Brown, PJ;
Breeveld, A;
Roming, PWA;
Siegel, M;
(2016)
Interpreting Flux from Broadband Photometry.
The Astronomical Journal
, 152
(4)
, Article 102. 10.3847/0004-6256/152/4/102.
Preview |
Text
Brown_2016_AJ_152_102.pdf - Published Version Download (4MB) | Preview |
Abstract
We discuss the transformation of observed photometry into flux for the creation of spectral energy distributions and the computation of bolometric luminosities. We do this in the context of supernova studies, particularly as observed with the Swift spacecraft, but the concepts and techniques should be applicable to many other types of sources and wavelength regimes. Traditional methods of converting observed magnitudes to flux densities are not very accurate when applied to UV photometry. Common methods for extinction and the integration of pseudo-bolometric fluxes can also lead to inaccurate results. The sources of inaccuracy, though, also apply to other wavelengths. Because of the complicated nature of translating broad-band photometry into monochromatic flux densities, comparison between observed photometry and a spectroscopic model is best done by comparing in the natural units of the observations. We recommend that integrated flux measurements be made using a spectrum or spectral energy distribution which is consistent with the multi-band photometry rather than converting individual photometric measurements to flux densities, linearly interpolating between the points, and integrating. We also highlight some specific areas where the UV flux can be mischaracterized.
Type: | Article |
---|---|
Title: | Interpreting Flux from Broadband Photometry |
Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
DOI: | 10.3847/0004-6256/152/4/102 |
Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/0004-6256/152/4/102 |
Language: | English |
Additional information: | This is the published version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
Keywords: | instrumentation: photometers; methods: data analysis; methods: observational; standards; supernovae: general; techniques: photometric |
UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Space and Climate Physics |
URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1509365 |
Archive Staff Only
View Item |