Machine Learning techniques to discover and understand the population of flare stars in MeerLICHT data

dc.contributor.advisorGroot, Paul
dc.contributor.advisorBuckley, David
dc.contributor.advisorJohnston, Cole
dc.contributor.authorBangiso, Aphiwe
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-02T07:46:01Z
dc.date.available2023-03-02T07:46:01Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.date.updated2023-02-20T12:15:13Z
dc.description.abstractIn this era of information overload, machine learning and artificial intelligence have been increasingly popular in various fields, including the field of astronomy. These approaches attempt to extract meaningful information from the data through automated means. In this work, we develop generic machine learning models that classify a given transient object from the observed light curve. We train random forest (sect 4.1.1) and multilayer perceptron neural network (sect 4.1.3) models on simulated LSST PLAsTiCC data and real data from the MeerLICHT survey. We found that the random forest model outperforms the neural network model in both data sets, achieving test accuracy of 66.0% and 98.0% in the PLAsTiCC and MeerLICHT data respectively. On the other hand, the neural network model achieved test accuracy of 65.7% and 86.6 % in the PLAsTiCC and MeerLICHT data respectively. For PLAsTiCC simulated data, we also show that grouping all types of supernovae into one aggregate class and discarding distance information improves the performance of both models to 96.5% and 96.0% for random forest and neural networks respectively. As additional work, we attempt to find sub-classes within the M-type class in MeerLiCHT data using k-means and hierarchical clustering algorithms. We find two distinct sub-classes in this data. Namely variable and non-variable M-type stars.
dc.identifier.apacitationBangiso, A. (2022). <i>Machine Learning techniques to discover and understand the population of flare stars in MeerLICHT data</i>. (). ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Statistical Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37099en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationBangiso, Aphiwe. <i>"Machine Learning techniques to discover and understand the population of flare stars in MeerLICHT data."</i> ., ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Statistical Sciences, 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37099en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationBangiso, A. 2022. Machine Learning techniques to discover and understand the population of flare stars in MeerLICHT data. . ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Statistical Sciences. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37099en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Master Thesis AU - Bangiso, Aphiwe AB - In this era of information overload, machine learning and artificial intelligence have been increasingly popular in various fields, including the field of astronomy. These approaches attempt to extract meaningful information from the data through automated means. In this work, we develop generic machine learning models that classify a given transient object from the observed light curve. We train random forest (sect 4.1.1) and multilayer perceptron neural network (sect 4.1.3) models on simulated LSST PLAsTiCC data and real data from the MeerLICHT survey. We found that the random forest model outperforms the neural network model in both data sets, achieving test accuracy of 66.0% and 98.0% in the PLAsTiCC and MeerLICHT data respectively. On the other hand, the neural network model achieved test accuracy of 65.7% and 86.6 % in the PLAsTiCC and MeerLICHT data respectively. For PLAsTiCC simulated data, we also show that grouping all types of supernovae into one aggregate class and discarding distance information improves the performance of both models to 96.5% and 96.0% for random forest and neural networks respectively. As additional work, we attempt to find sub-classes within the M-type class in MeerLiCHT data using k-means and hierarchical clustering algorithms. We find two distinct sub-classes in this data. Namely variable and non-variable M-type stars. DA - 2022_ DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Astronomy LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2022 T1 - Machine Learning techniques to discover and understand the population of flare stars in MeerLICHT data TI - Machine Learning techniques to discover and understand the population of flare stars in MeerLICHT data UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37099 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/37099
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationBangiso A. Machine Learning techniques to discover and understand the population of flare stars in MeerLICHT data. []. ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Statistical Sciences, 2022 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37099en_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Statistical Sciences
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Science
dc.subjectAstronomy
dc.titleMachine Learning techniques to discover and understand the population of flare stars in MeerLICHT data
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMSc
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