Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
1998-06-15
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Accepted to ApJ Letters; 10 pages plus 3 figures, LaTeX
Scientific paper
10.1086/311515
The limiting magnitude of the HST data set used by Cochran et al. (1995) to detect small objects in the Kuiper belt is reevaluated, and the methods used are described in detail. It is shown, by implanting artificial objects in the original HST images, and re-reducing the images using our original algorithm, that the limiting magnitude of our images (as defined by the 50% detectability limit) is $V=28.4$. This value is statistically the same as the value found in the original analysis. We find that $\sim50%$ of the moving Kuiper belt objects with $V=27.9$ are detected when trailing losses are included. In the same data in which these faint objects are detected, we find that the number of false detections brighter than $V=28.8$ is less than one per WFPC2 image. We show that, primarily due to a zero-point calibration error, but partly due to inadequacies in modeling the HST'S data noise characteristics and Cochran et al.'s reduction techniques, Brown et al. 1997 underestimate the SNR of objects in the HST dataset by over a factor of 2, and their conclusions are therefore invalid.
Alan Stern S.
Cochran Anita L.
Duncan Martin J.
Levison Harold F.
Tamblyn Peter
No associations
LandOfFree
The Calibration of the HST Kuiper Belt Object Search: Setting the Record Straight does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Calibration of the HST Kuiper Belt Object Search: Setting the Record Straight, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Calibration of the HST Kuiper Belt Object Search: Setting the Record Straight will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-437959