The challenge of blending in large sky surveys

Melchior, Peter; Joseph, Rémy; Sanchez, Javier; MacCrann, Niall; Gruen, Daniel

doi:10.1038/s42254-021-00353-y

Title: The challenge of blending in large sky surveys

Journal Article · 17 August 2021 · Nature Reviews Physics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-021-00353-y · OSTI ID:1833317

^[1]; Joseph, Rémy ^[1];

^[2]; MacCrann, Niall ^[3];

^[4]

Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
Fermi National Accelerator Lab. (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States); Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States)
Univ. of Cambridge (United Kingdom)
Ludwig-Maximilians-Univ. München, Munich (Germany)

The increasing sensitivity of modern sky surveys allow ever fainter emissions of light to be detected, but it also increases the chances of noticeable overlap between multiple sources of light, a phenomenon called blending. Furthermore, the consequences of blending are expected to be among the leading systematic measurement uncertainties of future surveys, such as the Legacy Survey of Space and Time. This Perspective discusses two main approaches to addressing blending: attempting to separate individual sources and statistically correcting for the presence of blending at the population level. For both approaches, simultaneous access to data of multiple surveys will be critical to construct a joint data set that combines the strengths of each individual survey.

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Research Organization:: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-07CH11359

OSTI ID:: 1833317

Report Number(s):: FERMILAB-PUB-21-598-PPD; oai:inspirehep.net:1958389

Journal Information:: Nature Reviews Physics, Journal Name: Nature Reviews Physics Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 3; ISSN 2522-5820

Publisher:: Springer NatureCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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