Mid-infrared (IR) array detectors have been used for astronomical observations in space. However, the uniformities of their spectral response curves have not been investigated in detail, the understanding of which is important for spectroscopic observations using large array formats. We characterize the spectral responses of all the pixels in IR array detectors using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and cryogenic optics for measurements at high signal-to-noise ratios. We measured the spectral responses of the Si:As impurity band conduction (IBC) array, a flight back-up detector for AKARI/IRC. As a result, we find that the Si:As array has intrinsic variations in the spectral response along the row and column directions of the array. We also find that the cutoff wavelength of the Si:As IBC array depends on the intensity of the incident light.
We present a new method of interpolation for the pixel brightness estimation in astronomical images. Our new method is simple and easily implementable. We show the comparison of this method with the widely used linear interpolation and other interpolation algorithms using one thousand astronomical images obtained from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The comparison shows that our method improves bad pixels brightness estimation with four times lower mean error than the presently most popular linear interpolation and has a better performance than any other examined method. The presented idea is fl…
One of the major challenges of mid-infrared astronomical heterodyne interferometry is its sensitivity limitations. Detectors capable of handling several 10 GHz bandwidths have been identified as key building blocks of future instruments. Intersubband detectors based on heterostructures have recently demonstrated their ability to provide such performances. In this work we characterize a Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector in terms of noise, dynamic range and bandwidth in a non-interferometric heterodyne set-up. We discuss the possibility to use them on astronomical systems to measure the beatin…
Integrated optic beam combiners offer many advantages over conventional bulk optic implementations for astronomical imaging. To date, integrated optic beam combiners have only been demonstrated at operating wavelengths below 4 microns. Operation in mid-infrared wavelength region, however, is highly desirable. In this paper, a theoretical design technique based on three coupled waveguides is developed to achieve fully achromatic, broadband, polarization-insensitive, lossless beam combining. This design may make it possible to achieve the very deep broadband nulls needed for exoplanet searching.
Research activities during the last decade have shown the strong potential of photonic devices to greatly simplify ground based and space borne astronomical instruments and to improve their performance. We focus specifically on the mid-infrared wavelength regime (about 5-20 microns), a spectral range offering access to warm objects (about 300 K) and to spectral features that can be interpreted as signatures for biological activity (e.g. water, ozone, carbon dioxide). We review the relevant research activities aiming at the development of single-mode guided optics and the corresponding manufact…
ASTRONIRCAM is an infrared camera-spectrograph installed at the 2.5-meter telescope of the CMO SAI. The instrument is equipped with the HAWAII-2RG array. A bad pixels classification of the ASTRONIRCAM detector is proposed. The classification is based on histograms of the difference of consecutive non-destructive readouts of a flat field. Bad pixels are classified into 5 groups: hot (saturated on the first readout), warm (the signal accumulation rate is above the mean value by more than 5 standard deviations), cold (the rate is under the mean value by more than 5 standard deviations), dead (no …
We have been developing monolithic active pixel sensors series, named "XRPIX," based on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) pixel technology, for future X-ray astronomical satellites. The XRPIX series offers high coincidence time resolution ({\rm \sim}1 {\rm μ}s), superior readout time ({\rm \sim}10 {\rm μ}s), and a wide energy range (0.5--40 keV). In the previous study, we successfully demonstrated X-ray detection by event-driven readout of XRPIX2b. We here report recent improvements in spectroscopic performance. We successfully increased the gain and reduced the readout noise in XRPIX2b by decrea…
We have been developing X-ray SOI pixel Sensors, called "XRPIX", for future X-ray astronomy satellites that enable us to observe in the wide energy band of 0.5-40 keV. Since XRPIXs have the circuitry layer with a thickness of about 8 μm in the front side of the sensor, it is impossible to detect low energy X-rays with a front-illuminated type. So, we have been developing back-illuminated type of XRPIX with a less 1 μm dead layer in the back-side, which enables the sensitivity to reach 0.5 keV. We produced two types of back-side illuminated (BI) XRPIXs, one of which is produced in "Pizza proces…
In this work, we propose two convolutional neural network classifiers for detecting contaminants in astronomical images. Once trained, our classifiers are able to identify various contaminants, such as cosmic rays, hot and bad pixels, persistence effects, satellite or plane trails, residual fringe patterns, nebulous features, saturated pixels, diffraction spikes, and tracking errors in images. They encompass a broad range of ambient conditions, such as seeing, image sampling, detector type, optics, and stellar density. The first classifier, MaxiM ask , performs semantic segmentation and genera…
We describe a compression method for floating-point astronomical images that gives compression ratios of 6 -- 10 while still preserving the scientifically important information in the image. The pixel values are first preprocessed by quantizing them into scaled integer intensity levels, which removes some of the uncompressible noise in the image. The integers are then losslessly compressed using the fast and efficient Rice algorithm and stored in a portable FITS format file. Quantizing an image more coarsely gives greater image compression, but it also increases the noise and degrades the prec…
We have been developing monolithic active pixel sensors, named ``XRPIX'', based on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) pixel technology for future X-ray astronomy satellites. XRPIX has the function of event trigger and hit address outputs. This function allows us to read out analog signals only of hit pixels on trigger timing, which is referred to as the event-driven readout mode. Recently, we processed ``XRPIX5b'' with the largest imaging area of 21.9~mm $\times$ 13.8~mm in the XRPIX series. X-ray spectra are successfully obtained from all the pixels, and the readout noise is 46~e$^-$~(rms) in the…
Identification of linear features (streaks) in astronomical images is important for several reasons, including: detecting fast-moving near-Earth asteroids; detecting or flagging faint satellites streaks; and flagging or removing diffraction spikes, pixel bleeding, line-like cosmic rays and bad-pixel features. Here we discuss an efficient and optimal algorithm for the detection of such streaks. The optimal method to detect streaks in astronomical images is by cross-correlating the image with a template of a line broadened by the point spread function of the system. To do so efficiently, the cro…
We compare a variety of lossless image compression methods on a large sample of astronomical images and show how the compression ratios and speeds of the algorithms are affected by the amount of noise in the images. In the ideal case where the image pixel values have a random Gaussian distribution, the equivalent number of uncompressible noise bits per pixel is given by Nbits =log2(sigma * sqrt(12)) and the lossless compression ratio is given by R = BITPIX / Nbits + K where BITPIX is the bit length of the pixel values and K is a measure of the efficiency of the compression algorithm. We perfor…
In this paper, we present a novel approach to the estimation of strongly varying backgrounds in astronomical images by means of small objects removal and subsequent missing pixels interpolation. The method is based on the analysis of a pixel local neighborhood and utilizes the morphological distance transform. In contrast to popular background estimation techniques, our algorithm allows for accurate extraction of complex structures, like galaxies or nebulae. Moreover, it does not require multiple tuning parameters, since it relies on physical properties of CCD image sensors - the gain and the …
The impulsive noise in astronomical images originates from various sources. It develops as a result of thermal generation in pixels, collision of cosmic rays with image sensor or may be induced by high readout voltage in Electron Multiplying CCD (EMCCD). It is usually efficiently removed by employing the dark frames or by averaging several exposures. Unfortunately, there are some circumstances, when either the observed objects or positions of impulsive pixels evolve and therefore each obtained image has to be filtered independently. In this article we present an overview of impulsive noise fil…
Precise astronomical spectroscopic analyses routinely assume that individual pixels in charge-coupled devices (CCDs) have uniform sensitivity to photons. Intra-pixel sensitivity (IPS) variations may already cause small systematic errors in, for example, studies of extra-solar planets via stellar radial velocities and cosmological variability in fundamental constants via quasar spectroscopy, but future experiments requiring velocity precisions approaching ~1 cm/s will be more strongly affected. Laser frequency combs have been shown to provide highly precise wavelength calibration for astronomic…
We have discovered an anomalous behavior of CCD readout electronics that affects their use in many astronomical applications. An offset in the digitization of the CCD output voltage that depends on the binary encoding of one pixel is added to pixels that are read out one, two and/or three pixels later. One result of this effect is the introduction of a differential offset in the background when comparing regions with and without flux from science targets. Conventional data reduction methods do not correct for this offset. We find this effect in 16 of 22 instruments investigated, covering a var…
Over 3 billion astronomical objects have been detected in the more than 22 million orthogonal transfer CCD images obtained as part of the Pan-STARRS1 $3π$ survey. Over 85 billion instances of those objects have been automatically detected and characterized by the Pan-STARRS Image Processing Pipeline photometry software, psphot. This fast, automatic, and reliable software was developed for the Pan-STARRS project, but is easily adaptable to images from other telescopes. We describe the analysis of the astronomical objects by psphot in general as well as for the specific case of the 3rd processin…
Between the mid-eighteenth and mid-nineteenth centuries, long-haul oceanic voyages of exploration and discovery routinely carried astronomical tent observatories to support land-based longitude determinations using heavy and cumbersome astronomical regulators and transit telescopes. Following James Cook's deployment of a pilot tent observatory on his first voyage to the Pacific in 1768-1771, the tent design was altered by William Bayly for more convenient use on Cook's second and third voyages to the Pacific. Bayly's design became the standard structure of tent observatories assigned to shipbo…
The historical development of ground based astronomical telescopes leads us to expect that space-based astronomical telescopes will need to be operational for many decades. The exchange of scientific instruments in space will be a prerequisite for the long lasting scientific success of such missions. Operationally, the possibility to repair or replace key spacecraft components in space will be mandatory. We argue that these requirements can be fulfilled with robotic missions and see the development of the required engineering as the main challenge. Ground based operations, scientifically and t…
Coadded astronomical images are created by stacking multiple single-exposure images. Because coadded images are smaller in terms of data size than the single-exposure images they summarize, loading and processing them is less computationally expensive. However, image coaddition introduces additional dependence among pixels, which complicates principled statistical analysis of them. We present a principled Bayesian approach for performing light source parameter inference with coadded astronomical images. Our method implicitly marginalizes over the single-exposure pixel intensities that contribu…
Image formation for radio astronomy can be defined as estimating the spatial power distribution of celestial sources over the sky, given an array of antennas. One of the challenges with image formation is that the problem becomes ill-posed as the number of pixels becomes large. The introduction of constraints that incorporate a-priori knowledge is crucial. In this paper we show that in addition to non-negativity, the magnitude of each pixel in an image is also bounded from above. Indeed, the classical "dirty image" is an upper bound, but a much tighter upper bound can be formed from the data u…
State of the art methods in astronomical image reconstruction rely on the resolution of a regularized or constrained optimization problem. Solving this problem can be computationally intensive and usually leads to a quadratic or at least superlinear complexity w.r.t. the number of pixels in the image. We investigate in this work the use of convolutional neural networks for image reconstruction in astronomy. With neural networks, the computationally intensive tasks is the training step, but the prediction step has a fixed complexity per pixel, i.e. a linear complexity. Numerical experiments sho…
We present a conceptual framework of planar SIS mixer array receivers and the studies on the required techniques. This concept features membrane-based on-chip waveguide probes and a quasi-two-dimensional local-oscillator distribution waveguide network. This concept allows sophisticated functions, such as dual-polarization, balanced mixing and sideband separation, easily implemented with the SIS mixer array in the same planar circuit. We have developed a single-pixel prototype receiver by implementing the concept in the design. Initial measurement results show good evidences that support the fe…
We have been developing monolithic active pixel sensors, known as Kyoto's X-ray SOIPIXs, based on the CMOS SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology for next-generation X-ray astronomy satellites. The event trigger output function implemented in each pixel offers microsecond time resolution and enables reduction of the non-X-ray background that dominates the high X-ray energy band above 5--10 keV. A fully depleted SOI with a thick depletion layer and back illumination offers wide band coverage of 0.3--40 keV. Here, we report recent progress in the X-ray SOIPIX development. In this study, we achiev…
[Abridged] An increasing number of astronomical instruments (on Earth and space-based) provide hyperspectral images, that is three-dimensional data cubes with two spatial dimensions and one spectral dimension. The intrinsic limitation in spatial resolution of these instruments implies that the spectra associated with pixels of such images are most often mixtures of the spectra of the "pure" components that exist in the considered region. In order to estimate the spectra and spatial abundances of these pure components, we here propose an original blind signal separation (BSS), that is to say an…
Photometric surveys have provided incredible amounts of astronomical information in the form of images. However, astronomical images often contain artifacts that can critically hinder scientific analysis by misrepresenting intensities or contaminating catalogs as artificial objects. These affected pixels need to be masked and dealt with in any data reduction pipeline. In this paper, we present a flexible, iterative algorithm to recover (unmask) astronomical images where some pixels are lacking. We demonstrate the application of the method on some intensity calibration source images in CO Multi…
We characterize a near-infrared C-RED ONE camera from First Light Imaging (FLI). This camera uses a SAPHIRA electron avalanche photo-diode array (e-APD) from Leonardo (previously Selex). To do so, we developed a model of the signal distribution. This model allows a measurement of the gain and the Excess Noise Factor (ENF) independently of preexisting calibration such as the system gain. The results of this study show a gain which is 0.53 +/- 0.04 times the gain reported by the manufacturer. The measured ENF is 1.47 +/- 0.03 when we expected 1.25. For an avalanche gain of 60 and a frame rate la…
The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project is an international effort to build the world s largest radio telescope, enabling science with unprecedented detail and survey speed. The project spans over a decade and is now at a mature stage, ready to enter the construction and integration phase. In the fully deployed state, the MID-Telescope consists of a 150-km diameter array of offset Gregorian antennas installed in the radio quiet zone of the Karoo desert (South Africa). Each antenna is equipped with three feed packages, that are precision positioned in the sub-reflector focus by a feed indexer …
We present a two-component Machine Learning (ML) based approach for classifying astronomical images by data-quality via an examination of sources detected in the images and image pixel values from representative sources within those images. The first component, which uses a clustering algorithm, creates a proper and small fraction of the image pixels to determine the quality of the observation. The representative images (and associated tables) are ~800 times smaller than the original images, significantly reducing the time required to train our algorithm. The useful information in the images i…
In the last decade, imaging polarimeters based on micropolarizer arrays have been developed for use in terrestrial remote sensing and metrology applications. Micropolarizer-based sensors are dramatically smaller and more mechanically robust than other polarimeters with similar spectral response and snapshot capability. To determine the suitability of these new polarimeters for astronomical applications, we developed the RIT Polarization Imaging Camera to investigate the performance of these devices, with a special attention to the low signal-to-noise regime. We characterized the device perform…
Access to astronomical data through archives and VO is essential but does not solve all problems. Availability of appropriate software for analyzing the data is often equally important for the efficiency with which a researcher can publish results. A number of legacy systems (e.g. IRAF, MIDAS, Starlink, AIPS, Gipsy), as well as others now coming online are available but have very different user interfaces and may no longer be fully supported. Users may need multiple systems or stand-alone packages to complete the full analysis which introduces significant overhead. The OPTICON Network on `Futu…
We have been developing the X-ray silicon-on-insulator (SOI) pixel sensor called XRPIX for future astrophysical satellites. XRPIX is a monolithic active pixel sensor consisting of a high-resistivity Si sensor, thin SiO$_2$ insulator, and CMOS pixel circuits that utilize SOI technology. Since XRPIX is capable of event-driven readouts, it can achieve high timing resolution greater than $\sim 10{\rm ~μs}$, which enables low background observation by adopting the anti-coincidence technique. One of the major issues in the development of XRPIX is the electrical interference between the sensor layer …
Due to the increasing dimension, complexity and cost of the future astronomical surveys, new technologies enabling more compact and simpler systems are required. The development of curved detectors allows to enhance the performances of the optical system used (telescope or astronomical instrument), while keeping the system more compact. We describe here a set of five curved CMOS detectors developed within a collaboration between CEA-LETI and CNRS-LAM. These fully-functional detectors 20 Mpix (CMOSIS CMV20000) have been curved to different radii of curvature and spherical shapes (both convex an…
We have developed a method that maps large astronomical images onto a two-dimensional map and clusters them. A combination of various state-of-the-art machine learning (ML) algorithms is used to develop a fully unsupervised image quality assessment and clustering system. Our pipeline consists of a data pre-processing step where individual image objects are identified in a large astronomical image and converted to smaller pixel images. This data is then fed to a deep convolutional autoencoder jointly trained with a self-organizing map (SOM). This part can be used as a recommendation system. The…
Data archiving is one of the most critical issues for modern astronomical observations. With the development of a new generation of radio telescopes, the transfer and archiving of massive remote data have become urgent problems to be solved. Herein, we present a practical and robust file-level flow-control approach, called the Unlimited Sliding-Window (USW), by referring to the classic flow-control method in TCP protocol. Basing on the USW and the Next Generation Archive System (NGAS) developed for the Murchison Widefield Array telescope, we further implemented an enhanced archive system (ENGA…
We evaluate the effects of high-energy ionizing particles on the Si:As impurity band conduction (IBC) mid-infrared detector on board AKARI, the Japanese infrared astronomical satellite. IBC-type detectors are known to be little influenced by ionizing radiation. However we find that the detector is significantly affected by in-orbit ionizing radiation even after spikes induced by ionizing particles are removed. The effects are described as changes mostly in the offset of detector output, but not in the gain. We conclude that the changes in the offset are caused mainly by increase in dark curren…
The "crosshatch" pattern is a recurring "feature" of HgCdTe arrays, specifically the Teledyne HAWAII family of near infrared detectors. It is a fixed pattern of high frequency QE variations along 3 directions generally thought to be related to the crystal structure of HgCdTe. The pattern is evident in detectors used in Hubble WFC3, WISE, JWST, and in candidate detectors for Euclid and WFIRST. Using undersampled point sources projected onto a HAWAII-2RG detector, we show that the pattern induces photometric variations that are not removed by a flat-field calibration, thus demonstrating that the…
We present an estimate of the performance that will be achieved during on orbit operations of the JWST Mid Infrared Instrument, MIRI. The efficiency of the main imager and spectrometer systems in detecting photons from an astronomical target are presented, based on measurements at sub-system and instrument level testing, with the end-to-end transmission budget discussed in some detail. The brightest target fluxes that can be measured without saturating the detectors are provided. The sensitivity for long duration observations of faint sources is presented in terms of the target flux required t…
The volume of data that will be produced by the next generation of astrophysical instruments represents a significant opportunity for making unplanned and unexpected discoveries. Conversely, finding unexpected objects or phenomena within such large volumes of data presents a challenge that may best be solved using computational and statistical approaches. We present the application of a coarse-grained complexity measure for identifying interesting observations in large astronomical data sets. This measure, which has been termed apparent complexity, has been shown to model human intuition and p…
We present the design, construction, and commissioning results of ARCONS, the Array Camera for Optical to Near-IR Spectrophotometry. ARCONS is the first ground-based instrument in the optical through near-IR wavelength range based on Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs). MKIDs are revolutionary cryogenic detectors, capable of detecting single photons and measuring their energy without filters or gratings, similar to an X-ray microcalorimeter. MKIDs are nearly ideal, noiseless photon detectors, as they do not suffer from read noise or dark current and have nearly perfect cosmic ray re…
The Orbiting Astronomical Satellite for Investigating Stellar Systems (OASIS) is a NASA Astrophysics MIDEX-class mission concept, with the stated goal of following water from galaxies, through protostellar systems, to Earth's oceans. This paper details the protoplanetary disk science achievable with OASIS. OASIS's suite of heterodyne receivers allow for simultaneous, high spectral resolution observations of water emission lines spanning a large range of physical conditions within protoplanetary disks. These observations will allow us to map the spatial distribution of water vapor in disks acro…
Carnegie Mellon University（卡内基梅隆大学）；New York University（纽约大学）；Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems（马克斯·普朗克智能系统研究所）
We describe a system that builds a high dynamic-range and wide-angle image of the night sky by combining a large set of input images. The method makes use of pixel-rank information in the individual input images to improve a "consensus" pixel rank in the combined image. Because it only makes use of ranks and the complexity of the algorithm is linear in the number of images, the method is useful for large sets of uncalibrated images that might have undergone unknown non-linear tone mapping transformations for visualization or aesthetic reasons. We apply the method to images of the night sky (of…
For future space infrared astronomical coronagraphy, we perform experimental studies on the application of aluminum mirrors to a coronagraph. Cooled reflective optics is required for broad-band mid-infrared observations in space, while high-precision optics is required for coronagraphy. For the coronagraph instrument originally proposed for the next-generation infrared astronomical satellite project SPICA (SCI: SPICA Coronagraph Instrument), we fabricated and evaluated the optics consisting of high-precision aluminum off-axis mirrors with diamond-turned surfaces, and conducted a coronagraphic …
Physical Research Laboratory's (PRL) Optical Polarimeter has been used on various telescopes in India since its development in-house in the mid 1980s. To make the instrument more efficient and effective we have designed the acquisition and control system and written the software to run on the GNU/Linux Operating System. CCD cameras have been used, in place of eyepieces, which allow to observe fainter sources with smaller apertures. The use of smaller apertures provides dramatic gains in the signal-to-noise ratio. The polarimeter is now fully automated resulting in increased efficiency. With th…
Mid-infrared astronomy (operating at wavelengths ranging from 2 to 25 $μ$m) has progressed significantly in the last decades, thanks to the improvement of detector techniques and the growing diameter of telescopes. Space observatories benefit from the absence of atmospheric absorption, allowing to reach the very high sensitivities needed to perform 3D hyperspectral observations, but telescopes are limited in diameter ($< 1$ meter) and therefore provide observations at low angular resolution (typically a few seconds of arc). On the other hand, ground-based facilities suffer from strong atmosphe…
The Japanese infrared astronomical satellite AKARI performed ~4000 pointed observations for 16 months until the end of 2007 August, when the telescope and instruments were cooled by liquid Helium. Observation targets include solar system objects, Galactic objects, local galaxies, and galaxies at cosmological distances. We describe recent updates on calibration processes of near- and mid-infrared images taken by the Infrared Camera (IRC), which has nine photometric filters covering 2-27 um continuously. Using the latest data reduction toolkit, we created calibrated and stacked images from each …
The imaging channel on the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is equipped with four coronagraphs that provide high contrast imaging capabilities for studying faint point sources and extended emission that would otherwise be overwhelmed by a bright point-source in its vicinity. Such bright sources might include stars that are orbited by exoplanets and circumstellar material, mass-loss envelopes around post-main-sequence stars, the near-nuclear environments in active galaxies, and the host galaxies of distant quasars. This paper describes the coronagraphic observing modes of MIRI, as well as perform…
