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T. Velusamy, C.A Beichman, C.R Backus, K.A Marsh, T.J Thompson (JPL)
We have developed a 'HiRes' software for deconvolution of Spitzer images that increases the angular resolution by a factor of two to three over that obtainable in a standard mosaiced image. This software is an extension of the Maximum Correlation Method (MCM) described by Aumann et al. (1990 AJ, 99, 1674), incorporating features that are applicable to the Spitzer data and FFT convolutions to speed up. While the Spitzer Space Telescope provides unprecedented sensitivity in the infrared, its spatial resolution is limited by the relatively small aperture (0.85 m) of the primary mirror. In this paper we present resolution enhanced Spitzer images demonstrating the benefits of HiRes imaging: (1) The ability to detect sources below the diffraction-limited confusion level; at 160 micron, the corresponding increase in confusion-limited sensitivity is about a factor of two. (2) The ability to separate blended sources, and thereby provide guidance to point-source extraction procedures. (3) An improved ability to show the spatial morphology of resolved sources.
This work was performed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #2
© YEAR. The American Astronomical Soceity.