Variability Flagging in the WISE Preliminary Data Release

Douglas I. Hoffman; R. M. Cutri; F. J. Masci; J. W. Fowler; K. A. Marsh; T. H. Jarrett

Variability Flagging in the WISE Preliminary Data Release

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics 2012-03-28 v1 Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Authors: Douglas I. Hoffman , R. M. Cutri , F. J. Masci , J. W. Fowler , K. A. Marsh , T. H. Jarrett

Abstract

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer Preliminary Data Release Source Catalog contains over 257 million objects. We describe the method used to flag variable source candidates in the Catalog. Using a method based on the chi- square of single-exposure flux measurements, we generated a variability flag for each object, and have identified almost 460,000 candidates sources that exhibit significant flux variability with greater than \sim 7{\sigma} confidence. We discuss the flagging method in detail and describe its benefits and limitations. We also present results from the flagging method, including example light curves of several types of variable sources including Algol-type eclipsing binaries, RR Lyr, W UMa, and a blazar candidate.

Keywords

astronomical catalogs

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@article{arxiv.1203.5818,
  title  = {Variability Flagging in the WISE Preliminary Data Release},
  author = {Douglas I. Hoffman and R. M. Cutri and F. J. Masci and J. W. Fowler and K. A. Marsh and T. H. Jarrett},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1203.5818},
  year   = {2012}
}

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13 pages, 11 figures, 1 appendix

Variability Flagging in the WISE Preliminary Data Release

Abstract

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