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P. Hinz (U. Arizona)
Common-mount interferometers such as the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) are ideal instruments for two important interferometric techniques: nulling suppression, to detect faint circumstellar material, and Fizeau interferometry, to provide wide-field, high resolution imaging. In preparation for the LBT, which is planned for completion in 2004, nulling interferometry is being developed using the 6.5 m MMT. A nulling beamcombiner has been built and is currently being used to observe the faint circumstellar environments of AGB stars as well as Herbig Ae/Be stars. Coupled with the MMT deformable secondary the system will be capable of high levels of supression to enable detection of faint zodiacal dust around nearby stars, indicating the evidence of planetary systems. The LBT, as a nulling interferometer, will use this technique, coupled with its increased sensitivity, to survey nearby stars for zodiacal dust down to near solar level and planetary companions down to approximately the mass of Jupiter. As a Fizeau interferometer the unique aspect of the LBT will be to provide wide-field imaging of faint, complex objects with resolution two to three times that of the largest single aperture telescopes. A single beamcombiner can accomplish both techniques making the LBTI a versatile facility for a wide range of astronomical observations.