Mixture Model Ideas

[karllark]

Inspired by @kmcquinn's ISM*-at-ST talk, the mixture model should have 3 terms. Stars internal to the galaxy being studied, the background galaxies/QSOs, and foreground stars.

The foreground stars can be modeled probabistically from a model of the Milky Way for the specific direction of the galaxy under study. This is exactly what is needed for the ensemble model.

The background galaxies could be determined from deep field observations (should include all usual filters).

By splitting the non-galaxy-being-studied model between foreground and background, it maybe more easy to generate and a higher fidelity model of the actual distribution of star fluxes.

[lea-hagen]

To make sure I'm understanding correctly: instead of observing an offset field (to get both foreground and background sources), we'd use a MW model for foreground sources and a deep field (with no specific pointing requirement) for background sources?

[karllark]

That's an idea. Using a model for the foreground means that we maybe won't need a nearby offset field. The deep field info shouldn't depend on direction (modulo large scale structure of course).