AGN Photometry: UV-IR Color Relations & Automation

This research project involves the analysis of 27 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) sources with Ultraviolet (UV) data obtained from a pipeline in various filters. The primary objective was to reproduce the pipeline data using the Swift UVOT software and its diverse methods. However, discrepancies between the measured magnitudes and the original pipeline data were observed, indicating potential differences in aperture sizes.

To address this issue, a Curve of Growth model was employed, where magnitudes were measured for various aperture sizes to study how the magnitude changes with aperture radius. The count rates increased with the aperture radius until reaching a plateau, signifying the inclusion of more background and less of the source beyond a certain radius. Comparison of the Curve of Growth model with the pipeline data demonstrated that the pipeline magnitude values were approached with an increase in aperture radius.

The project further involved comparing the UV data with the Infrared (IR) magnitudes obtained from the Two Micron All Sky Survey for all aperture radii. This comparison provided valuable insights into the star formation rates of galaxies. The difference between the UV and IR magnitudes, along with the corresponding color, served as an indicator of star formation rates.

An ultimate goal of this project was to automate the entire photometry process to streamline data analysis and ensure more consistent and reliable results. Automating the photometry process would enhance efficiency and reproducibility, allowing for larger sample sizes to be analyzed systematically.