RXTE Helpdesk/FAQ RXTE What's New HEASARC Site Map


EDS Configurations: Standard-1



Packaging of science data

The Standard-1 configuration is a type of binned mode which is run for all observations. The resulting files containing Standard-1 data are thus in science array format. The science data occupy the first, XTE_SA extension and comprise five columns of time histograms ("mini light curves"), one for each PCU, accumulated every 128 seconds and combined from all 256 channels. The histograms themselves have a step size of 0.125 seconds and are accumulated from "good" xenon events (i.e. those which survive background rejection). The columns containing the time histograms are preceded by the Time column which gives the time of the start of each 128-second accumulation.

The columns containing the science data are called XeCntPcu0, XeCntPcu1, XeCntPcu2, XeCntPcu3 and XeCntPcu4 (the ftool flcol will display column names). The histograms contain 1024 steps.


Time and energy resolution

The time resolution is 0.125 seconds. There is no energy resolution since all 256 channels are combined into one channel.


Reduction requirements and options

Light curves from Standard-1 data may be obtained by using the ftool saextrct. Apart from adjusting screening criteria, your primary reduction options include:

  • Selecting and/or combining data from the five PCUs
  • Increasing the size of time bins when extracting a light curve


Gain and offset

Gain and offset corrections are not applied by the EDS to Standard-1 data.


Other features

In addition to the time histograms, Standard-1 files also contain 256-channel spectra from the internal calibration source, accumulated every 128 seconds. There are 30 columns of calibration spectra, one for each signal chain (the five PCUs have six signal chains each). And in common with other configurations in science array format, Standard-1 files have two additional columns called Spillage and ModeSpecific, as well as a coda of keywords summarizing EDS status.


Return, if you like, to the PCA Issues chapter or to the Table of Contents.

The ABC of XTE is written and maintained by the RXTE GOF. Please email xtehelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov if you have any questions or comments. This particular page was last modified on Wednesday, 24-Aug-2022 11:10:28 EDT.