Astronomical point-source detection based on nonlinear image filtering with partial differential equations

摘要

A new nonlinear diffusion filtering scheme based on a nonlinear diffusion equation with a variable scale parameter is developed to preserve faint point sources while smoothing images for segmentation purposes. Application of the proposed approach to simulated, as well as to real images obtained by the Spitzer Space Telescope and by the Chandra X-ray Observatory reduced the Gaussian and Poisson noise successfully, while preserving both point sources and diffuse structures.