The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) Serendipitous Survey Catalog (SSC) was constructed from pointed observations made by the satellite when it was in Additional Observations (AO), i.e., non-survey, mode. Analysis of the SSC shows that it contains a higher percentage of sources which have been detected only at 60mum than are found in the IRAS Point Source Catalog (PSC). This could reflect the existence of a large population of faint extragalactic (galaxian) objects due to the increased sensitivity of the SSC relative to the PSC, especially in the 60 mum band, or simply be a result of spurious sources in the SSC. Inspection of cirrus contamination over each AO showed that it had little or no effect on the high 60 mum-only source count. An automated optical identification program presented here indicated that 60 mum-only sources were as likely to have optical counterparts as all other sources, and more likely than randomly-placed artificial sources. The SSC sources studied had, on average, one more optical source found nearby than did artificial data: probably the optical counterpart to the IRAS source. These results support the validity of the 60 mum-only sources and the SSC in general.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/291715 |
| Date | January 1991 |
| Creators | Clemens, Cathleen McGunigle, 1957- |
| Contributors | Low, Frank J. |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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