Mining the LSST data stream for distant supernovae

LSST(大型天气观测望远镜)的独特之处在于它每隔几个晚上就能拍摄到可观察到的南方天空的图像。这将生成一个庞大的瞬变对象数据集，导致每晚产生100,000个瞬变警报。其中每年约有50,000颗Ia型超新星，可用作研究暗能量的宇宙距离指示器。根据它们的光度来选择这些SNE是一个巨大的数据挑战，这已经得到了国际上的认可(LSSTC和LSST：UK最近资助了一系列关于这个问题的研讨会)。博士项目将从这些选择算法的工作开始，使用模拟作为输入。这项工作将利用LSST：UK联盟(IH是该联盟的成员)目前正在开发的机器学习算法。重点将评估光谱(即训练样本的红移和瞬时分类信息)对选择算法的影响。这样的光谱预计将由4MOST光纤馈送多目标光谱仪提供，兰开斯特最近加入了这个项目。该项目的第二阶段将为4MOST的调查做准备。这涉及到设计LSST瞬变检测和4MOST光谱纤维放置之间的软件接口。将开发复杂的算法，将临时目标列表中的优先级与4MOST的其他调查的优先级进行可视化和合并，并优化配置每个4MOST观测的大约2000个光纤(在4MOST的5年调查中，总共必须定义5000多万个光纤位置)。

The LSST (Large Synoptic Survey Telescope) will be unique in its ability to image the observable southern sky every few nights. This will generate a vast dataset of transient objects, resulting in 100,000 transient alerts every night. Among these among will be of order 50,000 Type Ia supernovae per year, which can be used as cosmological distance indicators for studying dark energy. Picking out these SNe based on their photometry is a massive data challenge that has been recognised internationally (LSSTC and LSST:UK have recently funded a series of workshops on this issue).The PhD project will start with work on these selection algorithms, using simulations as input. The work will make use of machine learning algorithms that are currently being developed within the LSST:UK consortium (of which IH is a member). The focus will be to assess the impact of spectroscopy (i.e. redshift and transient classification information for a training sample) on the selection algorithm. Such spectroscopy is expected to be provided by the 4MOST fibre-fed multi-object spectrograph instrument, a project that Lancaster has recently joined.The second phase of the project will be preparing for 4MOST's survey. This involves designing the software interface between LSST transient detection and placement of 4MOST's spectroscopic fibres. Sophisticated algorithms will be developed to visualise and merge priorities from the transient target list with those from 4MOST's other surveys, and to optimally configure the approximately 2000 fibres per 4MOST observation (totaling over 50 million fibre positions must be defined over 4MOST's 5-year survey).