Herschel SPIRE Point Source Catalog Definitions

Overview

The Herschel-SPIRE instrument mapped about 9% of the sky in Submillimeter broad-band filters centered at 250, 350, and 500 microns (1199, 857, 600 GHz) with spatial resolutions of 17.9", 24.2", 35.4" respectively. In total, we used the 6878 standard configuration scan maps that are available, including calibration observations. The SPIRE Point Source Catalog contains the result of a systematic and homogeneous source extraction on those maps using 4 different photometry extraction methods. Only regions affected by strong Galactic emission, mostly in the Galactic Plane, were excluded, as they tested the limits of the available source extraction methods. Aimed primarily at point sources, that allow for the best photometric accuracy, the catalog contains also significant fractions of slightly extended sources up to a limit. With most SPIRE maps being confusion limited, uncertainties in flux densities were established as a function of structure noise and flux density, based on the results of artificial source insertion experiments into real data along a range of celestial backgrounds. Many sources have been rejected that do not pass the imposed SNR threshold, especially at flux densities approaching the extragalactic confusion limit. A range of additional flags provide information on the reliability of the flux information, as well as the spatial extent and orientation of a source. Users are encouraged to check the flux density estimates of all 4 methods and follow the guidelines given in the Explanatory Supplement regarding their interpretation for point- and extended sources. For tracing back catalog objects to the originally contributing detections in SPIRE observations, a cross identification table is available that provides the relevant observation identifiers used by the Herschel Science Archive. For further details on catalog construction, detailed content, and validation, please see the Explanatory Supplement.

Direct download (csv):
SPIRE Point Source Catalog: 250 microns
SPIRE Point Source Catalog: 350 microns
SPIRE Point Source Catalog: 550 microns
Cross-Reference Matrix

Name Intype Units Description
SPSCID Object identifier
DET SPIRE detector array
PSW = 250 microns
PMW = 350 microns
PLW = 500 microns
ra deg Right Ascension (J2000)
dec deg Declination (J2000)
RA_ERR arcsec Positional uncertainty in RA
DEC_ERR arcsec Positional uncertainty in Dec
POS_FLAG Source position flag
T = position uncertainties > search radius of the catalog consolidation algorithm
ASTROM_FLAG Astrometry flag
T = one or more contributing detections came from a map with positional offset > 5" from WISE. A total of 390609 records were flagged.
NMAP Number of times the source should have been detected
NDET Number of actual detections
DUPL_FLAG Duplication flag
T = more than one source from the same map was identified as part of this object
FLUX mJy Average TML derived flux
FLUXTML_ERR mJy Propagated weighted error of TML derived flux
CONF_ERR mJy Confusion uncertainty
FLUX_ERR mJy Total flux uncertainty
SNR Signal to noise ratio
INSTERR_FLAG Instrument noise flag
This flag indicates that the TML returned no count for the number of readouts in the central aperture. To still be able to derive an instrument noise component, a typical number was used, based on the instrument configuration and multiplied with the number of repeats of the observation.
FLUXSUS mJy Average Sussextractor derived flux
FLUXSUS_ERR mJy Propagated weighted error of Sussextractor derived flux
FLUXDAO mJy Average DAOphot derived flux
FLUXDAO_ERR mJy Propagated weighted error of DAOphot derived flux
FLUXTM2 mJy Average TM2 derived flux
FLUXTM2_ERR mJy Propagated weighted error of TM2 derived flux
FWHM1 arcsec Average major axis FWHM
FWHM2 arcsec Average minor axis FWHM
FWHM1_ERR arcsec Uncertainty of FWHM1
FWHM2_ERR arcsec Uncertainty of FWHM2
ROT deg Average rotation angle, measured counterclockwise from west
ROT_ERR deg Uncertainty of ROT
PNTSRC_FLAG Point source flag
T = major and minor axis FWHM are compatible with a point source at that flux level. It is an indicator but not conclusive, in particular not for small fluxes.
EXTSRC_FLAG Extended source flag
T = any of the major or minor axis FWHM are larger than the threshold for point sources. Very likely to be extended or a combination of more than one point source.
LOWFWHM_FLAG Low FWHM flag
T = any of the major or minor axis FWHM is smaller than the lower threshold for point sources. Possibly a statistical outlier, or a spurious source due to map artifact.
LARGEGAL_FLAG Large Galaxy Atlas flag
T = catalog position is within the ellipse for a galaxy in the 2MASS Large Galaxy Atlas with major axis > 1'.
MAPEDGE_FLAG Map edge flag
T = at least one contributing source shows ≥ 10% of map pixels as NaN within the outer background annulus.
SSOCONT_FLAG SSO contamination flag
T = at least one contributing source is within a rectangle defined by the tracklet of a known asteroid and the beam FWHM of the map.
Q3CTILE Q3C tile identifier