Convolutional Neural Networks for Spectroscopic Redshift Estimation on Euclid Data

TL;DR

This paper introduces a deep convolutional neural network approach for estimating galaxy redshifts from spectroscopic data, aiming to automate and improve accuracy in the context of large astronomical datasets like Euclid.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel CNN-based method for spectroscopic redshift estimation, tailored for Euclid-like galaxy survey data, with extensive evaluation under various observational conditions.

Findings

High accuracy in redshift estimation under ideal conditions

Robust performance in low signal-to-noise scenarios

Potential to automate redshift measurement process

Abstract

In this paper, we address the problem of spectroscopic redshift estimation in Astronomy. Due to the expansion of the Universe, galaxies recede from each other on average. This movement causes the emitted electromagnetic waves to shift from the blue part of the spectrum to the red part, due to the Doppler effect. Redshift is one of the most important observables in Astronomy, allowing the measurement of galaxy distances. Several sources of noise render the estimation process far from trivial, especially in the low signal-to-noise regime of many astrophysical observations. In recent years, new approaches for a reliable and automated estimation methodology have been sought out, in order to minimize our reliance on currently popular techniques that heavily involve human intervention. The fulfilment of this task has evolved into a grave necessity, in conjunction with the insatiable generation of immense amounts of astronomical data. In our work, we introduce a novel approach based on Deep Convolutional Neural Networks. The proposed methodology is extensively evaluated on a spectroscopic dataset of full spectral energy galaxy distributions, modelled after the upcoming Euclid satellite galaxy survey. Experimental analysis on observations of idealistic and realistic conditions demonstrate the potent capabilities of the proposed scheme.