S08

Astronomy with super-resolution: Overcoming the lambda/D limit

Communauté

Contact : lucie.leboulleux@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Main language for discussions / Langue principale des échanges oraux : ENGLISH

Pushing high-angular-resolution astronomy closer to, or even beyond, the classical diffraction limit defined by λ/D is one of the key frontiers for directly imaging and characterizing exoplanets at small angular separations. Achieving super-resolution is central for accessing regions around stars where terrestrial planets reside, and where traditional diffraction-limited instruments face fundamental limitations. This half-day workshop organized by the AS (Action Spécifique) HRA (Haute Résolution Angulaire) will bring together researchers working on a wide range of high-angular-resolution concepts. It will focus on both instrumental and algorithmic strategies enabling super-resolution, and aims to identify synergies across different techniques that have developed separately.

The first part of the workshop will review the latest advances toward super-resolution through a broad range of approaches: innovative instrumental concepts based on interferometric techniques (sparse aperture masking, pupil remapping, dual-field interferometry nulling interferometry), coronagraphic methods (small inner working angles coronagraph, dark zone control, wavefront control strategies), and advanced post-processing techniques (Reference-star differential imaging or RDI, Coherent Differential Imaging or CDI, statistical and machine-learning-based approaches, Kernel phases). For the second part of the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to discuss and compare methodologies, share lessons learned from laboratory and on-sky campaigns, and explore where synergies or hybrid strategies could provide new improvements. The objective here will be to identify how these diverse methods can complement one another, both conceptually and operationally.

The advances toward the smallest possible angular separations are essential for the direct detection and atmospheric characterization of terrestrial exoplanets, for future space missions such as HWO and LIFE, for the new generation of extremely large ground-based telescopes (ELT, GMT, TMT), and for the upcoming suite of interferometric instruments at the VLTI (GRAVITY+, MATISSE, ASGARD).

For this workshop, contributions from early-career scientists will be particularly encouraged and promoted.

SOC : Elodie Choquet, Jean-Baptiste Le Bouquin, Nick Cvetojevic, Olivier Flasseur, Olivier Lai, Lucie Leboulleux, Mamadou N’Diaye, Jean-François Sauvage