NAME

bpulsarspec -- Reads BATSE pulsar database files, displays the hardness ratio vs phase or time, flux vs phase. Save data as graphics FJPG/PS/GIF) or simple FITS or ASCII files.


USAGE

        bpulsarspec bpulsfil data_dir tjdsta tjdstp phsta phstp chani chanj chanm chanm FitsFname device

DESCRIPTION

from BATSE occultation data FITS file (lad_pll or oll type), for user specified time cuts (in TJD), phase intervals, and detector energy channels. It also displays the hardness vs. channel or phase to the screen or to a plotting file according to users specified time, energy or phase cuts. In addition, a PHA FITS file can be produced as output covering the selected viewing period range for all (usually 16) spectral energy channels. Note however, that the resulting spectrum is not background subtracted, and there is no simple tool or procedure for modelling the background. This could in principle be accomplished using the BATSE daily data, using for example the related BCONT FTOOL to select and extract the appropriate segments.

The BATSE Earth occultation database, and related information are available through the HEASARC, or on the web at: 

     <ftp://cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov/compton/data/batse/occultation>
     (also see <http://cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov/batse/index.html> )
     
     In  addition, a
     description of BATSE pulsar data analysis is given in Bildsten,  L.,
     et al., 1997, ApJ Sup, v.113, p.367 .
     



PARAMETERS




bpulsfil [string]



             The name of BATSE occultation data FITS file (lad_plltype)







tjdsta [double]



             start time (Truncated Julian Date)









tjdstp [double]



                     stop time (Truncated Julian Date)







binsz [integer]



                     the  size  of  each  time  bin  in  units  defined  by  the time
                     intrincic sampling of the database file







data_dir [string]



                     the directory to hold the input files







phsta [integer]



                     start phase bin (1-64)







phstp [integer]



                     stop phase bin (1-64)







chani [integer]



                     start channel of the soft-energy band







chanj [integer]



                     stop channel of the soft-energy band







chanm [integer]



                     start channel of the hard-energy band







chann [integer]



                     stop channel of the hard-energy band







FitsFname [string]



                     name of Fits file to be created







fitswt [string]



                     write counts (c) or rates (r) for display, and in in PHA output file







asciiwt [string]



                     write hardness in asiic data files (yes/no)"







device [string]



                     optional string to display hardness vs. TJD plot. Either /xwin, or
                     /ps, or /gif, or /jpg












EXAMPLES 

          This generates three output files:
          1. crab_9103_test.pha in TJD between 9103.004 and 9103.960.
          
          2. asiic files: hardnphs.dat and hardntjd.dat in the 
          directory data_dir
          
          3. display Hardness on xwindow.
          The parameter file input for this case would be:
          name of directory for data files:[]data
          name of BATSE occultation data file (NHIS type):[]crab_09103_lad_pll.fits
          the size of each TJD bin:[]3
          start time (Truncated Julian Date):[]9103.004
          stop time (Truncated Julian Date):[]9103.960
          start phase:[]2
          stop phase:[]58
          start channel of the soft:[]2
          stop channel of the soft:[]7
          start channel of the hard:[]8
          stop channel of the hard:[]16
          name of Fits file to be created:[]crab_9103_test.pha
          write counts or rates? (c/r)[]r
          Do you want to write hardness in asiic data files? (yes/no)[]yes
          name of device for ploting(/xwin,/ps,/gif)[/Xwin] /Xwin







FILES NEEDED



BATSE Earth occultation flux history files, found at
<ftp://cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov/compton/data/batse/occultation>, then placed
in "data_dir",
e.g. data_dir/cygx-1_10351-10470_nhis.fits.
The Viewing Period list file "vp_list.fits",is also required; see
<ftp://cossc.gsfc.nasa.gov/compton/>. This should also also placed in
data_dir/vp_list.fits





BUGS




SEE ALSO



bodgetvp, bod2rmf, bod2pha, groview

CATEGORY

May ftools.gro