Optimizing point-source parameters for scanning satellite surveys
arXiv:0906.2709 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15253.x
Abstract
We describe a method for deriving the position and flux of point and compact sources observed by a scanning survey mission. Results from data simulated to test our method are presented, which demonstrate that at least a 10-fold improvement is achievable over that of extracting the image parameters, position and flux, from the equivalent data in the form of pixel maps. Our method achieves this improvement by analysing the original scan data and performing a combined, iterative solution for the image parameters. This approach allows for a full and detailed account of the point-spread function, or beam profile, of the instrument. Additionally, the positional information from different frequency channels may be combined to provide the flux-detection accuracy at each frequency for the same sky position. Ultimately, a final check and correction of the geometric calibration of the instrument may also be included. The {\it Planck} mission was used as the basis for our simulations, but our method will be beneficial for most scanning satellite missions, especially those with non-circularly symmetric point-spread functions.
13 pages, 14 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication by MNRAS
References in corpus (6)
- HEALPix -- a Framework for High Resolution Discretization, and Fast Analysis of Data Distributed on the Sphere
- Non-blind catalogue of extragalactic point sources from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) first 3--year survey data
- Making sky maps from Planck data
- Scanning strategy for mapping the Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropies with Planck
- The Geometric Calibration of the Planck satellite using Solar System Objects
- The Geometric Calibration of the Planck satellite using point-source observations