Automated Optical Identifications of Radio Sources

This paper evaluates the COSMOS database as a tool for large-scale automated optical identification programs. Firstly, we explore the limitations inherent in the database by a study of regions centred on clusters of galaxies. We then perform an automated search in the database for a sample of previously measured optical objects and compare the properties of corresponding objects. Finally, we describe a set of new plotting routines in AIPS (Astronomical Image Processing System) designed to plot COSMOS-derived ellipses and, optionally, magnitudes onto radio images.