2015MNRAS.448...90X

We have developed and implemented an iterative algorithm of flux calibration for the LAMOST Spectroscopic Survey of the Galactic anticentre (LSS-GAC). For a given LSS-GAC plate, the spectra are first processed with a set of nominal spectral response curves (SRCs) and used to derive initial stellar atmospheric parameters (effective temperature Teff, surface gravity log g and metallicity [Fe/H]) as well as dust reddening E(B - V) of all targeted stars. For each of the 16 spectrographs, several F-type stars with good signal-to-noise ratios are selected as flux standard stars for further, iterative spectral flux calibration. Comparison of spectrophotometric colours, deduced from the flux-calibrated spectra, with the photometric measurements yield average differences of 0.02±0.07 and -0.04±0.09 mag for (g - r) and (g - i), respectively. The relatively large negative offset in (g - i) is because we have opted not to correct for the telluric bands, most notably the atmospheric A band in the wavelength range of the i band. Comparison of LSS-GAC multi-epoch observations of duplicate targets indicates that the algorithm has achieved an accuracy of about 10 percent in relative flux calibration for the wavelength range 4000-9000 Å. The shapes of SRCs deduced for individual LAMOST spectrographs vary by up to 30 percent for a given night, and larger for different nights, indicating that the derivation of SRCs for the individual plates is essential to achieve accurate flux calibration for the LAMOST spectra.