Description |
Stellar intensity interferometers will allow for achieving stellar imaging with a tenth of a milli-arcsecond resolution in the optical band by taking advantage of the large light collecting area and broad range of inter-telescope distances offered by future gamma-ray Air Cherenkov Telescope (ACT) arrays. Up to now, studies characterizing the capabilities of ACTs used as intensity interferometers have not accounted for certain realistic effects that will be encountered when collecting actual data. In this paper, we present the semi-classical quantum optics Monte-Carlo simulation we developed in order to investigate these experimental limitations. Using this tool we present our first results using our simulation model to investigate sensitivity and imaging capability limitations associated with telescopes spatial extension, photodetectors and electronics pulse shape, and excess noise. |