# DeepSource: Point Source Detection using Deep Learning

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.02701 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1807.02701/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 7 Jul 2018.

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [Radio astronomical images object detection and segmentation: A benchmark on deep learning methods](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.04506/) (2023)
- [MeerCRAB: MeerLICHT Classification of Real and Bogus Transients using Deep Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2104.13950/) (2021)
- [CORDS: Continuous Representations of Discrete Structures](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.21583/) (2026)
- [Advances on the classification of radio image cubes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.03435/) (2023)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Point source detection at low signal-to-noise is challenging for astronomical surveys, particularly in radio interferometry images where the noise is correlated. Machine learning is a promising solution, allowing the development of algorithms tailored to specific telescope arrays and science cases. We present DeepSource - a deep learning solution - that uses convolutional neural networks to achieve these goals. DeepSource enhances the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) of the original map and then uses dynamic blob detection to detect sources. Trained and tested on two sets of 500 simulated 1 deg x 1 deg MeerKAT images with a total of 300,000 sources, DeepSource is essentially perfect in both purity and completeness down to SNR = 4 and outperforms PyBDSF in all metrics. For uniformly-weighted images it achieves a Purity x Completeness (PC) score at SNR = 3 of 0.73, compared to 0.31 for the best PyBDSF model. For natural-weighting we find a smaller improvement of ~40% in the PC score at SNR = 3. If instead we ask where either of the purity or completeness first drop to 90%, we find that DeepSource reaches this value at SNR = 3.6 compared to the 4.3 of PyBDSF (natural-weighting). A key advantage of DeepSource is that it can learn to optimally trade off purity and completeness for any science case under consideration. Our results show that deep learning is a promising approach to point source detection in astronomical images.