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