Lasers in astronomical spectroscopy-2

Abstract

In Part 1 electronic heterodyne spectroscopy using lasers was introduced. Part 2 discusses two experiments, one with a laser and a gas discharge as a laboratory source, the other with a laser and starlight collected by a telescope with a large receiving area. Results of these experiments are presented and optical and electronic instrumentation described. From results so far it seems possible to use the technique of optical mixing for absolute monochromatic flux and polarisation measurements on star-like objects. If laser line shifts become possible standard stellar lines could be analysed with high resolution and low Doppler shifts measured.