Difference image analysis: The interplay between the photometric scale factor and systematic photometric errors
arXiv:1504.01832 · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201526025
Abstract
Context: Understanding the source of systematic errors in photometry is essential for their calibration. Aims: We investigate how photometry performed on difference images can be influenced by errors in the photometric scale factor. Methods: We explore the equations for difference image analysis (DIA) and we derive an expression describing how errors in the difference flux, the photometric scale factor and the reference flux are propagated to the object photometry. Results: We find that the error in the photometric scale factor is important, and while a few studies have shown that it can be at a significant level, it is currently neglected by the vast majority of photometric surveys employing DIA. Conclusions: Minimising the error in the photometric scale factor, or compensating for it in a post-calibration model, is crucial for reducing the systematic errors in DIA photometry.
Accepted A&A
References in corpus (13)
- A method for optimal image subtraction
- A New Algorithm For Difference Image Analysis
- The Palomar Transient Factory photometric calibration
- Precise Throughput Determination of the PanSTARRS Telescope and the Gigapixel Imager using a Calibrated Silicon Photodiode and a Tunable Laser: Initial Results
- Difference Image Analysis: Extension to a Spatially Varying Photometric Scale Factor and Other Considerations
- RoboNet-II: Follow-up observations of microlensing events with a robotic network of telescopes
- CCD time-series photometry of the globular cluster NGC 6981: Variable star census and physical parameter estimates
- Systematic Trends In Sloan Digital Sky Survey Photometric Data
- A detailed census of variable stars in the globular cluster NGC 6333 (M9) from CCD differential photometry
- Estimating the parameters of globular cluster M 30 (NGC 7099) from time-series photometry
- A Census of Variability in Globular Cluster M68 (NGC 4590)
- Regularization Techniques for PSF-Matching Kernels. I. Choice of Kernel Basis
- Ubercalibration of the Deep Lens Survey
Cited by in corpus (12)
- RR Lyrae stars and the horizontal branch of NGC 5904 (M5)
- A new study of the variable star population in the Hercules globular cluster (M13; NGC 6205)
- Difference image analysis: Automatic kernel design using information criteria
- Red noise versus planetary interpretations in the microlensing event OGLE-2013-BLG-446
- Variable stars in the bulge globular cluster NGC 6401
- A vindication of the RR Lyrae Fourier light curve decomposition for the calculation of metallicity and distance in globular clusters
- NGC 1261: A time-series \emph{VI} study of its variable stars
- NGC 6712: the variable star population of a tidally disrupted globular cluster
- PyTorchDIA: A flexible, GPU-accelerated numerical approach to Difference Image Analysis
- RR Lyrae stars in the globular cluster Palomar 2
- Exploring the crowded central region of 10 Galactic globular clusters using EMCCDs. Variable star searches and new discoveries
- Photometric Stability of an EMCCD Camera at 1-s Exposures