IV. 2MASS Data Processing

5. Extended Source Identification and Photometry

a. Algorithms, Analysis and Results

iv. Visual Inspection of Extended Sources

Over the course of the 2MASS project, extended sources have been visually inspected during spot checks and systematic checks of completeness and reliability. The inspection consists of viewing a J+H+K_s RGB color-composite image, tabular data (sizes and photometry), and (when available) an optical DSS image. The images are viewed with both linear and logarithmic stretches to inspect both high and low surface brightness features.

Visual Classification

About 600,000 total sources have been inspected and classified (see code below). Roughly 25-30% of all XSC sources have been inspected, with close to 100% inspected at the bright end (K_s < 12.5 mag). The XSC includes a visual inspection flag "vc," which encodes the following classification:

galaxy: vc = 1
star or point source: vc = 2
unknown: vc = -2
artifact: vc = 2
double source: vc = 2
galactic extended: vc = 1
triple source: vc = 2

• Galaxy refers to sources which have shapes and surface brightnesses associated with extragalactic extended sources.

• Star/point source refers to sources which are unresolved or barely resolved from the 2MASS PSF. Most of these sources are foreground (Milky Way) stars.

• Unknown source refers to sources which are not easily classified. They tend to be faint and compact. They are most likely extragalactic in nature.

• Artifact refers to a suite of false sources which are induced from the camera electronics, optics, array and other mechanical origins, and transitory effects (e.g., meteor streaks). A gallery of the various kinds of artifacts is found here.

• Double source refers to point sources in close proximity (projected doubles) which mimic the profile of a galaxy or induce a false positive in the star-galaxy discrimination process. Most of these sources are stars, with bright star - faint star pairs a common offender.

• Galactic extended refers to Milky Way extended sources, such as nebulosity, HII regions, YSOs, and clusters (open and globular). These sources tend to be complex and ill-defined (their photometry follows this trend accordingly). They are highly confined to the Galactic plane (|glat| < 3°) or giant molecular clouds (e.g., the Orion GMC).

• Triple source refers to a complex set of point sources (projected stars) which induces a false positive in the star-galaxy discrimination process. These sources tend to be confined to regions of high stellar source density (i.e., the Galactic plane).

Gallery of Sources

The following is a very brief gallery of some sources encountered by 2MASS.

Figure 1	Figure 2	Figure 3	Figure 4
Galaxy vc=1, cc_flg=0	Star vc=2, cc_flg=0	Unknown vc=-2, cc_flg=0	Artifact vc=2, cc_flg=A

Figure 5	Figure 6	Figure 7
Double Star vc=2, cc_flg= 0	Galactic Fuzz vc=1, cc_flg= 0	Triple Source vc=2, cc_flg=0

[Last Updated: 2002 Aug 16; by T. Jarrett]