One dimensional astronomical speckle interferometry. Study of the lens-atmosphere modulation transfer function obtained with a rectangular aperture by statistical analysis of the speckle pattern

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Abstract
Experimental determination of the modulation transfer function of slit pupils is presented for measurements obtained at the Observatory of Haute-Provence. Theoretical models for the modulation transfer functions of these slit pupils are calculated for the case where the complex wavefront disturbances over the pupil are Gaussian and of zero mean value, and for the case where the disturbances are phase errors only (Korff's log-normal model). Good experimental agreement is found with Korff's model. A comparison is made between the use of slit and classical pupils for speckle interferometry. It is shown that the considerable gain in contrast obtained by the use of such one-dimensional pupils, in the presence of atmospheric turbulence can be fully exploited for high intensity astronomical observations such as those obtained in solar astronomy.