A.A. Mahabal1, S.G. Djorgovski1,2, A.J. Drake1, C. Donalek1,
M.J. Graham1, R.D. Williams1, Y. Chen1, B. Moghaddam3,
M. Turmon3, E. Beshore4 and S. Larson4
Abstract.
Exploration of the time domain - variable and transient objects and phenomena
- is rapidly becoming a vibrant research frontier, touching on essentially
every field of astronomy and astrophysics, from the Solar system to cosmology.
Time domain astronomy is being enabled by the advent of the new generation of
synoptic sky surveys that cover large areas on the sky repeatedly, and
generating massive data streams. Their scientific exploration poses many
challenges, driven mainly by the need for a real-time discovery,
classification, and follow-up of the interesting events. Here we describe the
Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey (CRTS), that discovers and publishes
transient events at optical wavelengths in real time, thus benefiting the entire community. We
describe some of the scientific results to date, and then focus on the
challenges of the automated classification and prioritization of transient
events. CRTS represents a scientific and a technological testbed and precursor
for the larger surveys in the future, including the Large Synoptic Survey
Telescope (LSST) and the Square Kilometer Array (SKA).
Keywords: surveys -- galaxies: active -- quasars -- supernovae -- stars: variables: other
1California Institute of Technology, 1200 E California Bl., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
2Distinguished Visiting Professor, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
3Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
4Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA