Determining the limits of detection, both as a function of the brightness of the source and that sources rate of sky motion, is critical to correct determination of the underlying population based on the detected sources. In the CFEPS project we provide detection Characterization files that define our efficiency as a function of:
- Object flux, often quoted as the 50% detection threshold
- Rate of motion (in arc-seconds/hour) relative to the sidereal rate
- Tracking efficiency, we know that we can’t track 100% of sources and the efficiency with which we track sources is a function of the brightness of those sources. Accounting for this tracking efficiency allows us to determine the chance that our survey might be completely missing a particular orbital class.
- Fill Factor, our discovery survey is conducted with the CFHT Megaprime camera which has gaps between CCDs in the mosaic.