Abstract
Women measuring stars: a comprehensive strategy for the exploitation of adaptive optics data. WP2 – MIDDLETOP extension: Building on MIDDLE, MIDDLETOP will incorporate event-topology reconstruction for tt¯ events, classifying muons by decay chain (b→μX, b→c→μX, c→μX) and associating them with their parent top quark. Charge and angular correlations will inform a multiclass deep network to enhance purity in each category PRIN2022 - MIDDLE - Ric...
Results achieved
: The project addressed a major limitation in the scientific exploitation of Adaptive Optics (AO) imaging data: the lack of modern, efficient and accessible tools for accurate photometry and astrometry in images affected by complex and spatially variable Point Spread Functions (PSFs). Its main outcome was the development and public release of a new-generation version of Starfinder, written in Python and conceived as an evolution of the original Starfinder code (Diolaiti et al. 2000). The software was designed for crowded stellar fields observed with current AO facilities and for the requirements of future Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) instruments. The project delivered advanced methods to extract and model the PSF directly from science images. These include the treatment of spatially variable PSFs, flexible field partitioning through Cartesian, radial and Voronoi schemes, user-defined masks to exclude saturated stars and artefacts, and an optimised use of pre-computed sub-pixel PSF shifts to reduce computational time. The software architecture was fully modernised into a modular and scalable Python package, including a computational core, a command-line interface and a user-friendly graphical interface for data inspection, parameter configuration and visualisation. The new input/output structure also supports complex FITS files and image cubes, extending the software toward spectro-imaging applications. The final software release was made publicly available through an open GitLab repository, together with documentation and user-support material, in line with Open Science principles (https://www.ict.inaf.it/gitlab/starfinder/starfinder). This represents a durable outcome for the astronomical community, enabling reuse, testing and further development. The software was validated on simulated data and real AO observations. End-to-end tests on GeMS/Gemini-S observations of the globular cluster M70/NGC 6681 showed consistency between the new Starfinder photometry and existing DAOPHOT/ALLSTAR/ALLFRAME reductions (Massari et al. 2016). A more demanding test on ERIS/VLT observations of the globular cluster NGC 5286 demonstrated a clear improvement in the colour-magnitude diagram when using a spatially variable PSF. These tests confirmed the robustness of the software in realistic AO conditions and its ability to improve photometric quality in crowded fields with strong PSF variations. The University of Bologna unit contributed to the scientific validation and exploitation of the tools in two complementary astrophysical contexts. First, Starfinder was applied to JWST imaging of the strongly lensed Sparkler galaxy at z = 1.38 (Mowla et al. 2022), relevant for the study of high-redshift proto-globular-cluster candidates. The preliminary photometry is consistent with published measurements, showing the potential of the software for crowded and structured extragalactic fields and for future JWST and Euclid studies. Second, the unit contributed to the exploitation of AO-assisted ERIS/VLT data of evolved stellar tracers in the Galactic Bulge. A dedicated spectroscopic pipeline was developed to derive iron and alpha-element abundances from J-band spectra through Bayesian inference and MCMC techniques. Its validation on a calibrator star produced abundances consistent within about 0.20–0.25 dex with high-resolution optical reference values. These activities provide the basis for future chemo-dynamical studies of the inner Milky Way and of the formation history of the Galactic Bulge (Bono et al. 2026). The project also produced significant results in training, dissemination and public engagement. A two-day hands-on Starfinder workshop was organised at INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte in Naples, with 26 participants, mainly graduate students and early-career researchers (https://indico.ict.inaf.it/event/3513/). The workshop introduced AO photometry, the use of Starfinder and practical data-analysis workflows; the lectures will be disseminated through VIDEOMemorie della SAIt (https://www.memsait.it/MemSAITvideomemorie.php). Dedicated lectures on adaptive optics, PSF modelling and optical aberrations were also delivered within the Astrophysics Bachelor programme at the University of Bologna. Educational activities for high-school students included a 40-hour PCTO programme at Liceo Landi in Velletri and a 12-hour hybrid programme at Liceo Rummo in Benevento, introducing students to astronomical data, image processing, adaptive optics, the Galactic Centre and scientific software. Several materials were recorded or made publicly available, strengthening the long-term accessibility of the educational outputs. The results were disseminated through institutional web pages, public repositories, conferences, workshops, outreach events and publications. Two publications have already been produced, one focused on the scientific and methodological framework and one on educational activities (Schreiber et al. 2024; Mignone et al. 2025). Additional technical and scientific papers are in preparation, including contributions on the software release, validation and astrophysical applications. All activities complied with the DNSH principle, being based on theoretical work, software development, data analysis, training and dissemination, with no environmental impact. The project promoted Open Access and Open Science through open-source software and public training material. It also supported gender balance, generational renewal and equal opportunities by involving female researchers, early-career scientists, university students and high-school students in scientific, technical and educational activities.Dettagli del progetto
Responsabile scientifico: Carmela Lardo
Strutture Unibo coinvolte:
Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia "Augusto Righi"
Coordinatore:
Inaf - Istituto Nazionale Astrofisica(Italy)
Contributo totale Unibo: Euro (EUR) 12.487,00
Durata del progetto in mesi: 24
Data di inizio
28/09/2023
Data di fine:
28/02/2026
