The third gravitational lensing accuracy testing (GREAT3) challenge handbook

Mandelbaum, R.; Rowe, B.; Bosch, J.; Chang, C.; Courbin, F.; Gill, M.; Jarvis, M.; Kannawadi, A.; Kacprzak, T.; Lackner, C.; Leauthaud, A.; Miyatake, H.; Nakajima, R.; Rhodes, J.; Simet, M.; Zuntz, J.; Armstrong, B.; Bridle, S.; Coupon, J.; Dietrich, J.P.; Gentile, M.; Heymans, C.; Jurling, A.S.; Kent, S.M.; Kirkby, D.; Margala, D.; Massey, R.; Melchior, P.; Peterson, J.; Roodman, A.; Schrabback, T.

doi:10.1088/0067-0049/212/1/5

The third gravitational lensing accuracy testing (GREAT3) challenge handbook

Mandelbaum, R.; Rowe, B.; Bosch, J.; Chang, C.; Courbin, F.; Gill, M.; Jarvis, M.; Kannawadi, A.; Kacprzak, T.; Lackner, C.; Leauthaud, A.; Miyatake, H.; Nakajima, R.; Rhodes, J.; Simet, M.; Zuntz, J.; Armstrong, B.; Bridle, S.; Coupon, J.; Dietrich, J.P.; Gentile, M.; Heymans, C.; Jurling, A.S.; Kent, S.M.; Kirkby, D.; Margala, D.; Massey, R.; Melchior, P.; Peterson, J.; Roodman, A.; Schrabback, T.

Authors

R. Mandelbaum

B. Rowe

J. Bosch

C. Chang

F. Courbin

M. Gill

M. Jarvis

A. Kannawadi

T. Kacprzak

C. Lackner

A. Leauthaud

H. Miyatake

R. Nakajima

J. Rhodes

M. Simet

J. Zuntz

B. Armstrong

S. Bridle

J. Coupon

J.P. Dietrich

M. Gentile

C. Heymans

A.S. Jurling

S.M. Kent

D. Kirkby

D. Margala

Professor Richard Massey r.j.massey@durham.ac.uk
Professor

P. Melchior

J. Peterson

A. Roodman

T. Schrabback

Abstract

The GRavitational lEnsing Accuracy Testing 3 (GREAT3) challenge is the third in a series of image analysis challenges, with a goal of testing and facilitating the development of methods for analyzing astronomical images that will be used to measure weak gravitational lensing. This measurement requires extremely precise estimation of very small galaxy shape distortions, in the presence of far larger intrinsic galaxy shapes and distortions due to the blurring kernel caused by the atmosphere, telescope optics, and instrumental effects. The GREAT3 challenge is posed to the astronomy, machine learning, and statistics communities, and includes tests of three specific effects that are of immediate relevance to upcoming weak lensing surveys, two of which have never been tested in a community challenge before. These effects include many novel aspects including realistically complex galaxy models based on high-resolution imaging from space; a spatially varying, physically motivated blurring kernel; and a combination of multiple different exposures. To facilitate entry by people new to the field, and for use as a diagnostic tool, the simulation software for the challenge is publicly available, though the exact parameters used for the challenge are blinded. Sample scripts to analyze the challenge data using existing methods will also be provided. See http://great3challenge.info and http://great3.projects.phys.ucl.ac.uk/leaderboard/ for more information.

Citation

Mandelbaum, R., Rowe, B., Bosch, J., Chang, C., Courbin, F., Gill, M., …Schrabback, T. (2014). The third gravitational lensing accuracy testing (GREAT3) challenge handbook. Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 212(1), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1088/0067-0049/212/1/5

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	May 1, 2014
Deposit Date	Jun 30, 2014
Publicly Available Date	Aug 19, 2014
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Supplement
Print ISSN	0067-0049
Electronic ISSN	1538-4365
Publisher	American Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	212
Issue	1
Article Number	5
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1088/0067-0049/212/1/5
Keywords	Gravitational lensing: weak, Methods: data analysis, Methods: statistical, Techniques: image processing.