Euclid: An automated system to match Rubin transient alerts to Euclid observations

TL;DR

This paper introduces Euclid, an automated system that matches Rubin transient alerts with Euclid observations, enabling joint analysis of light-curves and images to enhance transient detection, characterization, and host galaxy studies.

Contribution

The paper presents a prototype system that automatically links Rubin alerts to Euclid data, providing combined photometry and imaging for improved transient analysis.

Findings

SN 2024pvw detected 3 days earlier by Euclid

Euclid observations improve host galaxy morphology measurements

System demonstrates benefits in both detection and non-detection cases

Abstract

The Vera C. Rubin observatory is expected to produce 10 million transient alerts per night in ugrizy filters, whilst Euclid is a visible to near-infrared space telescope engaged in a wide field survey. We present a prototype system to automatically match the transient alerts from Rubin to Euclid observations. The system produces joint light-curves containing both visible and near-infrared photometry, and joint image cutouts. Using Zwicky Transient Facility alerts as a proxy for Rubin, we demonstrate the system in use in cases where Euclid did and did not detect the transient and highlight the value that can be added in each case. For transients detected by Euclid these benefits include identifying the supernovae (SNe) in observations taken prior to ground-based detection, thereby better constraining the explosion time, such as SN 2024pvw detected ~3 d prior to ground based detections. In cases where Euclid did not detect the transient, we demonstrate the benefit of adding Euclid observations to improve host morphology measurements and associations.