The first data release of LAMOST low-resolution single-epoch spectra

Abstract

LAMOST Data Release 5, covering ∼17 000 deg2 from –10° to 80° in declination, contains 9 million co-added low-resolution spectra of celestial objects, each spectrum combined from repeat exposure of two to tens of times during Oct 2011 to Jun 2017. In this paper, we present the spectra of individual exposures for all the objects in LAMOST Data Release 5. For each spectrum, the equivalent width of 60 lines from 11 different elements are calculated with a new method combining the actual line core and fitted line wings. For stars earlier than F type, the Balmer lines are fitted with both emission and absorption profiles once two components are detected. Radial velocity of each individual exposure is measured by minimizing χ 2 between the spectrum and its best template. The database for equivalent widths of spectral lines and radial velocities of individual spectra are available online. Radial velocity uncertainties with different stellar type and signal-to-noise ratio are quantified by comparing different exposure of the same objects. We notice that the radial velocity uncertainty depends on the time lag between observations. For stars observed in the same day and with signal-to-noise ratio higher than 20, the radial velocity uncertainty is below 5km s−1, and increases to 10 km s−1 for stars observed in different nights.