Simulate the variability between passes

[dkirkby]

Given a first-pass SED, simulate a sequence of future pass SEDs that incorporates what we know about quasar variability and expected bias from using variability selection in the targeting.

[tdelubac]

I have started working on the variability of QSOs between two exposures. I use a file provided by Nathalie that contains parameters of the Structure Function (SF) (see Palanque-Delabrouille 2011) of roughly 10,000 QSOs both variability selected and photometrically selected. These parameters are estimated on repeated photometric observations and are available in the 5 SDSS photometric bands.

For now the code takes a spectrum in input, randomly draws the parameter of the SF of one QSO in the file and uses them to evaluate the expected variations of the flux of the spectrum after a period Delta_t specified by the user.

Here is an example of 5 possible evolutions of an input spectrum (black) after 1 year. Each color curve is obtained using different SF parameters.