Multiple concentric annuli for characterizing spatially nonuniform backgrounds
Abstract
A method is presented for estimating the background at a given location on a sky map by interpolating the estimated background from a set of concentric annuli which surround this location. If the background is nonuniform but smoothly varying, this method provides a more accurate (though less precise) estimate than can be obtained with a single annulus. Several applications of multi-annulus background estimation are discussed, including direct testing for point sources in the presence of a nonuniform background, the generation of "surrogate maps" for characterizing false alarm rates, and precise testing of the null hypothesis that the background is uniform.
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/9808225,
title = {Multiple concentric annuli for characterizing spatially nonuniform backgrounds},
author = {James Theiler and Jeff Bloch},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/9808225},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
35 pages, including 19 embedded postscript figures; LaTeX with AAS macros. Minor revisions, improved figures, as suggested by referee. To appear in Astrophysical Journal