Title: The precision and accuracy of early Epoch of Reionization foreground models: comparing MWA and PAPER 32-antenna source catalogs
This paper compares the fluxes in the first PAPER and MWA catalogs. These sources are the brightest foregrounds in front of the EoR HI emission. Various estimates suggest that we have to subtract these guys to anywhere from 0.1 to 0.01%. Percent!! Also we need to know the flux precisely so we can calibrate our power spectrum.
These first catalogs turn out to be accurate to about 20%. We also looked at sources that were measured twice by the MWA and found that they didn’t agree very well (20-50% or more) away from the center of the image. This means that the primary beam model used to flatten the flux scale was off. This is probably true for both experiments.
In the end we noted that though 20% is no where near where we need to be for precise EoR foreground subtraction or flux calibration, its not too shabby for two experimental arrays at first light!