Gaia Photometric Science Alerts
S. T. Hodgkin, D. L. Harrison, E. Breedt, T. Wevers, G. Rixon, A., Delgado, A. Yoldas, Z. Kostrzewa-Rutkowska, {\L}. Wyrzykowski, M. van, Leeuwen, N. Blagorodnova, H. Campbell, D. Eappachen, M. Fraser, N. Ihanec, S., E. Koposov, K. Kruszy\'nska, G. Marton, K. A. Rybicki

TL;DR
The Gaia Science Alerts project detects and publishes transient astronomical events across the entire sky using Gaia's high-resolution, time-resolved photometric and astrometric data, with low false positives and high precision.
Contribution
We developed and validated a system for real-time detection of transient events with low contamination, covering the whole sky with high spatial resolution.
Findings
External completeness for supernovae is 0.46, limited by Gaia's scanning law.
Internal completeness is 0.79 at 3 arcsec from galaxy centers.
Per-transit photometry is 1-3% precise, astrometry accurate to 55 mas.
Abstract
Since July 2014, the Gaia mission has been engaged in a high-spatial-resolution, time-resolved, precise, accurate astrometric, and photometric survey of the entire sky. Aims: We present the Gaia Science Alerts project, which has been in operation since 1 June 2016. We describe the system which has been developed to enable the discovery and publication of transient photometric events as seen by Gaia. Methods: We outline the data handling, timings, and performances, and we describe the transient detection algorithms and filtering procedures needed to manage the high false alarm rate. We identify two classes of events: (1) sources which are new to Gaia and (2) Gaia sources which have undergone a significant brightening or fading. Validation of the Gaia transit astrometry and photometry was performed, followed by testing of the source environment to minimise contamination from Solar…
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