examples of scientific results are also included.
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