An Algorithm for Preferential Selection of Spectroscopic Targets in LEGUE

Abstract

We describe a general target selection algorithm that is applicable to any survey in which the number of available candidates is much larger than the number of objects to be observed. This routine aims to achieve a balance between a smoothly-varying, well-understood selection function and the desire to preferentially select certain types of targets. Some target-selection examples are shown that illustrate different possibilities of emphasis functions. Although it is generally applicable, the algorithm was developed specifically for the LAMOST Experiment for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (LEGUE) survey that will be carried out using the Chinese Guo Shou Jing Telescope. In particular, this algorithm was designed for the portion of LEGUE targeting the Galactic halo, in which we attempt to balance a variety of science goals that require stars at fainter magnitudes than can be completely sampled by LAMOST. This algorithm has been implemented for the halo portion of the LAMOST pilot survey, which began in October 2011.

17 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in RAA

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Cited by in corpus (25)

• LAMOST Experiment for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (LEGUE) The survey science plan
• LAMOST Spectroscopic Survey of the Galactic Anti-centre (LSS-GAC): target selection and the first release of value-added catalogues
• Stellar labels for hot stars from low-resolution spectra - I. the HotPayne method and results for 330,000 stars from LAMOST DR6
• Tidal interactions between binary stars drives lithium production in low-mass red giants
• Stellar mass distribution and star formation history of the Galactic disk revealed by mono-age stellar populations from LAMOST
• Mapping the Milky Way with LAMOST I: Method and overview
• Measuring the local dark matter density with LAMOST DR5 and Gaia DR2
• The White Dwarf Binary Pathways Survey I: A sample of FGK stars with white dwarf companions
• Determining the local dark matter density with LAMOST data
• Hot Subdwarf Stars Observed in LAMOST DR1 - Atmospheric parameters from single-lined spectra
• Mapping the Galactic disk with the LAMOST and Gaia Red clump sample. VI: An evidence for the long lived non-steady warp of non-gravitational scenarios
• The white dwarf binary pathways survey - II. Radial velocities of 1453 FGK stars with white dwarf companions from LAMOST DR4
• Hot subdwarf stars observed in Gaia DR2 and LAMOST DR5
• The non-monotonic, strong metallicity dependence of the wide-binary fraction
• White dwarf-main sequence binaries from LAMOST: the DR1 catalogue
• The selection of LEGUE disk targets for LAMOST's pilot survey
• Effects of the selection function on metallicity trends in spectroscopic surveys of the Milky Way
• An independent test of the photometric selection of white dwarf candidates using LAMOST DR3
• Chemically peculiar A and F stars with enhanced s-process and iron-peak elements: stellar radiative acceleration at work
• The LEGUE High Latitude Bright Survey Design for the LAMOST Pilot Survey
• The LEGUE Input Catalogue for Dark Night Observing in the LAMOST Pilot Survey
• Homogeneous Stellar Atmospheric Parameters and 22 Elemental Abundances for FGK Stars Derived From LAMOST Low-resolution Spectra with DD-Payne
• Fixing the Reference Frame for PPMXL Proper Motions Using Extragalactic Sources
• Detailed Mapping of the Galactic Disk Structure in the Solar Neighborhood through LAMOST K Dwarfs
• Spectroscopic follow-up of a sub-set of the Gaia/IPHAS catalogue of Hα-excess sources