Computation of IRAS Fluxes via a Priori Astrometry

Abstract

One of the major challenges presented by any new set of observations is integrating them into the existing astronomical database. This problem is compounded by differences in resolution between new and old observations. The work presented here introduces a general technique which simultaneously integrates and enhances data taken at different wavelengths. The IRAS dataset, due to its oversampled nature and relatively stable PSFs, is an ideal candidate for this kind of enhancement, particularly in crowded fields. Specifically, our goal is to compute IRAS fluxes for stars in the ρ Ophiuchus cloud, which are currently limited by source confusion. In addition to being an important star forming region, the selection of ρ Oph is motivated by the high correlation between K-Band observations (Strom and Kepner 1993) and deconvolutions of 12µ IRAS data of the same region.