Calibration of the BATC survey: Methodology and accuracy

Haojing Yan, David Burstein, Xiaohui Fan, Zhongyuan Zheng, Jiansheng Chen, Yong Ik Byun, Rui Chen, Wen Ping Chen, Licai Deng, Zugan Deng, Li Zhi Fang, Jeff J. Hester, Zhaoji Jiang, Yong Li, Weipeng Lin, Phillip Lu, Zhaohui Shang, Hongjun Su, Wei Hsin Sun, Wean Shun TsayRogier Windhorst, Hong Wu, Xiaoyang Xia, Wen Xu, Suijian Xue, Zheng Zheng, Jin Zhu, Zhenlong Zou

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

59 Scopus citations

Abstract

We describe in detail the extinction correction procedures used for the Beijing-Arizona-Taiwan-Connecticut Sky Survey (BATC Survey). The survey covers the spectral range 3200-9900 Å by utilizing a set of 15 intermediate-band filters. These filters are specifically designed to exclude most of the bright and variable night-sky emission lines. We also present extinction coefficients for the filter passbands for typical photometric nights at the Xinglong Observing Station, Beijing Astronomical Observatory (where the observations of the survey are being carried out). Time-dependent, low-amplitude (∼1%), nightly extinction variation has been observed. Such variation is demonstrably independent of filter bandpass and air mass, with amplitudes ranging from ∼0.01 to ∼0.03 mag. The variation is plausibly caused by slowly varying (at ∼1%) atmospheric extinction, possibly related to changes in air pressure/temperature/humidity that occur during the night. An iterative fitting scheme has been developed to take this time-varying component into account. We conclude that the survey can achieve its stated observational goal, namely, an absolute photometric calibration that is tied to the ABV system to an accuracy of 1% in all filters.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)691-702
Number of pages12
JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Volume112
Issue number771
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2000

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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