Parameterizing Stellar Spectra Using Deep Neural Networks

Abstract: This work investigates the spectrum parameterization problem using deep neural networks (DNNs). The proposed scheme consists of the following procedures: first, the configuration of a DNN is initialized using a series of autoencoder neural networks; second, the DNN is fine-tuned using a gradient descent scheme; third, stellar parameters ($T_{eff}$, log$~g$, and [Fe/H]) are estimated using the obtained DNN. This scheme was evaluated on both real spectra from SDSS/SEGUE and synthetic spectra calculated from Kurucz's new opacity distribution function models. Test consistencies between our estimates and those provided by the spectroscopic parameter pipeline of SDSS show that the mean absolute errors (MAEs) are 0.0048, 0.1477, and 0.1129 dex for log$~T_{eff}$, log$~g$, and Fe/H, respectively. For the synthetic spectra, the MAE test accuracies are 0.0011, 0.0182, and 0.0112 dex for log$~T_{eff}$, log$~g$, and Fe/H, respectively.