Mapping optically variable quasars towards the galactic plane
  We present preliminary results of the CIDA Equatorial Variability Survey
(CEVS), looking for quasar (hereafter QSO) candidates near the Galactic plane.
The CEVS contains photometric data from extended and adjacent regions of the
Milky Way disk ($\sim$ 500 sq. deg.). In this work 2.5 square degrees with
moderately high temporal sampling in the CEVS were analyzed. The selection of
QSO candidates was based on the study of intrinsic optical photometric
variability of 14,719 light curves. We studied samples defined by cuts in the
variability index (Vindex $>$ 66.5), periodicity index (Q $>$ 2), and the
distribution of these sources in the plane (AT , ${\gamma}$), using a slight
modification of the first-order of the structure function for the temporal
sampling of the survey. Finally, 288 sources were selected as QSO candidates.
The results shown in this work are a first attempt to develop a robust method
to detect QSO towards the Galactic plane in the era of massive surveys such as
VISTA and Gaia.
