The Zwicky Transient Facility: System Overview, Performance, and First Results
E. BellmDIRAC Institute, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, 3910 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; [email protected]S. R. KulkarniDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAM. J. GrahamDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USARichard DekanyCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USARoger M. SmithCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAReed RiddleCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAFrank J. MasciIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAG. HelouIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAThomas A. PrinceDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAS. M. AdamsDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAC. BarbarinoThe Oskar Klein Centre & Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, SE-106 91 Stockholm, SwedenTom A. BarlowDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAJ. BauerDepartment of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USAR. BeckIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAJustin BelickiCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USARahul BiswasThe Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, SE-106 91 Stockholm, SwedenN. BlagorodnovaDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USADennis BodewitsDepartment of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USABryce BolinB612 Asteroid Institute, 20 Sunnyside Avenue, Suite 427, Mill Valley, Ca 94941, USAV. BrinnelInstitute of Physics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstr. 15, D-12489 Berlin, GermanyT. Y. BrookeIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USABrian BueJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USAMattia BullaThe Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, SE-106 91 Stockholm, SwedenRick BurrussCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAS. B. CenkoAstrophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, MC 661, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USAChan-Kao ChangInstitute of Astronomy, National Central University, 32001, TaiwanAndrew J. ConnollyDIRAC Institute, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, 3910 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; [email protected]M. W. CoughlinDivision of Physics, Math, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAJohn CromerCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAVirginia CunninghamDepartment of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USAKishalay DeDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAAlex DelacroixCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAVandana DesaiIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USADmitry A. DuevDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAGwendolyn M. EadieDIRAC Institute, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, 3910 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; [email protected]T. L. FarnhamDepartment of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USAMichael FeeneyCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAU. FeindtThe Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, SE-106 91 Stockholm, SwedenDavid FlynnIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAA. FranckowiakDeutsches Elektronensynchrotron, Platanenallee 6, D-15738, Zeuthen, GermanySara FrederickDepartment of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USAC. FremlingDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAA. Gal‐YamDepartment of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science 234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, IsraelSuvi GezariDepartment of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USAM. GiomiInstitute of Physics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstr. 15, D-12489 Berlin, GermanyD. A. GoldsteinDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAV. Z. GolkhouDIRAC Institute, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, 3910 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; [email protected]A. GoobarThe Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, SE-106 91 Stockholm, SwedenSteven L. GroomIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAEugean HacopiansIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USADavid HaleCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAJohn HenningCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAA. Y. Q. HoDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USADavid HoverCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAJustin HowellIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAT. HungDepartment of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USADaniela HuppenkothenDIRAC Institute, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, 3910 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; [email protected]D. ImelIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAWing-Huen IpInstitute of Astronomy, National Central University, 32001, TaiwanŽeljko IvezićDIRAC Institute, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, 3910 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; [email protected]Edward JacksonIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USALynne JonesDIRAC Institute, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, 3910 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; [email protected]Mario JurićDIRAC Institute, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, 3910 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; [email protected]M. M. KasliwalDivision of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAS. KaspiSchool of Physics & Astronomy and Wise Observatory, The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 6997801, IsraelStephen KayeCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAMichael S. P. KelleyDepartment of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USAM. KowalskiDeutsches Elektronensynchrotron, Platanenallee 6, D-15738, Zeuthen, GermanyEmily KramerJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USAT. KupferDepartment of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USAWalter LandryIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USARuss R. LaherIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAChien-De LeeInstitute of Astronomy, National Central University, 32001, TaiwanHsing Wen LinDepartment of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USAZhong-Yi LinInstitute of Astronomy, National Central University, 32001, TaiwanR. LunnanThe Oskar Klein Centre & Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, SE-106 91 Stockholm, SwedenM. GiomiInstitute of Physics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstr. 15, D-12489 Berlin, GermanyAshish A MahabalCenter for Data Driven Discovery, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAPeter MaoCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAAdam A. MillerCenter for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USAS. MonkewitzIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAPatrick MurphyFormerly of Caltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAChow‐Choong NgeowInstitute of Astronomy, National Central University, 32001, TaiwanJ. NordinInstitute of Physics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstr. 15, D-12489 Berlin, GermanyP. NugentComputational Science Department, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS 50B-4206, Berkeley, CA 94720, USAEran OfekBenoziyo Center for Astrophysics and the Helen Kimmel Center for Planetary Science, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot, IsraelMaria T. PattersonDIRAC Institute, Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, 3910 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; [email protected]Bryan E. PenpraseSoka University of America, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656, USAMichael PorterCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAL. RauchDeutsches Elektronensynchrotron, Platanenallee 6, D-15738, Zeuthen, GermanyU. D. RebbapragadaJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USADan ReileyCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAM. RigaultUniversit Clermont Auvergne, CNRS/IN2P3, Laboratoire de Physique de Clermont, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, FranceHéctor RodríguezCaltech Optical Observatories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAJan van RoestelDepartment of Astrophysics/IMAPP, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The NetherlandsBen RusholmeIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAJakob van SantenDeutsches Elektronensynchrotron, Platanenallee 6, D-15738, Zeuthen, GermanyS. SchulzeDepartment of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science 234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, IsraelD. L. ShupeIPAC, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125, USAL. P. SingerDeleted Institution
2018en
ABI
Abstract
The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is a new optical time-domain survey that uses the Palomar 48 inch Schmidt telescope. A custom-built wide-field camera provides a 47 deg 2 field of view and 8 s readout time, yielding more than an order of magnitude improvement in survey speed relative to its predecessor survey, the Palomar Transient Factory. We describe the design and implementation of the camera and observing system. The ZTF data system at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center provides near-real-time reduction to identify moving and varying objects. We outline the analysis pipelines, data products, and associated archive. Finally, we present on-sky performance analysis and first scientific results from commissioning and the early survey. ZTF's public alert stream will serve as a useful precursor for that of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.
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