Phasing an optical interferometer using the radio emission from the target being observed

An interferometry system comprising:

• a plurality of telescopes each configured to simultaneously receive a corresponding first signal reflected from a target and a corresponding second signal emitted by the target, wherein the first signal comprises any of an optical signal and an infrared signal, and wherein the corresponding second signal comprises a corresponding radio signal;
• a plurality of beam splitters each communicatively connected to a corresponding telescope of the plurality of telescopes, wherein each of the plurality of beam splitters is configured to separate the corresponding first signal from the corresponding second signal received by the corresponding telescope;
• a first interferometer comprising any of an optical interferometer and an infrared interferometer and configured to combine the plurality of corresponding first signals received by the plurality of telescopes to detect an interferometry image of the target, wherein a plurality of optical path differences are used by the first interferometer to combine the plurality of corresponding first signals;
• and
• a second interferometer communicatively connected to the plurality of beam splitters, the second interferometer comprising a radio interferometer configured to:
• receive the plurality of corresponding second signals from the plurality of beam splitters;
• correlate the plurality of corresponding second signals to determine a plurality of phase differences;
• and
• determine a plurality of optical path differences corresponding to the plurality of telescopes using the plurality of phase differences of the plurality of corresponding second signals.

A method for phasing an interferometer comprising any of an optical interferometer and an infrared interferometer, the method comprising:

• receiving a first signal reflected from a target and a second signal emitted by the target, wherein the first signal comprises any of a first optical signal and a first infrared signal and the second signal comprises a first radio signal;
• receiving a third signal reflected from the target and a fourth signal emitted by the target, wherein the third signal comprises any of a second optical signal and a second infrared signal and the fourth signal comprises a second radio signal;
• separating the first signal from the second signal;
• separating the third signal from the fourth signal;
• combining the first and third to detect an interferometry image of the target
• receiving the second and fourth signals;
• correlating the second signal with the fourth signal to determine a phase difference;
• and
• determining an optical path difference of the first and third signals using the phase difference of the second signal with the fourth signal.