Image Simulation with Shapelets

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  • 22 January 2003
Abstract
We present a method to manufacture simulated deep sky images, with realistic galaxy morphologies and telescope characteristics. For this purpose, we first use the shapelets formalism (Refregier 2003) to parametrize the shapes of all galaxies in the Hubble Deep Field. We consider the distribution of real galaxy morphologies in shapelet parameter space, then resample this distribution to generate new galaxies. The simulated objects include realistic spiral arms, bars, discs, arbitrary radial profiles and even dust lanes or knots. We apply standard morphology diagnostics to demonstrate that our artificial images closely mimic real data in terms of galaxy size, concentration and asymmetry statistics, etc. Observational effects, including Point-Spread Function, noise, pixellisation, and astrometric distortions are also modelled. Sample images are made available on the world wide web. These simulations are useful to develop and test precision image analysis techniques, including photometry, astrometry, and shape measurement. The sensitivity of future telescopes and surveys can thus be assessed for applications including supernova searches, microlensing, proper motions, and weak lensing.

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