The Application of Radio Interferometry to Extraterrestrial Metrology

Following an introductory discussion of the interferometric method, the essential building block of an interferometric system, the interferometric link, is discussed, especially with reference to the transmit-receive problem and to the noise problem in a frequency tracking circuit. One form of phase-locked loop is discussed in connection with the latter. Several possible interferometric applications are listed and a table is presented in which an attempt has been made at estimating the essential parameters of each system.