The ASTROID Simulator Software Package: Realistic Modelling of High-Precision High-Cadence Space-Based Imaging

摘要

The preparation of a space-mission that carries out any kind of imaging todetect high-precision low-amplitude variability of its targets requires arobust model for the expected performance of its instruments. This model cannotbe derived from simple addition of noise properties due to the complexinteraction between the various noise sources. While it is not feasible tobuild and test a prototype of the imaging device on-ground, realistic numericalsimulations in the form of an end-to-end simulator can be used to model thenoise propagation in the observations. These simulations not only allowstudying the performance of the instrument, its noise source response and itsdata quality, but also the instrument design verification for different typesof configurations, the observing strategy and the scientific feasibility of anobserving proposal. In this way, a complete description and assessment of theobjectives to expect from the mission can be derived. We present ahigh-precision simulation software package, designed to simulate photometrictime-series of CCD images by including realistic models of the CCD and itselectronics, the telescope optics, the stellar field, the jitter movements ofthe spacecraft, and all important natural noise sources. This formalism hasbeen implemented in a software tool, dubbed ASTROID Simulator.