  Wavelets are scaleable, oscillatory functions that deviate from zero only
within a limited spatial regime and have average value zero. In addition to
their use as source characterizers, wavelet functions are rapidly gaining
currency within the source detection field. Wavelet-based source detection
involves the correlation of scaled wavelet functions with binned,
two-dimensional image data. If the chosen wavelet function exhibits the
property of vanishing moments, significantly non-zero correlation coefficients
will be observed only where there are high-order variations in the data; e.g.,
they will be observed in the vicinity of sources.
  In this paper, we describe the mission-independent, wavelet-based source
detection algorithm WAVDETECT, part of the CIAO software package. Aspects of
our algorithm include: (1) the computation of local, exposure-corrected
normalized (i.e. flat-fielded) background maps; (2) the correction for exposure
variations within the field-of-view; (3) its applicability within the
low-counts regime, as it does not require a minimum number of background counts
per pixel for the accurate computation of source detection thresholds; (4) the
generation of a source list in a manner that does not depend upon a detailed
knowledge of the point spread function (PSF) shape; and (5) error analysis.
These features make our algorithm considerably more general than previous
methods developed for the analysis of X-ray image data, especially in the low
count regime. We demonstrate the algorithm's robustness by applying it to
various images.
