  We present numerical simulations for a possible synthesis imaging mode of the
Space Interferometer Mission (SIM). We summarize the general techniques that
SIM offers to perform imaging of high surface brightness sources, and discuss
their strengths and weaknesses. We describe an interactive software package
that is used to provide realistic, photometrically correct estimates of SIM
performance for various classes of astronomical objects. In particular, we
simulate the cases of gaseous disks around black holes in the nuclei of
galaxies, and zodiacal dust disks around young stellar objects. Regarding the
first, we show that a Keplerian velocity gradient of the line-emitting gaseous
disk -- and thus the mass of the putative black hole -- can be determined with
SIM to unprecedented accuracy in about 5 hours of integration time for objects
with H_alpha surface brigthness comparable to the prototype M 87. Detections
and observations of exo-zodiacal dust disks depend critically on the disk
properties and the nulling capabilities of SIM. Systems with similar disk size
and at least one tenth of the dust content of beta Pic can be detected by SIM
at distances between 100 pc and a few kpc, if a nulling efficiency of 1/10000
is achieved. Possible inner clear regions indicative of the presence of massive
planets can also be detected and imaged. On the other hand, exo-zodiacal disks
with properties more similar to the solar system will not be found in
reasonable integration times with SIM.
