Search for Ultraviolet Luminous Objects in GALEX data

TL;DR

This study develops a method to identify ultraviolet luminous objects by cross-matching GALEX data with other surveys, uncovering UV-only objects and extreme UV sources, which could lead to discovering new astrophysical phenomena.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel approach for detecting UV-only objects and extreme UV to optical color sources using cross-matched survey data, highlighting initial promising results.

Findings

Discovered several UV-only objects without longer wavelength counterparts.

Detected a UV flare on a cool sdM subdwarf star.

Outlined potential populations of UV luminous objects for future studies.

Abstract

Selection of extreme objects in the data from large-scale sky surveys is a powerful tool for the detection of new classes of astrophysical objects or rare stages of their evolution. The cross-matching of catalogues and analysis of the color indices of their objects is a usual approach for this problem which has already provided a lot of interesting results. However, the analysis of objects that are found in only one of the surveys, and absent in all others, should also attract close attention, as it may lead to the discovery of both transients and objects with extreme color values. Here we report on the initial study aimed at the detection of objects with a significant UV excess in their spectra by cross-matching of the GALEX all-sky catalogue with several other surveys in different wavelength ranges and analyzing the ones visible in GALEX only, or having extreme UV to optical colors (ultraviolet luminous objects). We describe the methodology for such investigation, explain the selection of surveys for this study, and show the initial results based on the search in a small fraction of the sky. We uncovered several prominent UV-only objects lacking the counterparts in the catalogues of longer wavelengths, and discuss their possible nature. We also detected a single source showing an extreme UV to optical color and corresponding to UV flare on a cool sdM subdwarf star. Finally, we discuss the possible populations of objects that may be revealed in a future larger-scale analysis of this kind.