RApid Temporal Survey (RATS) – I. Overview and first results

We present the aim and first results of the RApid Temporal Survey (RATS) made using the Wide Field Camera on the Isaac Newton Telescope. Our initial survey covers 3 square degrees, reaches a depth of   V ∼ 22.5  and is sensitive to variations on time-scales as short as 2 min: this is a new parameter space. Each field was observed for over 2 h in white light, with 12 fields being observed in total. Our initial analysis finds 45 targets which show significant variations. Around half of these systems show quasi-sinusoidal variations: we believe they are contact or short period binaries. We find four systems which show variations on a time-scale less than 1 h. The shortest period system has a period of 374 s. We find two systems which show a total eclipse. Further photometric and spectroscopic observations are required to fully identify the nature of these systems. We outline our future plans and objectives.