Detection of Stellar Flickering using Arrays of Telescopes

Abstract

Rapid stellar variability of a stochastic type is characteristic of a variety of irregular variables including dwarf novae, x-ray binaries and nova-like variables. Rapid, small amplitude variability is often difficult to observe because of scintillation and photon statistics. Irregular variability is particularly difficult to observe because the power spectrum of the flickering is often not readily distinguishable from the spectra of atmospheric noise and shot noise. However, simultaneous observations of a variable with an array consisting of two or more telescopes separated by a distance exceeding the noise correlation length allows the intrinsic variability to be distinguished from noise.