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Title: Color and Variability Characteristics of Point Sources in the Faint Sky Variability Survey

Journal Article · · Astronomical Journal, vol. 132, no. 2, August 20, 2006, pp. 633-649
OSTI ID:898015

The authors present an analysis of the color and variability characteristics for point sources in the Faint Sky Variability Survey (FSVS). The FSVS cataloged {approx} 23 square degrees in BVI filters from {approx} 16-24 mag to investigate variability in faint sources at moderate to high Galactic latitudes. Point source completeness is found to be >83% for a selected representative sample (V - 17.5-22.0 mag, B-V = 0.0-1.5) containing both photometric B, V detections and 80% of the time-sampled V data available compared to a basic internal source completeness of 99%. Multi-epoch (10-30) observations in V spanning minutes to years modeled by light curve simulations reveal amplitude sensitivities to {approx} 0.015-0.075 mag over a representative V = 18-22 mag range. Periodicity determinations appear viable to time-scales of an order 1 day or less using the most sampled fields ({approx} 30 epochs). The fraction of point sources is found to be generally variable at 5-8% over V = 17.5-22.0 mag. For V brighter than 19 mag, the variable population is dominated by low amplitude (< 0.05 mag) and blue (B-V < 0.35) sources, possibly representing a population of {gamma} Doradus stars. Overall, the dominant population of variable sources are bluer than B-V = 0.65 and have Main Sequence colors, likely reflecting larger populations of RR Lyrae, SX Phe, {gamma} Doradus, and W UMa variables.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
898015
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JRNL-211517; TRN: US200706%%194
Journal Information:
Astronomical Journal, vol. 132, no. 2, August 20, 2006, pp. 633-649, Journal Name: Astronomical Journal, vol. 132, no. 2, August 20, 2006, pp. 633-649
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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