Detection and trajectory extraction of streak-like objects in wide-field astronomical images with slice-assisted deep learning

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ID: 314513
2026
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Abstract
Abstract Wide-field optical surveys play a significant role in modern astronomy, supporting diverse scientific applications from time-domain astrophysics to the monitoring of near-Earth objects and man-made satellites. In sidereal tracking mode, moving objects frequently appear as elongated streaks. Detecting these linear structures is critical for efficient data reduction, however, their reliable detection and association pose significant challenges due to dense stellar backgrounds and variable observing conditions. We present an automated pipeline for the detection and trajectory extraction of streak-like moving object images in wide-field astronomical frames. The framework integrates a slice-based deep learning inference for frame-level streak detection with a distance-constrained Hungarian algorithm for trajectory association. Furthermore, a motion-aware refinement module, incorporating velocity estimation, position prediction and confidence-guided re-association is introduced to mitigate the track fragmentations without relying on end-to-end tracking models. Our pipeline is evaluated using the raw images from a trial survey. A total of 2,781 trajectories are extracted, of which 2,543 (approximately 91%) are successfully correlated with the ephemerides, corresponding to 1,359 known objects. Compared to a classical approach our method yields an approximately 11% increase in the number of correlated trajectories and a 14% increase in the number of detected objects, while maintaining the comparable brightness and orbit distributions. The runtime measurements indicate that the per-frame processing times are around several seconds on a standard workstation. These results demonstrate that the proposed framework provides a practical, scalable and solution independent of prior information for streak detection and trajectory extraction in wide-field surveys, supporting future scientific exploration and planetary defense applications.
Reference Key
openalex_W7162041001 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors He Zhao, 孙荣煜, Shengxian Yu
Journal monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/mnras/stag958
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