calculate_noise#

stellarphot.photometry.photometry.calculate_noise(camera=None, counts=0.0, sky_per_pix=0.0, aperture_area=0, annulus_area=0, exposure=0, include_digitization=False)[source]#

Computes the noise in a photometric measurement.

This function computes the noise (in units of electrons) in a photometric measurement using the revised CCD equation from Collins et al (2017) AJ, 153, 77 who based their expression on the one originally proposed for SNR by Merline, W. J., & Howell, S. B. 1995, Experimental Astronomy, 6, 163.

The equation is:

\[\sigma = \sqrt{G \cdot N_C + A \cdot \left(1 + \frac{A}{B}\right)\cdot \left[ G\cdot S + D \cdot t + R^2 + (0.289 G)^2\right]}\]

where \(\sigma\) is the noise, \(G\) is the gain, \(N_C\) is the source counts (which is photon/electron counts divided by gain), \(A\) is the aperture area in pixels, \(B\) is the annulus area in pixels, \(S\) is the sky counts per pixel, \(D\) is the dark current in electrons per second, \(R\) is the read noise in electrons per pixel per read, and \(t\) is exposure time in seconds.

Note: The \((0.289 G)^2\) term is “digitization noise” and is optional.

Parameters:
camerastellarphot.Camera

The camera object that contains the gain, read noise and dark current of the CCD.

countsfloat, optional

Counts of the source.

sky_per_pixfloat, optional

Sky per pixel in counts per pixel.

aperture_areaint, optional

Area of the aperture in pixels.

annulus_areaint, optional

Area of the annulus in pixels.

exposureint, optional

Exposure time in seconds.

include_digitizationbool, optional

Whether to include the digitization noise. Defaults to False.

Returns:
noisefloat

The noise in the photometric measurement in electrons.