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Could anyone point me to some manual or tutorial, possibly step-by-step one, on reconstruction of (quasi-) bolometric light curve using UBVRI-photometry data?

Both links and names are fine for me.

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  • $\begingroup$ The task is simple. You integrate the SED (i.e., wavelength (or frequency) VS fluxes). In case of data points, you sum for area under the curve discretely, with or without inter/exterpolating the missing points. Another way, model the data with any known SED function, mostly blackbody, and integrate the fit model. For a blackbody, it is Stefan-Boltzmann. $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 17, 2018 at 12:14
  • $\begingroup$ But what I am asking is how do I reconstruct SED for those epochs where I have no spectral data. I know that it can be done somehow using UBVRI magnitudes, but cannot find detailed explaiation. $\endgroup$
    – Tajimura
    Commented Nov 17, 2018 at 12:29
  • $\begingroup$ Are you talking about the edges longer than I and shorter than U? $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 17, 2018 at 13:53
  • $\begingroup$ No. Just imagine the situation: you have values (apparent magnitudes) in 5 bands – from U to I and each of those values is not the real "point-value" at some frequency, but integral over the passband. And you have to reconstruct the full spectrum to use it to get bolometric lightcurve. $\endgroup$
    – Tajimura
    Commented Nov 17, 2018 at 15:14

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If you want a bolometric light curve from photometric points, you don't need to reconstruct its SED inside the range you already have data points. Use effective central wavelength of each band with its magnitude. Do trapezoid. This is an approximation, but it is better than reconstructing the SED that makes you rely more on assumptions for most circumstances, especially that you have UBVRI.

If, under some circumstances, you really need some more data points in between, or you really want a SED, blackbody is the first-order approximation, and is commonly used in SNe (at young ages). Less known issue in optical VBRI. There might be some issues with U like UV excess/suppressed. In this case, just fit the data to a blackbody.

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