Tag

Interferometry

All articles tagged with #interferometry

science28 days ago•8 min saved

Quantum Galileo Interferometer Probes Gravity in a Superposed Atom

A team led by Ron Folman built the Quantum Galileo Interferometer (QGI) to place a single atom in a superposition of two trajectories—one undergoing free fall and the other held stationary—and then recombine them to measure gravity’s effect on a quantum wave. The observed phase aligns with the equivalence principle within about 2.5%, demonstrating gravity can act on a quantum system in superposition and outlining future tests with heavier objects (like nanodiamonds) to probe whether gravity is truly quantum or induces wavefunction collapse.

via Ars Technica|

#bose-einstein-condensate #equivalence-principle #gravity

science1 month ago•144 min saved

Quantum Galileo interferometer confirms Einstein’s principle at quantum scales

Physicists used a Bose-Einstein condensate of about 20,000 rubidium atoms in a two-path atom interferometer to measure a gravity‑induced quantum phase. The observed phase grows with the cube of the fall time, matching theoretical predictions and showing Einstein’s equivalence principle holds at quantum scales. The experiment, dubbed the quantum Galileo interferometer, ran 633 cycles across several hours, supporting compatibility between quantum mechanics and general relativity while outlining future tests with rotating frames and heavier objects to probe gravity’s effect on quantum superpositions.

via Live Science|

#bose-einstein-condensate #equivalence-principle #gravity

space2 months ago•8 min saved

First Image Captures Two Supermassive Black Holes Dancing in OJ287

Astronomers using a radio telescope array that stretches from Earth toward the Moon, including the RadioAstron satellite, captured the first image of two supermassive black holes orbiting each other in the quasar OJ287 (18 billion and 150 million solar masses, 12-year period). The system’s disk-crossing bursts, revealed by high-resolution radio imaging, mark a milestone in black-hole physics and radio astronomy, with future gravitational-wave studies expected from the eLisa mission in the 2030s.

via futura-sciences.com|

#black-holes #interferometry #oj287

space3 months ago•3 min saved

Astronomers Catch a Gamma-Ray Burst Minutes After Detonation With Breakthrough Millimeter Observations

Scientists used the Submillimeter Array on Maunakea to observe a gamma-ray burst within minutes of its discovery, marking the fastest-ever millimeter-wavelength observations of such an event after a Swift alert. The rapid follow-up enabled near real-time imaging of the burst and its fading afterglow, offering new insights into the jet physics of these colossal explosions and paving the way to even quicker responses in the future.

via BBC Sky at Night Magazine|

#astronomy #gamma-ray-burst #interferometry

science5 months ago•8 min saved

Metal Nanoparticles Demonstrate Quantum Superposition at Near-Macroscopic Scale

Vienna and Duisburg-Essen researchers show that sodium nanoparticle clusters (~8 nm, >170,000 amu) can exhibit quantum interference, existing in a superposition as they pass through three UV-laser diffraction gratings. Achieving a macroscopicity value of μ = 15.5, the experiment extends quantum behavior toward larger scales and opens the door to studying bigger particles and precision sensing.

via SciTechDaily|

#interferometry #macroscopicity #nanoparticles

science-space8 months ago•6 min saved

Moon–Earth telescope network eyed to image dozens of black hole shadows

Researchers propose a Moon–Earth radio telescope network that could reach sub‑microarcsecond resolution, enabling direct shadows of dozens of supermassive black holes. Six strong targets are identified (including M104 and NGC 1052); a 100‑meter lunar dish paired with Earth baselines could detect all 31 candidates, with far‑side sites offering radio‑quiet observations. The approach relies on visibility data rather than traditional images and remains a decades‑long pursuit, but could greatly advance tests of general relativity and black hole imaging beyond current capabilities.

via Indian Defence Review|

#black-holes #interferometry #moon

science8 months ago•34 min saved

Quantum interference observed in sodium nanoclusters at 0.17 MDa

Researchers demonstrate quantum interference of sodium clusters containing thousands of atoms (mass >170 kDa) in a near-field Talbot–Lau interferometer using three UV gratings, achieving fringe visibilities that align with quantum predictions and yielding a macroscopicity value of μ = 15.5—the highest reported to date. This shows the quantum superposition principle persists at this unprecedented mass/size and provides a platform to test macrorealist modifications of quantum mechanics, with future work aiming to reach even larger masses (MDa range) as experimental techniques improve.

via Nature|

#interferometry #macroscopicity #matter-wave

space8 months ago•3 min saved

Novae Unveiled: Real-Time Interferometry Reveals Multi-Stage Ejections and Gamma Rays

Astronomers using the CHARA Array and other telescopes captured real-time images of two novae (V1674 Herculis and V1405 Cassiopeiae), revealing complex, multi-stage gas outflows and gamma-ray emissions—showing that nova explosions are not single blasts and linking surface nuclear processes to the geometry of ejected material and high-energy radiation.

via Futurism|

#binary-star #gamma-rays #interferometry

science8 months ago•6 min saved

7,000-atom sodium clusters enter quantum superposition, expanding the quantum frontier

Physicists in Vienna demonstrated the largest quantum superposition yet by placing clusters of about 7,000 sodium atoms (≈8 nm across) into spatially distinct paths that interfere, showing that sizeable objects can exhibit wave-like behavior and informing the quantum‑classical boundary for future quantum technologies.

via Nature|

#decoherence #interferometry #nanoparticle

space8 months ago•26 min saved

Novae Unleash Dual Jets: High-Res Images Rewrite Stellar Explosions

High-resolution CHARA Array images of 2021 novae V1674 Herculis and V1405 Cassiopeiae reveal complex, jet-driven eruptions in binary white-dwarf systems, including perpendicular outflows and a delayed ejection likely tied to a common-envelope phase. The gamma-ray signals observed by NASA’s Fermi coincide with internal shocks in the debris, linking surface nuclear reactions to high-energy radiation and challenging the idea of novae as simple spherical shells. These findings, published in Nature Astronomy, position novae as natural laboratories for extreme physics.

via ZME Science|

#binary-system #gamma-rays #interferometry

space8 months ago•6 min saved

High‑Res Imaging Reveals Dual Ejecta in Nova Explosions

Scientists using the CHARA Array’s near-infrared interferometry captured high‑resolution images of two novae (V1674 Herculis and V1405 Cassiopeiae), showing non‑spherical, interacting ejecta and fast/slow evolution, with a gamma-ray connection that challenges the idea of a single impulsive explosion.

via WIRED|

#ejecta #gamma-rays #interferometry

space8 months ago•57 min saved

JWST captures sharp image of Circinus black hole’s feeding disk

The James Webb Space Telescope’s interferometric imaging provides the sharpest view yet of Circinus galaxy’s center, revealing that the infrared glow around its supermassive black hole mainly originates from the dusty accretion disk feeding the hole rather than outflows, a finding that sheds light on how such black holes grow and influence their host galaxies.

via Live Science|

#accretion-disk #black-holes #circinus-galaxy

space8 months ago•7 min saved

Webb Reveals Dust Feeding Circinus Black Hole, Upending Core Emission Views

Webb’s Aperture Masking Interferometer on NIRISS allowed a high‑contrast look at Circinus’ core, yielding the sharpest view yet of a black hole’s surroundings. The study finds roughly 87% of the near‑infrared emission comes from hot dust near the black hole’s torus rather than from outflows, overturning decades of models that emphasized outflows. This marks the first extragalactic infrared interferometry in space and demonstrates Webb’s ability to double effective resolution in a focused region, offering a technique to study other bright black holes and build a broader picture of accretion versus outflow contributions.

via NASA Science (.gov)|

#black-holes #circinus-galaxy #infrared-astronomy

technology1 year ago•3 min saved

Innovative Device Reads Book Pages from 3,200 Feet Away

Scientists in China have developed a device using laser interferometry that can read text from nearly a mile away, raising significant privacy and security concerns due to its potential for surveillance and misuse, with future enhancements likely involving AI to improve accuracy and applications.

via Rude Baguette|

#interferometry #laser-technology #privacy-concerns

spacescience2 years ago•5 min saved

"Preserving the Moon's Pristine Beauty: NASA's Plan for a High-Res Telescope on the Dark Side"

NASA is planning to establish a lunar Long-Baseline Optical Imaging Interferometer (LBI) on the moon's far side as part of the Artemis Program, which aims to create a sustained program of lunar exploration and development. The proposed array, known as the Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI), could take detailed images of stellar surfaces and their environments, leveraging the moon's "radio quiet" environment and extended periods of darkness. The facility's construction and maintenance will address key engineering concerns and could lead to advancements in astrophysics, public engagement, and inspire future generations of STEAM workers.

via Phys.org|

#artemis-program #interferometry #lunar-exploration