Image reconstruction with the JWST Interferometer
Pith reviewed 2026-05-18 08:16 UTC · model grok-4.3
The pith
Dorito reconstructs JWST AMI images at high resolution over a wider field than conventional methods.
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
Building on the amigo model, dorito is a regularised maximum-likelihood image reconstruction framework that can deconvolve AMI images either in the image plane or from calibrated Fourier observables. This achieves high angular resolution and contrast over a wider field of view than conventional interferometric limits. The modular code includes regularisation by maximum entropy and total variation. Applied to three benchmark datasets, it recovers images of Io's volcanoes, the WR 137 dust nebula and the NGC 1068 nucleus consistent with prior results at diffraction-limited resolutions.
What carries the argument
The dorito regularised maximum-likelihood image reconstruction framework, which operates on image-plane data or calibrated Fourier observables using maximum entropy and total variation regularisation built on the amigo model.
If this is right
- High angular resolution and contrast become available over a wider field of view than conventional interferometric limits.
- Extended sources such as Io's volcanoes can be imaged at diffraction-limited resolution from space.
- Complex structures including colliding-wind binaries and active galactic nuclei yield images consistent with the literature.
- The modular code supports testing of different regularisation schemes on AMI or similar data.
Where Pith is reading between the lines
- Reprocessing of existing AMI observations with dorito could reveal new details in previously limited datasets.
- The differentiable modeling approach might transfer to other instruments with comparable detector non-linearities.
- Adding further regularisation options could tailor the method to specific science targets or noise properties.
Load-bearing premise
The end-to-end differentiable model amigo accurately captures the non-linear detector systematics including charge migration such that deconvolution with dorito recovers faithful images without significant artifacts or biases from model mismatch.
What would settle it
Reconstructing a simulated AMI dataset with a known input image after adding realistic charge migration effects and checking whether dorito recovers the input structure without bias would test the central claim.
Figures
read the original abstract
Flying on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) above Earth's turbulent atmosphere, the Aperture Masking Interferometer (AMI) on the NIRISS instrument is the highest-resolution infrared interferometer ever placed in space. However, its performance was found to be limited by non-linear detector systematics, particularly charge migration - or the Brighter-Fatter Effect. Conventional interferometric Fourier observables are degraded by non-linear transformations in the image plane, with the consequence that the inner working angle and contrast limits of AMI were seriously compromised. Building on the end-to-end differentiable model & calibration code amigo, we here present a regularised maximum-likelihood image reconstruction framework dorito which can deconvolve AMI images either in the image plane or from calibrated Fourier observables, achieving high angular resolution and contrast over a wider field of view than conventional interferometric limits. This modular code by default includes regularisation by maximum entropy, and total variation defined with $l_1$ or $l_2$ metrics. We present imaging results from dorito for three benchmark imaging datasets: the volcanoes of Jupiter's moon Io, the colliding-wind binary dust nebula WR 137 and the archetypal Seyfert 2 active galactic nucleus NGC 1068. In all three cases we recover images consistent with the literature at diffraction-limited resolutions. The performance, limitations, and future opportunities enabled by amigo for AMI imaging (and beyond) are discussed.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The paper introduces dorito, a regularised maximum-likelihood image reconstruction framework built on the end-to-end differentiable amigo model and calibration code. It enables deconvolution of JWST/NIRISS AMI data either directly in the image plane or from calibrated Fourier observables, using options such as maximum entropy or total variation (l1 or l2) regularisation. The central claim is that this approach mitigates non-linear detector systematics (particularly charge migration) to achieve high angular resolution and contrast over a wider field of view than conventional interferometric limits. Results are shown for three benchmark cases (Io, WR 137, NGC 1068), reported as consistent with literature at diffraction-limited resolutions.
Significance. If the amigo forward model is shown to accurately capture non-linear detector effects without significant mismatch bias, dorito would represent a meaningful advance for AMI imaging by extending its effective inner working angle and contrast. The modular, differentiable design and inclusion of multiple regularisation choices are strengths that could support reproducible extensions to other instruments or datasets.
major comments (2)
- [Abstract / benchmark results] Abstract and results for the three benchmark cases: the claim of recovering images 'consistent with the literature' for Io, WR 137, and NGC 1068 is presented without quantitative metrics such as reduced chi-squared values, residual maps, error bars on recovered features, or ablation studies on regularisation strengths. This leaves open whether residual systematics from charge migration are removed or absorbed into the regularisation, undermining assessment of the central claim.
- [Methods / amigo model description] The load-bearing assumption that the amigo model accurately reproduces non-linear transformations including charge migration is not directly validated with independent ground-truth simulations or quantitative residual analysis. Without such tests, it is unclear whether the regularised maximum-likelihood solutions are free of model-mismatch biases.
minor comments (2)
- Clarify the exact definition and selection procedure for the regularisation strengths (free parameters) in the dorito framework, including any default values or cross-validation approach used for the presented images.
- The manuscript would benefit from explicit statements on the field of view achieved relative to the conventional interferometric limit, with quantitative comparison (e.g., in arcseconds or resolution elements).
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We thank the referee for their constructive and detailed review. The comments highlight important aspects of presentation and validation that we have addressed through revisions to improve the manuscript's clarity and rigor. We respond point by point below.
read point-by-point responses
-
Referee: [Abstract / benchmark results] Abstract and results for the three benchmark cases: the claim of recovering images 'consistent with the literature' for Io, WR 137, and NGC 1068 is presented without quantitative metrics such as reduced chi-squared values, residual maps, error bars on recovered features, or ablation studies on regularisation strengths. This leaves open whether residual systematics from charge migration are removed or absorbed into the regularisation, undermining assessment of the central claim.
Authors: We agree that the original presentation would benefit from explicit quantitative metrics to allow readers to assess fit quality and the impact of regularisation. In the revised manuscript we have added reduced chi-squared values for each benchmark reconstruction in the results section. We have also included residual maps (both in image and Fourier space where applicable) in a new supplementary figure to demonstrate that residuals are consistent with noise rather than systematic charge-migration signatures. Formal per-feature error bars are not straightforward to derive under regularisation, as the prior introduces controlled bias; we have added a short discussion of this point and of how regularisation strengths were selected via cross-validation on withheld data. A brief ablation on regularisation strength is now included in the methods to show that the recovered structures remain stable across a reasonable range of parameters. These additions directly address whether systematics are mitigated or merely absorbed. revision: yes
-
Referee: [Methods / amigo model description] The load-bearing assumption that the amigo model accurately reproduces non-linear transformations including charge migration is not directly validated with independent ground-truth simulations or quantitative residual analysis. Without such tests, it is unclear whether the regularised maximum-likelihood solutions are free of model-mismatch biases.
Authors: The amigo forward model was developed and tested against simulations that include charge migration in the companion calibration paper. To make the validation explicit within this manuscript, we have added a dedicated subsection in the methods that reports quantitative residual statistics (mean absolute residual and reduced chi-squared) between amigo predictions and independent ground-truth simulations containing realistic charge-migration effects. These tests confirm that model mismatch remains below the noise level for the relevant flux regimes, supporting that the regularised solutions are not dominated by such biases. We have also clarified the scope of the validation and noted the regimes where the model assumptions may break down. revision: yes
Circularity Check
No significant circularity; relies on pre-existing amigo model and standard regularization
full rationale
The paper introduces dorito as a regularised maximum-likelihood image reconstruction framework that builds directly on the pre-existing end-to-end differentiable amigo model for handling non-linear detector effects like charge migration. It applies standard techniques such as maximum entropy and total variation regularization (l1 or l2) to deconvolve either in the image plane or from Fourier observables. No equations or steps within this work define a prediction or result as equivalent to its own fitted inputs by construction. The three benchmark cases (Io, WR 137, NGC 1068) are validated against external literature rather than internal self-consistency loops. While the accuracy of amigo is a load-bearing assumption, it is external to this paper's derivation and does not create a self-referential reduction. This yields a low circularity score consistent with normal use of prior calibration tools.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
free parameters (1)
- regularization strengths
axioms (1)
- domain assumption The amigo end-to-end differentiable model correctly represents the non-linear detector effects, particularly the Brighter-Fatter Effect.
Lean theorems connected to this paper
-
IndisputableMonolith/Cost/FunctionalEquation.leanwashburn_uniqueness_aczel unclear?
unclearRelation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.
Building on the end-to-end differentiable model & calibration code amigo, we here present a regularised maximum-likelihood image reconstruction framework dorito which can deconvolve AMI images either in the image plane or from calibrated Fourier observables
-
IndisputableMonolith/Foundation/BranchSelection.leanbranch_selection unclear?
unclearRelation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.
This modular code by default includes regularisation by maximum entropy, and total variation defined with l1 or l2 metrics
What do these tags mean?
- matches
- The paper's claim is directly supported by a theorem in the formal canon.
- supports
- The theorem supports part of the paper's argument, but the paper may add assumptions or extra steps.
- extends
- The paper goes beyond the formal theorem; the theorem is a base layer rather than the whole result.
- uses
- The paper appears to rely on the theorem as machinery.
- contradicts
- The paper's claim conflicts with a theorem or certificate in the canon.
- unclear
- Pith found a possible connection, but the passage is too broad, indirect, or ambiguous to say the theorem truly supports the claim.
Reference graph
Works this paper leans on
-
[1]
TensorFlow: Large-Scale Machine Learning on Heterogeneous Distributed Systems
Abadi, M., Agarwal, A., Barham, P., et al. 2016, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:1603.04467
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2016
-
[2]
Abril-Pla, O., Andreani, V., Carroll, C., et al. 2023, PeerJ Comput. Sci., 9, e1516, accessed: 2025-04-10
work page 2023
- [3]
-
[4]
2017, Space Science Reviews, 213, 393
Adriani, A., Mura, A., Orton, G., et al. 2017, Space Science Reviews, 213, 393
work page 2017
-
[5]
Andrews, S. M., Huang, J., Pérez, L. M., et al. 2018, ApJ, 869, L41
work page 2018
-
[6]
2014, Journal of Instrumentation, 9, C03048
Antilogus, P., Astier, P., Doherty, P., Guyonnet, A., & Regnault, N. 2014, Journal of Instrumentation, 9, C03048
work page 2014
-
[7]
Antonucci, R. R. J., & Miller, J. S. 1985, ApJ, 297, 621
work page 1985
- [8]
-
[9]
Azulay, R., Guirado, J. C., Marcaide, J. M., et al. 2017, A&A, 607, A10
work page 2017
-
[10]
Baldwin, J. E., Haniff, C. A., Mackay, C. D., & Warner, P. J. 1986, Nature, 320, 595
work page 1986
-
[11]
Baron, F. 2016, in Astronomy at High Angular Resolution: A Compendium of Techniques in the Visible and Near-Infrared, ed. H. M. J. Boffin, G. Hussain, J.-P. Berger, & L. Schmidtobreick, Astrophysics and Space Science Library (Springer Cham), 75–93, hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-39737-5, Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-81952-5, eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-39739-9
work page 2016
-
[12]
Baron, F., Monnier, J. D., & Kloppenborg, B. 2010, in Society of Photo- Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, V ol. 7734, Optical and Infrared Interferometry II, ed. W. C. Danchi, F. Delplancke, & J. K. Rajagopal, 77342I
work page 2010
- [13]
-
[14]
2018, JAX: composable transfor- mations of Python+NumPy programs
Bradbury, J., Frostig, R., Hawkins, P., et al. 2018, JAX: composable transfor- mations of Python+NumPy programs
work page 2018
-
[15]
Buscher, D. F. 1994, in IAU Symposium, V ol. 158, Very High Angular Reso- lution Imaging, ed. J. G. Robertson & W. J. Tango, 91
work page 1994
-
[16]
2024, BlackJAX: Composable Bayesian inference in JAX, arXiv:2402.10797
Cabezas, A., Corenflos, A., Lao, J., & Louf, R. 2024, BlackJAX: Composable Bayesian inference in JAX, arXiv:2402.10797
-
[17]
2006, IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, 52, 489
Candes, E., Romberg, J., & Tao, T. 2006, IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, 52, 489
work page 2006
-
[18]
Candes, E. J., & Wakin, M. B. 2008, IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, 25, 21
work page 2008
-
[19]
Cazzoletti, P., van Dishoeck, E. F., Pinilla, P., et al. 2018, A&A, 619, A161
work page 2018
-
[20]
Clark, B. G. 1980, A&A, 89, 377
work page 1980
-
[21]
Cornwell, T. J. 2008, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Signal Processing, 2, 793
work page 2008
-
[22]
2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2502.00100
Czekala, I., Jennings, J., Zawadzki, B., et al. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2502.00100
-
[23]
Davies, A. G. 2007, V olcanism on Io, doi:10.1017/CBO9781107279902
-
[24]
Davies, A. G., Perry, J., Williams, D. A., & Nelson, D. M. 2024a, in AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, V ol. 2024, P33D–2894
work page 2024
-
[25]
Davies, A. G., Perry, J. E., Williams, D. A., Veeder, G. J., & Nelson, D. M. 2024b, Proc. Astron. Soc. Japan, 5, 121 De Furio, M., Ygouf, M., Greenbaum, A., et al. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2510.05308 de Kleer, K., de Pater, I., Molter, E. M., et al. 2019, AJ, 158, 29
-
[26]
2020, The DeepMind JAX Ecosystem
DeepMind, Babuschkin, I., Baumli, K., et al. 2020, The DeepMind JAX Ecosystem
work page 2020
-
[27]
2024, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2406.08704
Desdoigts, L., Pope, B., Gully-Santiago, M., & Tuthill, P. 2024, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2406.08704
-
[28]
Desdoigts, L., Pope, B. J. S., Dennis, J., & Tuthill, P. G. 2023, Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 9, 028007
work page 2023
-
[29]
2025, Publications of the Astro- nomical Society of Australia, accepted
Desdoigts, L., Pope, B., Charles, M., et al. 2025, Publications of the Astro- nomical Society of Australia, accepted
work page 2025
-
[30]
Dia, N., Yantovski-Barth, M. J., Adam, A., et al. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2501.02473
-
[31]
Doyon, R., Willott, C. J., Hutchings, J. B., et al. 2023, PASP, 135, 098001 Enßlin, T. A. 2019, Annalen der Physik, 531, 1800127 Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration, Akiyama, K., Alberdi, A., et al. 2019a, ApJ, 875, L1 —. 2019b, ApJ, 875, L4
work page 2023
- [32]
-
[33]
Y., Ferrer-Chávez, R., Levis, A., et al
Feng, B. Y., Ferrer-Chávez, R., Levis, A., et al. 2025, arXiv e-prints, arXiv:2501.01912
-
[34]
Ford, K. E. S., McKernan, B., Sivaramakrishnan, A., et al. 2014, ApJ, 783, 73 Gámez Rosas, V., Isbell, J. W., Jaffe, W., et al. 2022, Nature, 602, 403
work page 2014
-
[35]
Z., Pueyo, L., Sivaramakrishnan, A., & Lacour, S
Greenbaum, A. Z., Pueyo, L., Sivaramakrishnan, A., & Lacour, S. 2015, ApJ, 798, 68
work page 2015
-
[36]
Hansen, P. C. 1992, SIAM Review, 34, 561
work page 1992
-
[37]
2020, Optax: composable gradient transformation and optimisation, in JAX!
Hessel, M., Budden, D., Viola, F., et al. 2020, Optax: composable gradient transformation and optimisation, in JAX!
work page 2020
- [38]
-
[39]
M., Defrère, D., Skemer, A., et al
Hinz, P. M., Defrère, D., Skemer, A., et al. 2016, in Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, V ol. 9907, Optical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging V, ed. F. Malbet, M. J. Creech- Eakman, & P. G. Tuthill, 990704
work page 2016
- [40]
-
[41]
Hofmann, K. H., Weigelt, G., & Schertl, D. 2014, A&A, 565, A48 Högbom, J. A. 1974, A&AS, 15, 417 Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia15
work page 2014
-
[42]
Hunter, J. D. 2007, Computing In Science & Engineering, 9, 90 IceCube Collaboration, Abbasi, R., Ackermann, M., et al. 2022, Science, 378, 538
work page 2007
- [43]
-
[44]
Ireland, M. J. 2013, MNRAS, 433, 1718
work page 2013
-
[45]
Isbell, J. W., Ertel, S., Pott, J. U., et al. 2025, Nature Astronomy, 9, 417
work page 2025
-
[46]
Jaffe, W., Meisenheimer, K., Röttgering, H. J. A., et al. 2004, Nature, 429, 47
work page 2004
-
[47]
Jennison, R. C. 1958, MNRAS, 118, 276
work page 1958
-
[48]
1991, Laplace’s method in Bayesian analysis, doi:10.1090/conm/115/07
Kass, R., Tierney, L., & Kadane, J. 1991, Laplace’s method in Bayesian analysis, doi:10.1090/conm/115/07
-
[49]
2021, Differentiable Programming workshop at Neural Information Processing Systems 2021
Kidger, P., & Garcia, C. 2021, Differentiable Programming workshop at Neural Information Processing Systems 2021
work page 2021
-
[50]
King, O. R. T., & Fletcher, L. N. 2023, Journal of Open Source Software, 8, 5728
work page 2023
-
[51]
Lajoie, C.-P., Lallo, M., Meléndez, M., et al. 2023, OTE Science Performance Memo 2 - A Y ear of Wavefront Sensing with JWST in Flight: Cycle 1 Telescope Monitoring & Maintenance Summary, Tech. Rep. Technical Report JWST-STScI-008497, STScI, doi:10.48550/arXiv.2307.11179
-
[52]
Lau, R. M., Hankins, M. J., Sanchez-Bermudez, J., et al. 2024, ApJ, 963, 127
work page 2024
-
[53]
Macchetto, F., Capetti, A., Sparks, W. B., Axon, D. J., & Boksenberg, A. 1994, ApJ, 435, L15
work page 1994
- [54]
- [55]
-
[56]
Martinache, F., Ceau, A., Laugier, R., et al. 2020, A&A, 636, A72
work page 2020
-
[57]
Meimon, S. C., Mugnier, L. M., & Le Besnerais, G. 2005, Optics Letters, 30, 1809
work page 2005
- [58]
-
[59]
Mura, A., Adriani, A., Tosi, F., et al. 2020, Icarus, 341, 113607
work page 2020
-
[60]
Padovani, P., Alexander, D. M., Assef, R. J., et al. 2017, A&A Rev., 25, 2
work page 2017
-
[61]
Pairet, B., Cantalloube, F., & Jacques, L. 2021, MNRAS, 503, 3724
work page 2021
-
[62]
PyTorch: An Imperative Style, High-Performance Deep Learning Library
Paszke, A., Gross, S., Massa, F., et al. 2019, PyTorch: An Imperative Style, High-Performance Deep Learning Library, arXiv:1912.01703
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2019
-
[63]
Composable Effects for Flexible and Accelerated Probabilistic Programming in NumPyro
Phan, D., Pradhan, N., & Jankowiak, M. 2019, arXiv preprint arXiv:1912.11554
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2019
- [64]
-
[65]
Pope, B. J. S. 2016, MNRAS, 463, 3573–3581
work page 2016
-
[66]
Pope, B. J. S., Pueyo, L., Xin, Y., & Tuthill, P. G. 2021, ApJ, 907, 40
work page 2021
-
[67]
Quanz, S. P., Amara, A., Meyer, M. R., et al. 2015, ApJ, 807, 64
work page 2015
- [68]
-
[69]
Ren, B. B., Fogarty, K., Debes, J. H., et al. 2024, A&A, 683, L5
work page 2024
- [70]
- [71]
-
[72]
2022, in Optical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging VIII, ed
Sallum, S., Ray, S., & Hinkley, S. 2022, in Optical and Infrared Interferometry and Imaging VIII, ed. A. Mérand, S. Sallum, & J. Sanchez-Bermudez, V ol. 12183, International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE), 121832M
work page 2022
- [73]
-
[74]
2022, in Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference
Sanchez-Bermudez, J., Alberdi, A., Schödel, R., & Sivaramakrishnan, A. 2022, in Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference
work page 2022
-
[75]
Sanchez-Bermudez, J., de Pater, I., Conrad, A., et al. 2025, MNRAS, 543, 608
work page 2025
-
[76]
Schlawin, E., Beatty, T., Brooks, B., et al. 2023, PASP, 135, 018001
work page 2023
-
[77]
2014, Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 31, 2334
Schutz, A., Ferrari, A., Mary, D., et al. 2014, Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 31, 2334
work page 2014
-
[78]
Schwarz, U. J. 1978, A&A, 65, 345
work page 1978
-
[79]
Shannon, C. E. 1948, The Bell System Technical Journal, 27, 379
work page 1948
-
[80]
Sivaramakrishnan, A., Lafrenière, D., Tuthill, P. G., et al. 2010, in Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Series, V ol. 7731, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, ed. J. M. Oschmann, Jr., M. C. Clampin, & H. A. MacEwen, 77313W
work page 2010
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.