XMM-Newton Users Handbook


6.1.1 XMM-Newton data: the Observation/Slew Data Files (ODF/SDF)

XMM-Newton reformatted telemetry is organised in the Observation/Slew Data Files (ODF/SDF). Most of the ODF/SDF files have a FITS format. An ASCII summary file provides the user with some general information on the observation (pointing, proposal, data quality records), as well as an index of the files contained in the ODF. A more detailed ASCII summary file - including a description of the instrumental configuration for all the exposures - needs to be created through the SAS task odfingest (cf. the on-line SAS Documentation) prior of any ODF processing.

ODF/SDF contain uncalibrated science files, which cannot be directly used for scientific data analysis. Their content is described in the XMM-Newton Data Files Handbook.



European Space Agency - XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre