First Results of the SkyMapper Transient Survey

A. Möller; B. E. Tucker; P. Armstrong; S. W. Chang; N. Lowson; C. A. Onken; F. Panther; R. Ridden-Harper; A. J. Ruiter; R. Scalzo; B. P. Schmidt; I. R. Seitenzahl; N. E. Sommer; C. Wolf; F. Yuan; B. Zhang

doi:10.1017/S1743921318002077

First Results of the SkyMapper Transient Survey

A. Möller^*, B. E. Tucker, P. Armstrong, S. W. Chang, N. Lowson, C. A. Onken, F. Panther, R. Ridden-Harper, A. J. Ruiter, R. Scalzo, B. P. Schmidt, I. R. Seitenzahl, N. E. Sommer, C. Wolf, F. Yuan, B. Zhang

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

The SkyMapper Transient survey (SMT) is exploring variability in the southern sky by performing (a) a rolling search to discover and study supernovæ, and (b) a Target of Opportunity programme that uses the robotic SkyMapper Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. The supernova survey is obtaining a non-Targeted sample of Type Ia supernovæ (SNe Ia) at low redshifts, z < 0.1, and studying other interesting transients found with the search strategy. We have a Target of Opportunity programme with an automatic response mechanism to search for optical counterparts to gravitational-wave and fast radio-burst events; it benefits from SkyMapper's large field of view of 5.7 sq. deg. and a rapid data reduction pipeline. We present first results of the SMT survey. The SMT pipeline can process and obtain potential candidates within 12 hours of observation. It disentangles real transients from processing artefacts using a machine-learning algorithm. To date, SMT has discovered over 60 spectroscopically confirmed supernovæ, several peculiar objects, and over 40 SNe Ia including one (SNIa 2016hhd) which was found within the first few days of explosion. We have also participated in searches for optical counterparts of gravitational waves, fast radio bursts and other transients, and have published observations of the optical counterpart of the gravitational-wave event GW170817. We also participate in coordinated observations with the Deeper Wider Faster programme, and the Kepler K2 cosmology project.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3-6
Number of pages	4
Journal	Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Volume	14
Issue number	S339
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921318002077
Publication status	Published - 2017

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Möller, A., Tucker, B. E., Armstrong, P., Chang, S. W., Lowson, N., Onken, C. A., Panther, F., Ridden-Harper, R., Ruiter, A. J., Scalzo, R., Schmidt, B. P., Seitenzahl, I. R., Sommer, N. E., Wolf, C., Yuan, F., & Zhang, B. (2017). First Results of the SkyMapper Transient Survey. Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 14(S339), 3-6. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921318002077

@article{1dc09f75278f49c19d1e9842cf126b1f,

title = "First Results of the SkyMapper Transient Survey",

abstract = "The SkyMapper Transient survey (SMT) is exploring variability in the southern sky by performing (a) a rolling search to discover and study supernov{\ae}, and (b) a Target of Opportunity programme that uses the robotic SkyMapper Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. The supernova survey is obtaining a non-Targeted sample of Type Ia supernov{\ae} (SNe Ia) at low redshifts, z < 0.1, and studying other interesting transients found with the search strategy. We have a Target of Opportunity programme with an automatic response mechanism to search for optical counterparts to gravitational-wave and fast radio-burst events; it benefits from SkyMapper's large field of view of 5.7 sq. deg. and a rapid data reduction pipeline. We present first results of the SMT survey. The SMT pipeline can process and obtain potential candidates within 12 hours of observation. It disentangles real transients from processing artefacts using a machine-learning algorithm. To date, SMT has discovered over 60 spectroscopically confirmed supernov{\ae}, several peculiar objects, and over 40 SNe Ia including one (SNIa 2016hhd) which was found within the first few days of explosion. We have also participated in searches for optical counterparts of gravitational waves, fast radio bursts and other transients, and have published observations of the optical counterpart of the gravitational-wave event GW170817. We also participate in coordinated observations with the Deeper Wider Faster programme, and the Kepler K2 cosmology project.",

keywords = "Supernov{\ae}: general, cosmology: observations, gravitational waves, surveys",

author = "A. M{\"o}ller and Tucker, {B. E.} and P. Armstrong and Chang, {S. W.} and N. Lowson and Onken, {C. A.} and F. Panther and R. Ridden-Harper and Ruiter, {A. J.} and R. Scalzo and Schmidt, {B. P.} and Seitenzahl, {I. R.} and Sommer, {N. E.} and C. Wolf and F. Yuan and B. Zhang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} International Astronomical Union 2019.",

year = "2017",

doi = "10.1017/S1743921318002077",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

pages = "3--6",

journal = "Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union",

issn = "1743-9213",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

number = "S339",

}

Möller, A, Tucker, BE, Armstrong, P, Chang, SW, Lowson, N, Onken, CA, Panther, F, Ridden-Harper, R, Ruiter, AJ, Scalzo, R, Schmidt, BP, Seitenzahl, IR, Sommer, NE, Wolf, C, Yuan, F & Zhang, B 2017, 'First Results of the SkyMapper Transient Survey', Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, vol. 14, no. S339, pp. 3-6. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921318002077

TY - JOUR

T1 - First Results of the SkyMapper Transient Survey

AU - Möller, A.

AU - Tucker, B. E.

AU - Armstrong, P.

AU - Chang, S. W.

AU - Lowson, N.

AU - Onken, C. A.

AU - Panther, F.

AU - Ridden-Harper, R.

AU - Ruiter, A. J.

AU - Scalzo, R.

AU - Schmidt, B. P.

AU - Seitenzahl, I. R.

AU - Sommer, N. E.

AU - Wolf, C.

AU - Yuan, F.

AU - Zhang, B.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - The SkyMapper Transient survey (SMT) is exploring variability in the southern sky by performing (a) a rolling search to discover and study supernovæ, and (b) a Target of Opportunity programme that uses the robotic SkyMapper Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. The supernova survey is obtaining a non-Targeted sample of Type Ia supernovæ (SNe Ia) at low redshifts, z < 0.1, and studying other interesting transients found with the search strategy. We have a Target of Opportunity programme with an automatic response mechanism to search for optical counterparts to gravitational-wave and fast radio-burst events; it benefits from SkyMapper's large field of view of 5.7 sq. deg. and a rapid data reduction pipeline. We present first results of the SMT survey. The SMT pipeline can process and obtain potential candidates within 12 hours of observation. It disentangles real transients from processing artefacts using a machine-learning algorithm. To date, SMT has discovered over 60 spectroscopically confirmed supernovæ, several peculiar objects, and over 40 SNe Ia including one (SNIa 2016hhd) which was found within the first few days of explosion. We have also participated in searches for optical counterparts of gravitational waves, fast radio bursts and other transients, and have published observations of the optical counterpart of the gravitational-wave event GW170817. We also participate in coordinated observations with the Deeper Wider Faster programme, and the Kepler K2 cosmology project.

AB - The SkyMapper Transient survey (SMT) is exploring variability in the southern sky by performing (a) a rolling search to discover and study supernovæ, and (b) a Target of Opportunity programme that uses the robotic SkyMapper Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. The supernova survey is obtaining a non-Targeted sample of Type Ia supernovæ (SNe Ia) at low redshifts, z < 0.1, and studying other interesting transients found with the search strategy. We have a Target of Opportunity programme with an automatic response mechanism to search for optical counterparts to gravitational-wave and fast radio-burst events; it benefits from SkyMapper's large field of view of 5.7 sq. deg. and a rapid data reduction pipeline. We present first results of the SMT survey. The SMT pipeline can process and obtain potential candidates within 12 hours of observation. It disentangles real transients from processing artefacts using a machine-learning algorithm. To date, SMT has discovered over 60 spectroscopically confirmed supernovæ, several peculiar objects, and over 40 SNe Ia including one (SNIa 2016hhd) which was found within the first few days of explosion. We have also participated in searches for optical counterparts of gravitational waves, fast radio bursts and other transients, and have published observations of the optical counterpart of the gravitational-wave event GW170817. We also participate in coordinated observations with the Deeper Wider Faster programme, and the Kepler K2 cosmology project.

KW - Supernovæ: general

KW - cosmology: observations

KW - gravitational waves

KW - surveys

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85071595802&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S1743921318002077

DO - 10.1017/S1743921318002077

M3 - Article

SN - 1743-9213

VL - 14

SP - 3

EP - 6

JO - Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union

JF - Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union

IS - S339

ER -

First Results of the SkyMapper Transient Survey

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