Variational Image Feature Extraction for the Event Horizon Telescope

Abstract

Imaging algorithms form powerful analysis tools for VLBI data analysis. However, these tools cannot measure certain image features (e.g., ring diameter) by their non-parametric nature. This is unfortunate since these image features are often related to astrophysically relevant quantities such as black hole mass. This paper details a new general image feature extraction technique that applies to a wide variety of VLBI image reconstructions called variational image domain analysis. Unlike previous tools, variational image domain analysis can be applied to any image reconstruction regardless of its structure. To demonstrate its flexibility, we analyze thousands of reconstructions from previous EHT synthetic datasets and recover image features such as diameter, orientation, and asymmetry. By measuring these features, VIDA can help extract astrophysically relevant quantities such as the mass and orientation of M 87.

submitted to ApJ 12 pages, 2 pages of appendices, 8 figures

References in corpus (9)

• First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results. I. The Shadow of the Supermassive Black Hole
• First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results. VI. The Shadow and Mass of the Central Black Hole
• First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results. IV. Imaging the Central Supermassive Black Hole
• First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results. V. Physical Origin of the Asymmetric Ring
• First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results. II. Array and Instrumentation
• First M87 Event Horizon Telescope Results. III. Data Processing and Calibration
• Imaging the Schwarzschild-radius-scale Structure of M87 with the Event Horizon Telescope using Sparse Modeling
• Super-resolution Full Polarimetric Imaging for Radio Interferometry with Sparse Modeling
• Hybrid Very Long Baseline Interferometry Imaging and Modeling with Themis

Cited by in corpus (10)

• First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. III: Imaging of the Galactic Center Supermassive Black Hole
• First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. IV. Variability, Morphology, and Black Hole Mass
• Horizonless spacetimes as seen by present and next-generation Event Horizon Telescope arrays
• Dynamic and polarimetric VLBI imaging with a multiscalar approach
• Measuring the Ellipticity of M 87* Images
• Bayesian Black Hole Photogrammetry
• Imaging a ring-like structure and the extended jet of M87 at 86 GHz
• Photon ring polarimetry with next-generation black hole imaging I. M87*
• Origin of the ring ellipticity in the black hole images of M87*
• PATOKA: Simulating Electromagnetic Observables of Black Hole Accretion