improved method for recognizing unknown space debris objects on series of CCD-frames

Paper number

IAC-08.A6.5.2

Author

Mrs. Carolin Früh, Astronomical Institute University of Bern (AIUB), Switzerland

Coauthor

Dr. Reto Musci, Astronomical Institute University of Bern (AIUB), Switzerland

Coauthor

Dr. Thomas Schildknecht, Astronomical Institute University of Bern (AIUB), Switzerland

Year

2008

Abstract

When searching for unknown objects series of frames (10-30 frames) are taken either in staring mode (fixed telescope), or with sidereal tracking. In a follow-up series after the discovery of a new object the telescope is tracking the object with its expected motion during the exposure and is repositioned between the exposures.

In search surveys no information about the orbital elements and the expected motion of the object images on the frames is available. In follow-up series this information is quite poor, especially for objects with high eccentricity. In addition the images of one object do not necessarily resemble each other on the different frames; especially objects with high area-to-mass ratios can rotate chaotically, which results in strong variations in intensity and pixel number of the images on the frames. Also the image of the object must not appear on every single frame of the series. The object can have moved in front of a star in the line of sight during the observation or its image can temporarily become too faint to be detected. Moreover the image of the actual object on the frame must be distinguished from Cosmic ray events, which can mimic real objects in terms of appearance.

This paper describes a new method to recognize space debris objects on series of CCD-frames. The method is applied to typical GEO and GTO survey observations, which the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern performs with the ESA Space Debris Telescope (ESASDT) on Tenerife. Unlike prior object recognition methods used to process the ESASDT data the new algorithm does not impose constraints on the inclination of the objects orbit or its maximum apparent velocity. In addition the algorithm allows recognition for changing brightness and shape of the object images and reduces the number of  false recognition. 

Abstract document

IAC-08.A6.5.2.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.A6.5.2.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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