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Register a new userLcTools II: The QuickFind Method for Finding Signals and Associated TTVs in Light Curves from NASA Space Missions
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This paper describes the new QuickFind method in LcTools for finding signals and associated TTVs (Transit Timing Variations) in light curves from NASA space missions. QuickFind is adept at finding medium to large sized signals (generally those with S/N ratios above 15) extremely fast, significantly reducing overall processing time for a light curve as compared to the BLS detection method. For example, on the lead authors computer, QuickFind was able to detect both KOI signals for star 10937029 in a 14 quarter Kepler light curve spanning 1,459 days in roughly 2 seconds whereas BLS took about 155 seconds to find both signals making QuickFind in this example about 77 times faster than BLS. This paper focuses on the user interfaces, data processing algorithm, and performance tests for the QuickFind method in LcTools.
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Since 2009, the Kepler, K2, and TESS missions have produced a vast number of lightcurves for public use. To assist citizen scientists in processing those lightcurves, the LcTools software system was developed. The system provides a set of tools to efficiently search for signals of interest in large sets of lightcurves using automated and manual (visual) techniques. At the heart of the system is a multipurpose lightcurve viewer and signal processor with advanced navigation and display capabilities to facilitate the search for signals. Other applications in the system are available for building lightcurve files in bulk, finding periodic signals automatically, and generating signal reports. This paper describes each application in the system and the methods by which the software can be used to detect and record signals. The software is free and can be obtained from the lead author by request.
A new era of exploration of the low radio frequency Universe from the Moon will soon be underway with landed payload missions facilitated by NASAs Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. CLPS landers are scheduled to deliver two radio science experiments, ROLSES to the nearside and LuSEE to the farside, beginning in 2021. These instruments would be pathfinders for a 10-km diameter interferometric array, FARSIDE, composed of 128 pairs of dipole antennas proposed to be delivered to the lunar surface later in the decade. ROLSES and LuSEE, operating at frequencies from 100 kHz to a few tens of MHz, will investigate the plasma environment above the lunar surface and measure the fidelity of radio spectra on the surface. Both use electrically-short, spiral-tube deployable antennas and radio spectrometers based upon previous flight models. ROLSES will measure the photoelectron sheath density to better understand the charging of the lunar surface via photoionization and impacts from the solar wind, charged dust, and current anthropogenic radio frequency interference. LuSEE will measure the local magnetic field and exo-ionospheric density, interplanetary radio bursts, Jovian and terrestrial natural radio emission, and the galactic synchrotron spectrum. FARSIDE, and its precursor risk-reduction six antenna-node array PRIME, would be the first radio interferometers on the Moon. FARSIDE would break new ground by imaging radio emission from Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) beyond 2 solar radii, monitor auroral radiation from the B-fields of Uranus and Neptune (not observed since Voyager), and detect radio emission from stellar CMEs and the magnetic fields of nearby potentially habitable exoplanets.
We present a framework for the analysis of direct detection planet finding missions using space telescopes. This framework generates simulations of complete missions, with varying populations of planets, to produce ensembles of mission simulations, which are used to calculate distributions of mission science yields. We describe the components of a mission simulation, including the complete description of an arbitrary planetary system, the description of a planet finding instrument, and the modeling of a target system observation. These components are coupled with a decision modeling algorithm, which allows us to automatically generate mission timelines with simple mission rules that lead to an optimized science yield. Along with the details of our implementation of this algorithm, we discuss validation techniques and possible future refinements. We apply this analysis technique to four mission concepts whose common element is a 4m diameter telescope aperture: an internal pupil mapping coronagraph with two different inner working angles, an external occulter, and the THEIA XPC multiple distance occulter. The focus of this study is to determine the ability of each of these designs to achieve one of their most difficult mission goals - the detection and characterization of Earth-like planets in the habitable zone. We find that all four designs are capable of detecting on the order of 5 Earth-like planets within a 5 year mission, even if we assume that only 1 out of every 10 stars has such a planet. The designs do differ significantly in their ability to characterize the planets they find. Along with science yield, we also analyze fuel usage for the two occulter designs, and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each of the mission concepts.
ImageJ is a graphical user interface (GUI) driven, public domain, Java-based, software package for general image processing traditionally used mainly in life sciences fields. The image processing capabilities of ImageJ are useful and extendable to other scientific fields. Here we present AstroImageJ (AIJ), which provides an astronomy specific image display environment and tools for astronomy specific image calibration and data reduction. Although AIJ maintains the general purpose image processing capabilities of ImageJ, AIJ is streamlined for time-series differential photometry, light curve detrending and fitting, and light curve plotting, especially for applications requiring ultra-precise light curves (e.g., exoplanet transits). AIJ reads and writes standard FITS files, as well as other common image formats, provides FITS header viewing and editing, and is World Coordinate System (WCS) aware, including an automated interface to the astrometry.net web portal for plate solving images. AIJ provides research grade image calibration and analysis tools with a GUI driven approach, and easily installed cross-platform compatibility. It enables new users, even at the level of undergraduate student, high school student, or amateur astronomer, to quickly start processing, modeling, and plotting astronomical image data with one tightly integrated software package.
Astrophysics spans an enormous range of questions on scales from individual planets to the entire cosmos. To address the richness of 21st century astrophysics requires a corresponding richness of telescopes spanning all bands and all messengers. Much scientific benefit comes from having the multi-wavelength capability available at the same time. Most of these bands,or measurement sensitivities, require space-based missions. Historically, NASA has addressed this need for breadth with a small number of flagship-class missions and a larger number of Explorer missions. While the Explorer program continues to flourish, there is a large gap between Explorers and strategic missions. A fortunate combination of new astrophysics technologies with new, high capacity, low dollar-per-kg to orbit launchers, and new satellite buses allow for cheaper missions with capabilities approaching strategic mission levels. NASA has recognized these developments by calling for Probe-class mission ideas for mission studies, spanning most of the electromagnetic spectrum from GeV gamma-rays to the far infrared, and the new messengers of neutrinos and ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The key insight from the Probes exercise is that order-of-magnitude advances in science performance metrics are possible across the board for initial total cost estimates in the range 500M-1B dollars.
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