Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific · 1986 · 2K citations · 0 references
Natural SciencesAstronomyAnalytical ChemistrySpectroscopic AnalysisSpectroscopyAbsorption SpectroscopyOptical SpectroscopyRadiation SpectroscopySpectral Data ProcessingSpectral InterpretationCosmic-ray SpectraGeometric Distortion CorrectionGeometric Distortion ModelingSignal-to-noise AnalysisSignal-to-noise RatioSignal-to-noise Ratio AssessmentSignal-to-noise Ratio EnhancementSignal-to-noise Ratio Estimation
An optimal spectrum extraction procedure is described, and examples of its performance with CCD data are presented. The algorithm delivers the maximum possible signal-to-noise ratio while preserving spectrophotometric accuracy. The effects of moderate geometric distortion and of cosmic-ray hits on the spectrum are automatically accounted for. In tests with background-noise limited CCD spectra, optimal extraction offers a 70-percent gain in effective exposure time in comparison with conventional extraction procedures.