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Bugs/Features in the ASCA data analysis software


Last updated on 1999 November 5

This list is appropriate for ftools v4.2 and supersedes the ASCA bug list for ftools v4.1 Please also check known FTOOLS bugs and known XSPEC bugs.

The fixed source codes of these programs and binary executables on several major architectures are available from http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/ftools/ftools_update.html.


  • The previous problem with WMAPs for spectra extracted in sky coordinates has been eliminated; we therefore believe it is safe to extract spectra in sky coordinates with ftools v4.2.

  • timeconv: Up until ver. 1.52 (included in the ftools v4.2 release), the leap second had not been taken into account to calculate the satellite position. This could lead to inaccurate event arrival time by ~130 microsec. Please find the "Timeconv improved" page for detailed explanation. In the new timeconv (ver. 1.53), only asca_geocen.c was fixed.

  • extractor: The ftools 4.2 release version of extractor (which is called by xselect when creating images, spectra and light curves) has three minor bugs
    • WMAPS are created with the first row and column having zero counts
    • spectra are created with the first channel having zero counts
    • region filters in HMS format are not interpreted correctly when the declination is negative.

  • ascalin: The ascalin v0.9u in the ftools 4.2 release fails to apply the fourth-order term of the GIS radial gain correction, though it works fine with the second-order correction. This bug was fixed from ascalin v0.9v onward. Note that GIS2 fourth-order correction has been found necessary for the data taken after October 1997. The fourth-order correction is implemented in the standard pipe-line processing at GSFC since November 1999.


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This file was last modified on Tuesday, 19-Oct-2021 15:32:30 EDT

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