An algorithm for precise aperture photometry of critically sampled images

S. J. Bickerton, R. H. Lupton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present an algorithm for performing precise aperture photometry on critically sampled astrophysical images. The method is intended to overcome the small-aperture limitations imposed by point sampling. Aperture fluxes are numerically integrated over the desired aperture, with sinc interpolation used to reconstruct values between pixel centres. Direct integration over the aperture is computationally intensive, but the integrals in question are shown to be convolution integrals and can be computed ≳ 10 000 times faster as products in the wavenumber domain. The method works equally well for annular and elliptical apertures and could be adapted for any geometry. A sample of code is provided to demonstrate the method.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1275-1285
Number of pages11
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume431
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - May 11 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

  • Methods: analytical
  • Methods: data analysis
  • Methods: numerical
  • Techniques: image processing
  • Techniques: photometric

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