UBC-NASA Multi-Narrowband Survey. I. Description and Photometric Properties of the Survey

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Observations, analysis techniques and photometric properties of a multi-narrowband survey of a 20 square-degree area of sky at +33 degrees declination are described. The survey is conducted with the 3-meter liquid-mirror telescope of the NASA Orbital Debris Observatory using intermediate-bandwidth filters. These filters have central wavelengths ranging from 455 to 948 nm, at intervals of 0.01 in log(wavelength) and give a spectral resolving power of 44. In two spring observing seasons we have completed observations in 16 bands. Our preliminary object catalog contains over 10⁵ detections to a typical 50% completeness limit of m(AB) = 20.4. This paper describes the observational techniques, data analysis methods, and photometric properties of the survey. The survey is expected to provide object classifications, spectral energy distributions and multi-narrowband redshifts for over 10⁴ galaxies and QSOs, for use in studies of galaxy and QSO distributions, evolution and large-scale structure. It will also provide photometry and spectral classifications for over 10⁴ stars.