Software Tasks

Before Observing

  • Target selection, including merging disjoint projects
  • Coordinate generation
  • Mask optimization
  • Mask generation

At the Telescope

  • Mask selection and scheduling
  • Mask insertion
  • Target acquisition
  • Mask alignment
  • Data acquisition
    • CCD control
    • Data display
    • Save the bits
    • Write data to medium (DVD?)
  • Calibrations
    • Standard Star selection
    • Arc and Flat lamp control
    • Flexure compensation?
    • Standard star slit-to-slit "hop and observe"

Pipeline Processing

  • CCDPROC
  • IMCOMBINE
  • Wavelength calibration
  • Extinction calibration
  • Flux calibration
  • Reddening determination and correction
  • Extraction and/or sky subtraction
  • Fringe removal
  • Removal of atmospheric (Telluric) lines

Science Pipeline

  • Classification
    • Stars vs galaxies vs nebulae vs unknown
    • Spectral types (MK classes)
  • Stellar Measurements
    • Reddening
    • Velocity
    • Equivalent widths
  • Nebular Measurements
    • Reddening
    • Velocity
    • Line strengths
  • Galaxy Measurements
    • Velocity and velocity dispersion
    • Classification: "normal", emission-line, active (QSO, AGN)

Expert Software

  • Statistical testing on database: correlations in N-space for data with uncertainties
  • Automatic astrophysical analysis
    • Stellar atmospheric abundances
    • Nebular photoionization models

Archive Ingest and Query

  • Read from Save-the-Bits
  • Generate header summaries
  • Simple queries based on position
  • Complex queries based on position, wavelength coverage, resolution, etc
  • Multi-form (spectra, imaging), multi-wavelength (optical, x-ray) queries

Updated on May 25, 2022, 10:12 am