Xronos

Windows

XRONOS supports four different types of windows :
  • Time Windows : consist of up to 1000 time intervals
  • Phase Windows : consist of an Epoch, a Period and up to 10 phase intervals
  • Intensity Windows : consist of up to 10 intensity in bin, newbin and interval
  • Exposure Windows : consist of up to 1 exposure in bin, newbin and interval

Time and Phase windows are applied to Bins. Only those bins whose center time is within the start and stop of a time window or phase window (for a specified epoch and period) are accepted.

Intensity and Exposure Windows can be specified independently for: (i) Bins , (ii) New Bins , (iii) Intervals. Intensity and Exposure windows are applied first to Bins, then Newbins and finally to Intervals as specified. When dealing with more than one time series, Intensity and Exposure Windows must be specified separately for each series.

xronwin

The xronwin task can be used to interactively generate window files for usage with XRONOS tasks. The interface is fairly simple, starting at a main menu:
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Orig. Bins)
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently Undefined)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently Undefined)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action:
To define TIME, PHASE, FLUX (aka Intensity), or EXPOSURE windows type the appropriate letter. For example, selecting "F" results in a list of the existing Intensity windows and a prompt:
Current Intensity Windows for Original Bins Series 1 are: 
Window  Minimum         Maximum
1       20              1000
[A] add more windows
[#] delete window number #
<RETURN> to main menu
 Action: 
Pressing the number of a window followed by <RETURN> deletes the window, while selecting "A" makes xronwin prompt for window min/max values. It will continue to prompt for windows until <RETURN> is pressed with no answer or the maximum number of windows is reached.

Options starting with "D" define settings which certain windows depend on. For example, phase windows require an Epoch (DE) and Period (DP) to be defined, while intensity and exposure windows use the series number (DS) and bin type (DB).

From the main menu, press "W" followed by <RETURN> to write the file. The new file will end with ".wi", and may be used with XRONOS tasks through the parameter, window (e.g. "lcurve window=winfile.wi"). Also, the name of the file may be entered at the prompt which asks for "Name of the window file".

xronwin Walkthrough

Executing the xronwin script (Screen output is in a fixed width font, while commentary is italicized):
> xronwin

[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Orig. Bins)
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently Undefined)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently Undefined)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: t

Choose an action from the main menu of xronwin. Enter a one or two letter option. In this case, "T" to define a time window.

[A] Add more windows
[#] delete window number: #
<RETURN> to main menu
Action: a

After a window type is chosen, two options are available, adding (A) and deleting (the window number) a window. No time windows have been defined, we choose to add one.

Enter time format as dd.d , dd ss.s , dd hh mm ss ms
Input minimum time: 359 19
Input maximum time: 359 21 35 40 312
Input minimum time: 359 18 40 52 870
Input maximum time: 59 18 40 52 900
Tmax <= Tmin, please reenter
Input minimum time: 359 18 40 52 870
Input maximum time: 359 18 40 52 900
Input minimum time: 359 22 40 52 870
Input maximum time: 361
Input minimum time: 

Windows are entered in pairs consisting of a minimum (i.e. start) time and a maximum (i.e. stop) time. Checks are made to see that the start is less than the stop time. Windows, however, need not be entered in chronological order. Pressing <RETURN> with no value exits window entry.

Current Time Windows are: 
Window	Start		Stop
1	359.778389699074		359.778390046296
2	359.791666666667		359.89977212963
3	359.945056365741		361
[A] Add more windows
[#] delete window number: #
<RETURN> to main menu
Action: 1

All the time windows defined are listed in time order. If a window is not desired, remove it by entering the window's number. In this case, window 1 is deleted.

Current Time Windows are: 
Window	Start		Stop
1	359.791666666667		359.89977212963
2	359.945056365741		361
[A] Add more windows
[#] delete window number: #
<RETURN> to main menu
Action: 

Pressing <RETURN> with no entry moves up a level to the main menu.

[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Orig. Bins)
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently Undefined)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently Undefined)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: de
Current Epoch is: Undefined days
Enter Epoch (<RETURN> to main menu): 359.02545
Current Epoch is: 359.02545 days

In order to enter phase windows, an epoch must be defined with the "DE" option.

Enter Epoch (<RETURN> to main menu): 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Orig. Bins)
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently Undefined)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: dp
Current Period is: Undefined days
Current Input Format is Seconds.
[D] Change input format to Days.
[S] Change input format to Seconds.
[#] Set Period to #.
<RETURN> to Main menu.
Action: d
Current Period is: Undefined days
Current Input Format is Days.
[D] Change input format to Days.
[S] Change input format to Seconds.
[#] Set Period to #.
<RETURN> to Main menu.
Action: .027789941

Phase windows also require a period defined with the "DP" option. You may need to change the unit with the "D" or "S" options depending on the known period.

Current Period is: .027789941 days
Current Input Format is Days.
[D] Change input format to Days.
[S] Change input format to Seconds.
[#] Set Period to #.
<RETURN> to Main menu.
Action: 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Orig. Bins)
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: p

With an epoch and period defined, phase windows may be added with the "P" option.

[A] Add more windows
[#] delete window number: #
<RETURN> to main menu
Action: a
Phase ranges  0.0-1.0 
Input minimum phase: .1
Input maximum phase: .36
Input minimum phase: .46
Input maximum phase: .94
Input minimum phase: 
Current Phase Windows are: 
Window	Start		Stop
1	.1		.36
2	.46		.94
[A] Add more windows
[#] delete window number: #
<RETURN> to main menu
Action: 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Orig. Bins)
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: f

Use the "F" option to define flux (i.e. intensity) windows. Note that the series setting (DS) and bin type (DB) are used by intensity windows.

Currently no Intensity Windows for Original Bins Series 1. 
[A] add more windows
[#] delete window number #
<RETURN> to main menu
 Action: a
Input minimum intensity: 0
Input maximum intensity: 300
Input minimum intensity: 

By default the intensity window applies to series 1, and the original bins are checked for intensity lying within the defined window.

Current Intensity Windows for Original Bins Series 1 are: 
Window	Minimum		Maximum
1	0		300
[A] add more windows
[#] delete window number #
<RETURN> to main menu
 Action: 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Orig. Bins)
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: db
Current bin type is: Orig. Bins
[O] original bin windows
[N] new bin windows
[I] interval windows
Bin type (<RETURN> to main menu): n

The "DB" option sets the bin type to which subsequent intensity windows apply. In this example, the bin type is changed to new bins.

Current bin type is: New Bins  
[O] original bin windows
[N] new bin windows
[I] interval windows
Bin type (<RETURN> to main menu): 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently New Bins  )
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: f
Currently no Intensity Windows for New Bins Series 1. 
[A] add more windows
[#] delete window number #
<RETURN> to main menu
 Action: a
Input minimum intensity: 5
Input maximum intensity: 200
Input minimum intensity: 400
Input maximum intensity: 500
Input minimum intensity: 
Current Intensity Windows for New Bins Series 1 are: 
Window	Minimum		Maximum
1	5		200
2	400		500
[A] add more windows
[#] delete window number #
<RETURN> to main menu
 Action: 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently New Bins  )
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: db
Current bin type is: New Bins  
[O] original bin windows
[N] new bin windows
[I] interval windows
Bin type (<RETURN> to main menu): i

Now the bin type is changed to intervals. When considering an interval, the average intensity is used.

Current bin type is: Intervals 
[O] original bin windows
[N] new bin windows
[I] interval windows
Bin type (<RETURN> to main menu): 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Intervals )
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: f
Currently no Intensity Windows for Intervals Series 1. 
[A] add more windows
[#] delete window number #
<RETURN> to main menu
 Action: a
Input minimum intensity: 200
Input maximum intensity: 500
Input minimum intensity: 
Current Intensity Windows for Intervals Series 1 are: 
Window	Minimum		Maximum
1	200		500
[A] add more windows
[#] delete window number #
<RETURN> to main menu
 Action: 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 1)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Intervals )
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: ds
Current series is: 1
Enter series number 1-4 (<RETURN> to main menu): 2

Intensity and exposure windows must be defined separately for each series. In this case, we switch to series 2 to define a 150-300 cnt/s window later. If, however, you know that the same windows defined previously apply to another series, they may simply be copied with the "DW" option from the main menu.

Current series is: 2
Enter series number 1-4 (<RETURN> to main menu): 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 2)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Intervals )
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: f
Currently no Intensity Windows for Intervals Series 2. 
[A] add more windows
[#] delete window number #
<RETURN> to main menu
 Action: a
Input minimum intensity: 150
Input maximum intensity: 300
Input minimum intensity: 
Current Intensity Windows for Intervals Series 2 are: 
Window	Minimum		Maximum
1	150		300
[A] add more windows
[#] delete window number #
<RETURN> to main menu
 Action: 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 2)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Intervals )
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: e

By default, all series have a default minimum of 0, and default maximum of 50. (i.e. 5000% exposure), meaning that everything is to be accepted. This setting may be modified with the "E" option.

Current Exposure Window for series 2, Intervals  is: 
0.0		50.0
[#] Minimum exposure
[-] Delete this window
<RETURN> to main menu.
Action: 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 2)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Intervals )
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: s

To see all the windows that have been defined, use the "S" option. This is recommended before writing the windows file, however, any windows file may be viewed directly as it is simply text.

Time Windows (days):
Window	Start		Stop
1	359.791666666667          359.89977212963     1
2	359.945056365741          361     2
Phase Windows:
Epoch: 359.02545	Period: .027789941
Window	Start		Stop
1	.1          .36     1
2	.46          .94     2
Intensity Windows for Orig. Bins series 1: 
1	0          300     1
Intensity Windows for New Bins   series 1: 
1	5          200     1
2	400          500     2
Intensity Windows for Intervals  series 1: 
1	200          500     1
Intensity Windows for Intervals  series 2: 
1	150          300     1
Exposure Windows for series 1: 
Original bins:     0.00		50.0
New bins:          0.00		50.0
Intervals:         0.0		50.0
Exposure Windows for series 2: 
Original bins:     0.00		50.0
New bins:          0.00		50.0
Intervals:         0.0		50.0
Exposure Windows for series 3: 
Original bins:     0.00		50.0
New bins:          0.00		50.0
Intervals:         0.0		50.0
Exposure Windows for series 4: 
Original bins:     0.00		50.0
New bins:          0.00		50.0
Intervals:         0.0		50.0
<RETURN> to main menu: 
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 2)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Intervals )
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: w

The defined windows may be written to a windows file with the "W" option. Note: an existing windows file may be read in for modification with the "R" option.

What should I call your output window file: example_a_win
[T]  Change TIME Windows
[P]  Change PHASE Windows
[F]  Change FLUX Windows
[E]  Change EXPOSURE Windows
[R]  READ an Input file
[S]  SHOW All Defined Windows
[C]  CLEAR All Defined Windows
[W]  WRITE Window file
[Q]  QUIT Window Program
[DS] Define Series Number (Currently 2)
[DB] Define Bin Type (Currently Intervals )
[DE] Define Epoch for Phase Windows (Currently 359.02545)
[DP] Define Period for Phase Windows (Currently .027789941)
[DW] Copy Defined Windows from Series to Series
Choose an action: q

Use the "Q" option to quit.

Default Windows

Default exposure windows are used in many XRONOS tasks, mostly in order to avoid dealing with data sets which are too inhomogeneous with respect to their statistical properties. The default exposure windows are:
  • Minimum Exposure in Bins = 0.25 (i.e. 25% exposure)
  • Minimum Exposure in Newbins = 0.01 (i.e. 1% exposure)
  • Minimum Exposure in Intervals = 0.50 (i.e. 50% exposure)
  • Maximum Exposure =50.0 in Bins , Newbins and Interval (i.e. 5000% exposure, meaning that virtually everything which is more than 100% exposed will be accepted).
Note: The minimum default Exposure windows in an Interval is ignored in the lcurve, efold and efsearch tasks.

Reading the window file $XRDEFAULTS/default_win.wi into xronwin with the "R" option before defining any windows is recommended if you wish to add to the existing default windows rather than start from scratch.

Content of the default window file (only exposure windows are set):

 
12 Windows in this < Xronos Window File >
 0 Time Wind.: start       stop  (days)                            max 1000
 0 Phase Wind.: epoch  period  (days)/ start stop (0->1) phases    max   10
 0 Ints. Wind. for Orig. Bins in Series 1 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 0 Ints. Wind. for New Bins   in Series 1 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 0 Ints. Wind. for Intervals  in Series 1 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 1 Exps. Wind. for Orig. Bins in Series 1 : min  max (0->50)       max    
                       0.2500000       50.00000               1
 1 Exps. Wind. for New Bins   in Series 1 : min  max (0->50)       max    1
                       9.9999998E-03   50.00000               1
 1 Exps. Wind. for Intervals  in Series 1 : min  max (0->50)       max    
                       0.5000000       50.00000               1
 0 Ints. Wind. for Orig. Bins in Series 2 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 0 Ints. Wind. for New Bins   in Series 2 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 0 Ints. Wind. for Intervals  in Series 2 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 1 Exps. Wind. for Orig. Bins in Series 2 : min  max (0->50)       max    
                       0.2500000       50.00000               1
 1 Exps. Wind. for New Bins   in Series 2 : min  max (0->50)       max    1
                       9.9999998E-03   50.00000               1
 1 Exps. Wind. for Intervals  in Series 2 : min  max (0->50)       max    
                       0.5000000       50.00000               1
 0 Ints. Wind. for Orig. Bins in Series 3 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 0 Ints. Wind. for New Bins   in Series 3 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 0 Ints. Wind. for Intervals  in Series 3 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 1 Exps. Wind. for Orig. Bins in Series 3 : min  max (0->50)       max    
                       0.2500000       50.00000               1
 1 Exps. Wind. for New Bins   in Series 3 : min  max (0->50)       max    1
                       9.9999998E-03   50.00000               1
 1 Exps. Wind. for Intervals  in Series 3 : min  max (0->50)       max    
                       0.5000000       50.00000               1
 0 Ints. Wind. for Orig. Bins in Series 4 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 0 Ints. Wind. for New Bins   in Series 4 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 0 Ints. Wind. for Intervals  in Series 4 : min  max (c/s)         max   10
 1 Exps. Wind. for Orig. Bins in Series 4 : min  max (0->50)       max    
                       0.2500000       50.00000               1
 1 Exps. Wind. for New Bins   in Series 4 : min  max (0->50)       max    1
                       9.9999998E-03   50.00000               1
 1 Exps. Wind. for Intervals  in Series 4 : min  max (0->50)       max    
                       0.5000000       50.00000               1


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Last modified: Friday, 26-Mar-2004 16:35:05 EST