Robbie - A batch processing workflow for the detection of radio transients and variables

Description

Robbie automates the process of cataloguing sources, finding variables, and identifying transients.

The workflow was described initially in Hancock et al. 2018 however the current workflow is shown below:

  • Preprocessing:

    • Convolve all images to a common psf (optional)

    • Create background and noise maps (if they are not found)

    • Correct astrometry using fitswarp (optional)

  • Variabile/persistent source detection:

    • Stack the warped images to form a mean image

    • Source find on the mean image to make a reference catalogue

    • Priorized fit this catalogue into each of the individual images

    • Join the epoch catalogues to make a persistent source catalogue

    • Calculate variability stats and generate a light curve for each source

  • Transient candidate identification:

    • Use the persistent source to mask known sources from the individual epochs

    • Source find on the masked images to find transients

    • Concatenate transients into a single catalogue, identifying the epoch of each detection

See workflow for a diagram of how Robbie works.

Dependencies

Robbie relies on the following software:

All dependencies except for Nextflow will be installed in the docker image.

Credit

If you use Robbie as part of your work, please cite Hancock et al. 2018, and link to this repository.

This project relies in part on software development provided by the ADACS merit allocation program for 2022A.

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