Automatic optimized discovery, creation and processing of astronomical catalogs

We present the design of a novel way of handling astronomical catalogs in Astro-WISE in order to achieve the scalability required for the data produced by large scale surveys. A high level of automation and abstraction is achieved in order to facilitate interoperation with visualization software for interactive exploration. At the same time flexibility in processing is enhanced and data is shared implicitly between scientists. This is accomplished by using a data model that primarily stores how catalogs are derived; the contents of the catalogs are only created when necessary and stored only when beneficial for performance. Discovery of existing catalogs and creation of new catalogs is done through the same process by directly requesting the final set of sources (astronomical objects) and attributes (physical properties) that is required, for example from within visualization software. New catalogs are automatically created to provide attributes of sources for which no suitable existing catalogs can be found. These catalogs are defined to contain the new attributes on the largest set of sources the calculation of the attributes is applicable to, facilitating reuse for future data requests. Subsequently, only those parts of the catalogs that are required for the requested end product are actually processed, ensuring scalability. The presented mechanisms primarily determine which catalogs are created and what data has to be processed and stored: the actual processing and storage itself is left to existing functionality of the underlying information system.     

Morphology and Luminosity Segregations in Galaxy Groups

We study morphology and luminosity segregation of galaxies in groups. We analyze the two catalogs of (∼2×400) groups which have been identified in the Nearby Optical Galaxy sample, by means of hierarchical and percolation `friends-of-friends' methods. We find that earlier-type (brighter) galaxies are more clustered and lie closer to the group centers, both in position and in velocity, than later-type (fainter) galaxies. Spatial segregations are stronger than kinematical segregations. These effects are generally detected at the ≳3-sigma level, with the exception of morphological segregation in velocity, which is the weakest effect. Our main results are confirmed by the analysis of statistically more reliable groups (with at least five members), and are strengthened by the detection of segregation in both hierarchical and percolation catalogs. Luminosity segregation is shown to be independent of morphology segregation. Our conclusions agree with a continuum of segregation properties of galaxies in systems, from low-mass groups to massive clusters. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

RATAN-600 7.6-cm deep sky strip surveys at the declination of the SS433 source during the 1980–1999 period. Data reduction and the catalog of radio sources in the right-ascension interval 7h ≤ R.A. < 17h

We use two independent methods to reduce the data of the surveys made with RATAN-600 radio telescope at 7.6 cm in 1988–1999 at the declination of the SS433 source. We also reprocess the data of the “Cold” survey (1980–1981). The resulting RCR (RATAN COLD REFINED) catalog contains the right ascensions and fluxes of objects identified with those of the NVSS catalog in the right-ascension interval 7 ^h ≤ R.A. < 17 ^h . We obtain the spectra of the radio sources and determine their spectral indices at 3.94 and 0.5 GHz. The spectra are based on the data from all known catalogs available from the CATS, Vizier, and NED databases, and the flux estimates inferred from the maps of the VLSS and GB6 surveys. For 245 of the 550 objects of the RCR catalog the fluxes are known at two frequencies only: 3.94 GHz (RCR) and 1.4 GHz (NVSS). These are mostly sources with fluxes smaller than 30mJy. About 65% of these sources have flat or inverse spectra (α > −0.5). We analyze the reliability of the results obtained for the entire list of objects and construct the histograms of the spectral indices and fluxes of the sources. Our main conclusion is that all 10–15 mJy objects found in the considered right-ascension interval were already included in the decimeter-wave catalogs.     

Investigation of the motions of fast stars based on observations with the Pulkovo normal astrograph

Astrometric CCD observations of 1123 stars with large proper motions (μ > 300 mas yr⁻¹) from the LSPM (I/298) catalog in the declination zone +30°–+70° have been carried out with the Pulkovo normal astrograph since 2006. The observational program includes mostly stars that previously have not entered into high-accuracy projects to determine the proper motions. Our studies are aimed at determining new proper motions of fast stars in the HCRF/UCAC3 system and searching for stars with invisible companions in the immediate Galactic neighborhoods of the Sun. Having analyzed about 10 000 CCD frames, we have obtained the equatorial coordinates of 414 program stars in the HCRF/UCAC3 system at an accuracy level of 10–50 mas and determined their new proper motions. To derive the proper motions, we have used the data from several star catalogs and surveys (M2000, CMC14, 2MASS, SDSS) as early epochs. The epoch differences range from 5 to 13 years (on average, about 10 years); the mean accuracy of the derived proper motions is 4–5 mas yr⁻¹. For 70 stars, we have revealed significant differences between the derived proper motions and those from the LSPM and I/306A catalogs (these proper motions characterize the mean motion of the photocenter in 50 years or more). Apart from systematic errors, these differences can result from the existence of invisible components of the program stars.     

An Analysis of the Sunspot Groups and Flares of Solar Cycle 23

Designing a statistical solar flare forecasting technique can benefit greatly from knowledge of the flare frequency of occurrence with respect to sunspot groups. This study analyzed sunspot groups and Hα and X-ray flares reported for the period 1997 – 2007. Annual catalogs were constructed, listing the days that numbered sunspot groups were observed (designated sunspot group-days, SSG-Ds) and for each day a record for each associated Hα flare of importance category one or greater and normal or bright brightness and for each X-ray flare of intensity C 5 or higher. The catalogs were then analyzed to produce frequency distributions of SSG-Ds by year, sunspot group class, likelihood of producing at least one flare overall and by sunspot group class, and frequency of occurrence of numbers of flares per day and flare intensity category. Only 3% of SSG-Ds produced a substantial Hα flare and 7% had a significant X-ray flare. We found that mature, complex sunspot groups were more likely than simple sunspot groups to produce a flare, but the latter were more prevalent than the former. More than half of the SSG-Ds with flares had a maximum intensity flare greater than the lowest category (C-class of intensity five and higher). The fact that certain sunspot group classes had flaring probabilities significantly higher than the combined probabilities of the intensity categories when all SSG-Ds were considered suggest that it might be best to first predict the flaring probability. For sunspot groups found likely to flare, a separate diagnosis of maximum flare intensity category appears feasible.     

Magnetic field evolution in OBA stars

The applications of the spectral analysis methods discovered by Kirchhoff for the investigation of stellar magnetic fields are considered. The statistical properties of the mean magnetic fields for OBA stars have been investigated by analyzing data from two catalogs of magnetic fields. It is shown that the mean effective magnetic field ℬ of a star can be used as a statistically significant characteristic of its magnetic field. The magnetic field distribution functions F(ℬ) have been constructed for B-type and chemically peculiar (CP) stars, which exhibit a power-law dependence on ℬ. A sharp decrease in F(ℬ) in the range of weak magnetic fields has been found. The statistical properties of the magnetic fluxes for main-sequence stars, white dwarfs, and neutron stars are analyzed.     

Survey and Merging of Sunspot Catalogs

In view of the construction of new sunspot-based activity indices and proxies, we conducted a comprehensive survey of all existing catalogs providing detailed parameters of photospheric features over long time intervals. Although there are a fair number of such catalogs, a global evaluation showed that they suffer from multiple limitations: finite or fragmented time coverage, limited temporal overlap between catalogs, and, more importantly, a mismatch in contents and conventions. Starting from the existing material, we demonstrate how the information from parallel catalogs can be merged to form a much more comprehensive record of sunspots and sunspot groups. To do this, we use the uniquely detailed Debrecen Photoheliographic Data (DPD), which is already a composite of several ground-based observatories and of SOHO data, and the USAF/Mount Wilson catalog from the Solar Observing Optical Network (SOON). We also outline our cross-identification method, which was needed to match the non-overlapping solar active-region nomenclature. This proved to be the most critical and subtle step when working with multiple catalogs. This effort, focused here first on the last two solar cycles, should lead to a better central database that collects all available sunspot group parameters to address future solar-cycle studies beyond the traditional sunspot-index time series [R _i].     

On two low harmonics of CMB correlation maps

We have analyzed two powerful correlation harmonics (ℓ = 3and ℓ = 6) found in the correlation of the ILC WMAP signal with the submillimeter and infrared range data from the FSC IRAS and Planck catalogs. The mode phases of thesemultipoles were computed. In the spots we have found in the harmonics, the source counts were made from the NVSS, FIRST, FSC IRAS and Planck surveys. The correlation harmonic phases are close at different observational frequencies both for ℓ = 3and ℓ = 6.We do not exclude that a part of the weak signal in the ILCWMAP data, manifested in the strong correlation properties of the investigated multipoles may be due to extragalactic radiation sources.     

Cross index list of stars with high proper motions (version 3.0). calibration of magnitudes

A cross index list of over 2000000 stars with high proper motions (no less than 0.04″/year) is compiled on the basis of original determinations from the catalog FONAK1.1 and of data from the catalogs HIPPARCOS, Tycho-2, UCAC2, UCAC3, PPMX, CMC (STAR 11), PPM, GCVS, NPM1, NPM2, XZ80Q, PUL2, PUL3, NLTT, LHS, PM2000 (Bordeaux), and XC1 as well as of data from other published sources ().     

Comparison of Velocity Fields of the Galaxies From the Catalogs RFGC and MarkIII

A distribution of matter up to 100 h ^-1 Mpc could be obtained from the large-scale galaxy peculiar motions. The best picture of such motion is given for today by two galaxy catalogs, namely MarkIII and RFGC. We compare their velocity fields and show they are very similar and have not only practically the same multipole structure but also a corresponding small-scale motions . We estimate a mean radial component of this small-scale motion as 500–700 kms. An additional comparison of distances to common galaxies is made. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Luminosities of FBS late type M stars

A catalog of 995 C and late M type stars is compiled from the First Byurakan Survey of the sky (FBS). The question of effectively separating giants and dwarfs among the stars of spectral class M is examined using data from this catalog, the 2MASS survey, and a number of other catalogs. This has made it possible to determine the luminosity class of 846 class M stars from the FBS survey. In the sample of FBS late M stars, 187 are dwarfs and 659 are giants. The sample of FBS late M stars is compared statistically with the set of known samples of type M stars. The subsample of FBS M-giants is proved to be similar to Stephenson’s standard sample of M-giants. A detailed statistical analysis of these two samples is carried out. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 589–602 (November 2007).     

Scanning results of images of the 60th declination zone of the FON project. Measurement reduction methods and characterization of the output catalog

A Microtek ScanMaker 9800XL TMA was used to scan 102 plates of 60° declination zone of the northern sky. The images were obtained within the scope of the FON project using the double wide-angle astrograph of the Main Astronomical Observatory (National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine). The procedure is described of processing these scans and compilation of the catalog of equatorial coordinates and brightness. Mean square errors of positions and B-magnitudes of 1 108 603 stars of the output catalog (in the range from 56 to 64° in declination and from 0 to 24 ^h in right ascension) largely depend on the position on the plate, multiplicity of overlapping, and stellar magnitude. The standard deviations are 0.10–0.32″ for coordinates and 0.04–16 ^m for stellar magnitudes. The average values of mean square deviations of data of the obtained catalog from data of PPMX and UCAC catalogs are 0.23″ and 0.18 ^m .     

The basic properties of galaxy groups from the volume-limited main galaxy sample of SDSS DR6

Using the Berlind et al. algorithm and the Davis et al. algorithm, we find that the mean velocity dispersion, virial radius, and virial mass of the group catalogs identified in the volume-limited sample are much smaller than those identified in the flux-limited sample. Our study shows that these properties of groups are heavily influenced by the relative values of the linking parameters and that there may be no values for the linking lengths that will work perfectly for every sample. In addition, we note that the luminosity distribution of member galaxies of groups identified by different algorithms is nearly the same, but member galaxies of groups identified using the linking lengths b_⊥ = 0.14, b_∥ = 0.75 have a higher proportion of blue galaxies and a lower proportion of red galaxies than member galaxies of groups identified using the linking length b = 0.2, and the early-type fraction of member galaxies of groups identified using the linking length b = 0.2 is higher than that of member galaxies of groups identified using the linking lengths b_⊥ = 0.14, b_∥ = 0.75. Published in Astrofizika, Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 555–566 (August 2008).     

Query driven visualization of astronomical catalogs

Interactive visualization of astronomical catalogs requires novel techniques due to the huge volumes and complex structure of the data produced by existing and upcoming astronomical surveys. The creation as well as the disclosure of the catalogs can be handled by data pulling mechanisms (Buddelmeijer et al. 2011). These prevent unnecessary processing and facilitate data sharing by having users request the desired end products. In this work we present query driven visualization as a logical continuation of data pulling. Scientists can request catalogs in a declarative way and set process parameters directly from within the visualization. This results in profound interoperation between software with a high level of abstraction. New messages for the Simple Application Messaging Protocol are proposed to achieve this abstraction. Support for these messages are implemented in the Astro-WISE information system and in a set of demonstrational applications.     

Disentangling Effective Temperatures of Individual Eclipsing Binary Components by Means of Color-Index Constraining

Eclipsing binary stars are gratifying objects because of their unique geometrical properties upon which all important physical parameters such as masses, radii, temperatures, luminosities and distance may be obtained in absolute scale. This poses strict demand on the model to be free of systematic effects that would influence the results later used for calibrations, catalogs and evolution theory. We present an objective scheme of obtaining individual temperatures of both binary system components by means of color-index constraining, with the only requirement that the observational data-set is acquired in a standard photometric system. We show that for a modest case of two similar main-sequence components the erroneous approach of assuming the temperature of the primary star from the color index yields temperatures which are systematically wrong by ∼ 100K.     

Effect of tidal evolution in determining the ages of eclipsing-variable early main sequence close binary systems

New Claret evolutionary model-tracks, constructed for the first time for studying close binary systems (CBS) including tidal evolution constants, are used to determine the age of 112 eclipsing-variable stars in the Svechnikov-Perevozkina catalog by the method of isochrones. There is some interest in comparing the calculated ages with previous estimates obtained for these same close binary systems using evolutionary modeltracks for individual stars taking their mass loss into account. A correlation of the ages of the principal and secondary components is noted, which is most marked for massive close binaries with principal components having masses M₁ ≥ 3 M_⊙. A rejuvenating effect is found to occur for the systems studied here as calculated on the new tracks; it is most distinct for low-mass close binaries with a total mass M₁ + M₂ ≤ 3.5 M_⊙ and is predicted theoretically in terms of magnetic braking. The calculated broadband grid of isochrones, from zero-age main-sequence (ZAMS) to the age of the galaxy, can be used for estimating the ages of close binaries from other catalogs. Ages are given for the 112 eclipsing-variable close binaries with detached components lying within the main sequence. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 299–312 (May 2007).     

Optical identifications of iras point sources based on low-dispersion fbs spectra. Stars. IV

A fourth list of point sources from the IRAS Point Source Catalog (PSC) that are optically identified with stars of late spectral types is given. The list contains data on 41 objects. The identifications were based on the Digital Sky Survey (DSS), the First Byurakan Survey, blue and red maps of the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey, and infrared fluxes at the wavelengths 12, 25, 60, and 100 μm in the region of +65° ≤ δ ≤ +69° and 05^h10^m ≤ α ≤ 18^h10^m. Of the 41 objects, which are given in the IRAS PSC as unidentified sources of infrared emission, 9 are associated with known stars in existing catalogs while 32 sources remained unidentified in the optical range, one of which is also a source in the deep IRAS survey (IRAS Serendipitous Source Catalog). The optical coordinates, their departures from the IR coordinates, the V stellar magnitudes, the color indices CI, and the preliminary spectral subtypes have been determined. The objects have optical magnitudes in the range of 8^m.5-14^m.5. Finder charts from the DSS are given for 32 of the objects. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 361-368, July–September, 2000.     

Leveraging data lineage to infer logical relationships between astronomical catalogs

A novel method to infer logical relationships between sets is presented. These sets can be any collection of elements, for example astronomical catalogs of celestial objects. The method does not require the contents of the sets to be known explicitly. It combines incomplete knowledge about the relationships between sets to infer a priori unknown relationships. Relationships between sets are represented by sets of Boolean hypercubes. This leads to deductive reasoning by application of logical operators to these sets of hypercubes. A pseudo code for an efficient implementation is described. The method is used in the Astro-WISE information system to infer relationships between catalogs of astronomical objects. These catalogs can be very large and, more importantly, their contents do not have to be available at all times. Science products are stored in Astro-WISE with references to other science products from which they are derived, or their dependencies. This creates a full data lineage that links every science product all the way back to the raw data. Catalogs are created in a way that maximizes knowledge about their relationship with their dependencies. The presented algorithm is used to determine which objects a catalog represents by leveraging this information.     

The effect of various solar ephemerides on equator and equinox solutions from observations of the Sun with the reversible transit circle at Cape observatory from 1907 to 1959

Observations of the Sun were made with the Cape reversible transit circle from 1907 to 1959. We have made least squares solutions for six unknowns viz., equator and equinox corrections and corrections to earth orbital parameters including the ephemeris mean longitude of the Sun, the mean obliquity of the ecliptic, the mean longitude of perihelion, and the mean eccentricity of the earth's orbit based on Newcomb's, DE102, and DE200 Ephemerides for each of six catalogs of observations made during that period. The six unknowns are also determined simultaneously for the six catalogs taken together. The six catalogs are absolute, in that methods of observation and reduction were adopted in such a way as to produce a system of results not closely dependent on the adopted system of assumed clock and azimuth star positions.The observed equator and equinox corrections from a comparison of DE200 with the Cape Sun observations referred to an improved FK4 system are –0.07±0.01 arcsec and –0.20±0.04 arcsec, respectively, at the mean epoch of observation, 1933.02. The time rate of change of the equator correction was not significant. The time rate of change of the observed equinox is –1.02±0.30 arcsec per century.The observed equinox correction of the DE102 at 1933.02 is –0.41±0.04 arcsec, which is 0.5 arcsec less than the NEWCOMB (Herget) equinox correction. This confirms the result based on Washington Sun observations.