Gerard Van Belle

Most of my research projects involve observational near-infrared interferometry, using the Palomar Testbed Interferometer (PTI), the Keck Interferometer, and the IR/Optical Telescope Array (IOTA). Using these instruments, one of my fortes is establishing basic parameters (radius, temperature, mass) for giant and supergiant stars, carbon stars, young stellar objects (T Tauri and Ae/Be stars), Mira variables, and binary stars. Using interferometry to parameterize oblateness due to stellar rotation is a recent new research direction, expanding the envelope of applicability of near-IR interferometry to higher order stellar surface structure. In addition to astronomical interferometry, I am working on planetary detection through ground-based transit observations.