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An optimized tiling pattern for multiobject spectroscopic surveys : Application to the 4MOST survey

Tempel, E. ; Tuvikene, T. ; Muru, M. M. ; Stoica, R. S. ; Bensby, T. LU orcid ; Chiappini, C. ; Christlieb, N. ; Cioni, M. R.L. ; Comparat, J. and Feltzing, S. LU orcid , et al. (2020) In Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 497(4). p.4626-4643
Abstract

Large multiobject spectroscopic surveys require automated algorithms to optimize their observing strategy. One of the most ambitious upcoming spectroscopic surveys is the 4MOST survey. The 4MOST survey facility is a fibre-fed spectroscopic instrument on the VISTA telescope with a large enough field of view to survey a large fraction of the southern sky within a few years. Several Galactic and extragalactic surveys will be carried out simultaneously, so the combined target density will strongly vary. In this paper, we describe a new tiling algorithm that can naturally deal with the large target density variations on the sky and which automatically handles the different exposure times of targets. The tiling pattern is modelled as a marked... (More)

Large multiobject spectroscopic surveys require automated algorithms to optimize their observing strategy. One of the most ambitious upcoming spectroscopic surveys is the 4MOST survey. The 4MOST survey facility is a fibre-fed spectroscopic instrument on the VISTA telescope with a large enough field of view to survey a large fraction of the southern sky within a few years. Several Galactic and extragalactic surveys will be carried out simultaneously, so the combined target density will strongly vary. In this paper, we describe a new tiling algorithm that can naturally deal with the large target density variations on the sky and which automatically handles the different exposure times of targets. The tiling pattern is modelled as a marked point process, which is characterized by a probability density that integrates the requirements imposed by the 4MOST survey. The optimal tilling pattern with respect to the defined model is estimated by the tiles configuration that maximizes the proposed probability density. In order to achieve this maximization a simulated annealing algorithm is implemented. The algorithm automatically finds an optimal tiling pattern and assigns a tentative sky brightness condition and exposure time for each tile, while minimizing the total execution time that is needed to observe the list of targets in the combined input catalogue of all surveys. Hence, the algorithm maximizes the long-term observing efficiency and provides an optimal tiling solution for the survey. While designed for the 4MOST survey, the algorithm is flexible and can with simple modifications be applied to any other multiobject spectroscopic survey.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
methods: miscellaneous, surveys, techniques: miscellaneous
in
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
volume
497
issue
4
pages
18 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85097383755
ISSN
0035-8711
DOI
10.1093/mnras/staa2285
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3dd6cbda-295a-4cbe-8f9a-e0493f5a3321
date added to LUP
2020-12-22 10:55:13
date last changed
2023-01-01 03:10:57
@article{3dd6cbda-295a-4cbe-8f9a-e0493f5a3321,
  abstract     = {{<p>Large multiobject spectroscopic surveys require automated algorithms to optimize their observing strategy. One of the most ambitious upcoming spectroscopic surveys is the 4MOST survey. The 4MOST survey facility is a fibre-fed spectroscopic instrument on the VISTA telescope with a large enough field of view to survey a large fraction of the southern sky within a few years. Several Galactic and extragalactic surveys will be carried out simultaneously, so the combined target density will strongly vary. In this paper, we describe a new tiling algorithm that can naturally deal with the large target density variations on the sky and which automatically handles the different exposure times of targets. The tiling pattern is modelled as a marked point process, which is characterized by a probability density that integrates the requirements imposed by the 4MOST survey. The optimal tilling pattern with respect to the defined model is estimated by the tiles configuration that maximizes the proposed probability density. In order to achieve this maximization a simulated annealing algorithm is implemented. The algorithm automatically finds an optimal tiling pattern and assigns a tentative sky brightness condition and exposure time for each tile, while minimizing the total execution time that is needed to observe the list of targets in the combined input catalogue of all surveys. Hence, the algorithm maximizes the long-term observing efficiency and provides an optimal tiling solution for the survey. While designed for the 4MOST survey, the algorithm is flexible and can with simple modifications be applied to any other multiobject spectroscopic survey.</p>}},
  author       = {{Tempel, E. and Tuvikene, T. and Muru, M. M. and Stoica, R. S. and Bensby, T. and Chiappini, C. and Christlieb, N. and Cioni, M. R.L. and Comparat, J. and Feltzing, S. and Hook, I. and Koch, A. and Kordopatis, G. and Krumpe, M. and Loveday, J. and Minchev, I. and Norberg, P. and Roukema, B. F. and Sorce, J. G. and Storm, J. and Swann, E. and Taylor, E. N. and Traven, G. and Walcher, C. J. and De Jong, R. S.}},
  issn         = {{0035-8711}},
  keywords     = {{methods: miscellaneous; surveys; techniques: miscellaneous}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{4626--4643}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}},
  title        = {{An optimized tiling pattern for multiobject spectroscopic surveys : Application to the 4MOST survey}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa2285}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/mnras/staa2285}},
  volume       = {{497}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}