Data Processing In Infrared Astronomy

Robert F. Pelzmann Jr.

doi:10.1117/12.956759

12 December 1978 Data Processing In Infrared Astronomy

Robert F. Pelzmann Jr.

Proceedings Volume 0156, Modern Utilization of Infrared Technology IV; (1978) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.956759
Event: 22nd Annual Technical Symposium, 1978, San Diego, United States

Abstract

Infrared astronomy is often done with rocket probes or orbiting satellite telescopes to escape the limitations of atmospheric absorption. The data returned from such missions is a highly abstracted digital representation of the measurements made by the analog detectors. The ability and methods needed to locate and measure stars and other infrared emmision from these data streams depends on a thorough understanding of the information flow from the telescope aperature to the computer center. This paper surveys the salient components of this end-to-end concept and the impact each has on the data processing algorithms, including the division between on-board and ground processing for scientific measurements. The most important step in this chain is the detection of sources in the noisy data. The various detection algorithms which have been used in rocket probe and satellite programs are reviewed and their performances compared. Specific algorithms, including thres-holding, peak detection, and matched filtering are shown to be equivalent to an optimal correlation algorithm under different simplifying assumptions. The performance of this optimal algorithm on data from an infrared satellite sky survey is presented. Once detection is completed, the scientific value of the measurements hinges on the methods used to eliminate redundancy and spurious sources, and to measure the positions and brightness of the sources. The impact of reliability and completeness criteria on the choice of these algorithms is presented and compared to previous programs. The importance of the end-to-end concept in meeting these criteria becomes obvious from a discussion of the successes and failures in previous efforts.

Citation Download Citation

Robert F. Pelzmann Jr. "Data Processing In Infrared Astronomy", Proc. SPIE 0156, Modern Utilization of Infrared Technology IV, (12 December 1978); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.956759

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KEYWORDS

Signal detection

Interference (communication)

Sensors

Data processing

Reliability

Signal processing

Telescopes

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