The Zwicky Transient Facility: System Overview, Performance, and First Results

TLDR

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is a new optical time‑domain survey using the Palomar 48‑inch Schmidt telescope. The authors describe the design and implementation of ZTF’s wide‑field camera and observing system, and present on‑sky performance analysis and early scientific results from commissioning. ZTF employs a custom‑built 47‑deg² camera with an 8‑second readout, and a data system at IRSA that performs near‑real‑time reduction, analysis pipelines, and archive services. ZTF’s public alert stream is expected to serve as a useful precursor to the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope’s alert system.

Abstract

The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is a new optical time-domain survey that uses the Palomar 48 inch Schmidt telescope. A custom-built wide-field camera provides a 47 deg2 field of view and 8 s readout time, yielding more than an order of magnitude improvement in survey speed relative to its predecessor survey, the Palomar Transient Factory. We describe the design and implementation of the camera and observing system. The ZTF data system at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center provides near-real-time reduction to identify moving and varying objects. We outline the analysis pipelines, data products, and associated archive. Finally, we present on-sky performance analysis and first scientific results from commissioning and the early survey. ZTF's public alert stream will serve as a useful precursor for that of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.