Article (Scientific journals)
The PLATO Simulator: modelling of high-precision high-cadence space-based imaging
Marcos-Arenal, P.; Zima, W.; De Ridder, J. et al.
2014In Astronomy and Astrophysics
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Keywords :
Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Abstract :
[en] Many aspects of the design trade-off of a space-based instrument and its performance can best be tackled through simulations of the expected observations. The complex interplay of various noise sources in the course of the observations make such simulations an indispensable part of the assessment and design study of any space-based mission. We present a formalism to model and simulate photometric time series of CCD images by including models of the CCD and its electronics, the telescope optics, the stellar field, the jitter movements of the spacecraft, and all important natural noise sources. This formalism has been implemented in a versatile end-to-end simulation software tool, called PLATO Simulator, specifically designed for the PLATO space mission to be operated from L2, but easily adaptable to similar types of missions. We provide a detailed description of several noise sources and discuss their properties, in connection with the optical design, the allowable level of jitter, the quantum efficiency of the detectors, etc. The expected overall noise budget of generated light curves is computed as a function of the stellar magnitude, for different sets of input parameters describing the instrument properties. The simulator is offered to the scientific community for future use.
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Marcos-Arenal, P.
Zima, W.
De Ridder, J.
Aerts, C.
Huygen, R.
Samadi, R.
Green, J.
Piotto, G.
Salmon, Sébastien ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Astrophysique stellaire théorique et astérosismologie
Catala, C.
Rauer, H.
Language :
English
Title :
The PLATO Simulator: modelling of high-precision high-cadence space-based imaging
Publication date :
07 April 2014
Journal title :
Astronomy and Astrophysics
ISSN :
0004-6361
eISSN :
1432-0746
Publisher :
EDP Sciences, Les Ulis, France
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
FRIA - Fonds pour la Formation à la Recherche dans l'Industrie et dans l'Agriculture [BE]
Commentary :
Software package available at the PLATO Simulator web site (https://fys.kuleuven.be/ster/Software/PlatoSimulator/)
Available on ORBi :
since 07 May 2014

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