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We perform a comparison of different approaches to star-galaxy classification using the broad-band photometric data from Year 1 of the Dark Energy Survey. This is done by performing a wide range of tests with and without external `truth information, which can be ported to other similar datasets. We make a broad evaluation of the performance of the classifiers in two science cases with DES data that are most affected by this systematic effect: large-scale structure and Milky Way studies. In general, even though the default morphological classifiers used for DES Y1 cosmology studies are sufficient to maintain a low level of systematic contamination from stellar mis-classification, contamination can be reduced to the O(1%) level by using multi-epoch and infrared information from external datasets. For Milky Way studies the stellar sample can be augmented by ~20% for a given flux limit. Reference catalogs used in this work will be made available upon publication.
Future astrophysical surveys such as J-PAS will produce very large datasets, which will require the deployment of accurate and efficient Machine Learning (ML) methods. In this work, we analyze the miniJPAS survey, which observed about 1 deg2 of the AEGIS field with 56 narrow-band filters and 4 ugri broad-band filters. We discuss the classification of miniJPAS sources into extended (galaxies) and point-like (e.g. stars) objects, a necessary step for the subsequent scientific analyses. We aim at developing an ML classifier that is complementary to traditional tools based on explicit modeling. In order to train and test our classifiers, we crossmatched the miniJPAS dataset with SDSS and HSC-SSP data. We trained and tested 6 different ML algorithms on the two crossmatched catalogs. As input for the ML algorithms we use the magnitudes from the 60 filters together with their errors, with and without the morphological parameters. We also use the mean PSF in the r detection band for each pointing. We find that the RF and ERT algorithms perform best in all scenarios. When analyzing the full magnitude range of 15<r<23.5 we find AUC=0.957 with RF when using only photometric information, and AUC=0.986 with ERT when using photometric and morphological information. Regarding feature importance, when using morphological parameters, FWHM is the most important feature. When using photometric information only, we observe that broad bands are not necessarily more important than narrow bands, and errors are as important as the measurements. ML algorithms can compete with traditional star/galaxy classifiers, outperforming the latter at fainter magnitudes (r>21). We use our best classifiers, with and without morphology, in order to produce a value added catalog available at https://j-pas.org/datareleases .
We describe the first public data release of the Dark Energy Survey, DES DR1, consisting of reduced single epoch images, coadded images, coadded source catalogs, and associated products and services assembled over the first three years of DES science operations. DES DR1 is based on optical/near-infrared imaging from 345 distinct nights (August 2013 to February 2016) by the Dark Energy Camera mounted on the 4-m Blanco telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. We release data from the DES wide-area survey covering ~5,000 sq. deg. of the southern Galactic cap in five broad photometric bands, grizY. DES DR1 has a median delivered point-spread function of g = 1.12, r = 0.96, i = 0.88, z = 0.84, and Y = 0.90 arcsec FWHM, a photometric precision of < 1% in all bands, and an astrometric precision of 151 mas. The median coadded catalog depth for a 1.95 diameter aperture at S/N = 10 is g = 24.33, r = 24.08, i = 23.44, z = 22.69, and Y = 21.44 mag. DES DR1 includes nearly 400M distinct astronomical objects detected in ~10,000 coadd tiles of size 0.534 sq. deg. produced from ~39,000 individual exposures. Benchmark galaxy and stellar samples contain ~310M and ~ 80M objects, respectively, following a basic object quality selection. These data are accessible through a range of interfaces, including query web clients, image cutout servers, jupyter notebooks, and an interactive coadd image visualization tool. DES DR1 constitutes the largest photometric data set to date at the achieved depth and photometric precision.
We present the second public data release of the Dark Energy Survey, DES DR2, based on optical/near-infrared imaging by the Dark Energy Camera mounted on the 4-m Blanco telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. DES DR2 consists of reduced single-epoch and coadded images, a source catalog derived from coadded images, and associated data products assembled from 6 years of DES science operations. This release includes data from the DES wide-area survey covering ~5000 deg2 of the southern Galactic cap in five broad photometric bands, grizY. DES DR2 has a median delivered point-spread function full-width at half maximum of g= 1.11, r= 0.95, i= 0.88, z= 0.83, and Y= 0.90 arcsec photometric uniformity with a standard deviation of < 3 mmag with respect to Gaia DR2 G-band, a photometric accuracy of ~10 mmag, and a median internal astrometric precision of ~27 mas. The median coadded catalog depth for a 1.95 arcsec diameter aperture at S/N= 10 is g= 24.7, r= 24.4, i= 23.8, z= 23.1 and Y= 21.7 mag. DES DR2 includes ~691 million distinct astronomical objects detected in 10,169 coadded image tiles of size 0.534 deg2 produced from 76,217 single-epoch images. After a basic quality selection, benchmark galaxy and stellar samples contain 543 million and 145 million objects, respectively. These data are accessible through several interfaces, including interactive image visualization tools, web-based query clients, image cutout servers and Jupyter notebooks. DES DR2 constitutes the largest photometric data set to date at the achieved depth and photometric precision.
We present a forward-modelling simulation framework designed to model the data products from the Dark Energy Survey (DES). This forward-model process can be thought of as a transfer function -- a mapping from cosmological and astronomical signals to the final data products used by the scientists. Using output from the cosmological simulations (the Blind Cosmology Challenge), we generate simulated images (the Ultra Fast Image Simulator, Berge et al. 2013) and catalogs representative of the DES data. In this work we simulate the 244 sq. deg coadd images and catalogs in 5 bands for the DES Science Verification (SV) data. The simulation output is compared with the corresponding data to show that major characteristics of the images and catalogs can be captured. We also point out several directions of future improvements. Two practical examples, star/galaxy classification and proximity effects on object detection, are then used to demonstrate how one can use the simulations to address systematics issues in data analysis. With clear understanding of the simplifications in our model, we show that one can use the simulations side-by-side with data products to interpret the measurements. This forward modelling approach is generally applicable for other upcoming and future surveys. It provides a powerful tool for systematics studies which is sufficiently realistic and highly controllable.
For ground-based optical imaging with current CCD technology, the Poisson fluctuations in source and sky background photon arrivals dominate the noise budget and are readily estimated. Another component of noise, however, is the signal from the undetected population of stars and galaxies. Using injection of artificial galaxies into images, we demonstrate that the measured variance of galaxy moments (used for weak gravitational lensing measurements) in Dark Energy Survey (DES) images is significantly in excess of the Poisson predictions, by up to 30%, and that the background sky levels are overestimated by current software. By cross-correlating distinct images of empty sky regions, we establish that there is a significant image noise contribution from undetected static sources (US), which on average are mildly resolved at DES resolution. Treating these US as a stationary noise source, we compute a correction to the moment covariance matrix expected from Poisson noise. The corrected covariance matrix matches the moment variances measured on the injected DES images to within 5%. Thus we have an empirical method to statistically account for US in weak lensing measurements, rather than requiring extremely deep sky simulations. We also find that local sky determinations can remove the bias in flux measurements, at a small penalty in additional, but quantifiable, noise.