The general catalog of VISTA variables in the Via Lactea
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2014
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) ESO Public Survey is providing deep, long-baseline time-series photometry in the near-infrared for hundreds of millions of objects in the bulge and the southern disk. The scientific potential of these data is manifold, and its global exploration requires homogeneous and high-level data products. In my talk, I will expound on the details of a massive computational effort to produce a general variability database and a catalog of periodic and transient variables in the bulge, using photometry provided by the VISTA Data Flow System. The goal of this project is to duly provide science-ready data products in the form of a simple on-line database which may serve as the basis for various specific studies from stellar pulsation to microlensing, conducted by the VVV community. I will discuss the main steps of the procedure, the characteristics and possible uses of the database, the current status of the project, and will conclude by highlighting selected results....