Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Pixel-based correction for Charge Transfer Inefficiency in the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys

Massey, R.; Stoughton, C.; Leauthaud, A.; Rhodes, J.; Koekemoer, A.; Ellis, R.; Shaghoulian, E.

Pixel-based correction for Charge Transfer Inefficiency in the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys Thumbnail


Authors

C. Stoughton

A. Leauthaud

J. Rhodes

A. Koekemoer

R. Ellis

E. Shaghoulian



Abstract

Charge Transfer Inefficiency (CTI) due to radiation damage above the Earth's atmosphere creates spurious trailing in Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images. Radiation damage also creates unrelated warm pixels – but these happen to be perfect for measuring CTI. We model CTI in the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS)/Wide Field Channel and construct a physically motivated correction scheme. This operates on raw data, rather than secondary science products, by returning individual electrons to pixels from which they were unintentionally dragged during readout. We apply our correction to images from the HST Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS), successfully reducing the CTI trails by a factor of ∼30 everywhere in the CCD and at all flux levels. We quantify changes in galaxy photometry, astrometry and shape. The remarkable 97 per cent level of correction is more than sufficient to enable a (forthcoming) reanalysis of downstream science products and the collection of larger surveys.

Citation

Massey, R., Stoughton, C., Leauthaud, A., Rhodes, J., Koekemoer, A., Ellis, R., & Shaghoulian, E. (2010). Pixel-based correction for Charge Transfer Inefficiency in the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 401(1), 371-384. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15638.x

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2010
Deposit Date Jan 31, 2012
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Print ISSN 0035-8711
Electronic ISSN 1365-2966
Publisher Royal Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 401
Issue 1
Pages 371-384
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15638.x
Keywords Instrumentation: detectors, Methods: data analysis, Space vehicles: instruments.

Files

Published Journal Article (11.1 Mb)
PDF

Copyright Statement
This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ©: 2010 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.





You might also like



Downloadable Citations