Golden Spiral Interferometry for Radio Astronomy. A proposal

Abstract

Radio interferometry is a powerful technique that allows astronomers to create high-resolution images of astronomical objects. The distribution of radio telescopes in an interferometer is a critical factor that determines the resolution and sensitivity of the instrument. Traditionally, radio telescopes are distributed in a linear or circular array. However, recent work has shown that using a golden spiral distribution can improve the resolution and sensitivity of an interferometer. In this paper, the author proposes the use of a golden spiral distribution for radio interferometry, showing that a golden spiral distribution can provide a significant improvement in resolution, up to a factor of eight, compared to a linear or circular distribution. The author also proposes that a golden spiral distribution can improve the sensitivity of an interferometer; it may provide a more uniform distribution of radio telescopes than a linear or circular distribution (a known propety of spiral distributions).