HEASARC CALDB - WHAT WAS NEW

This page contains update information distributed prior to the Current What's New page of the HEASARC Calibration Database. Where applicable, items listed are linked to the corresponding announcement message on the appropriate Caldb e-mail exploder, or appropriate WWW page.

1997 May 23

CALDB INFO - A vastly overhauled version of the CALDB Installation Guide is now available. This guide covers the setting-up of a local CALDB containing missions/instruments which are exact copies of those at the HEASARC (EZ_CALDB route). It also gives details of how to use a new Perl script install_caldb.perl (available soon), which will automate this installation procedure. Finally, the guide advises how to set up a `customised' CALDB which may contain (i) a non-HEASARC-supported mission and/or instrument and/or (ii) a HEASARC-supported mission but with personal/locally produced datsets added.
Please give us feedback via caldbhelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov

1997 May 09

XTE DATA - New PCA energy-to-channel conversion file now available within the CALDB.

1997 Jan

PEOPLE in the NEWS: Ian George leaves Team Caldb. Mike Corcoran and Lorraine Breedon assume Ian's responsibilities for CALDB development and oversight.

1996 Dec 13

CALDB INFO - There is a power-outage scheduled for 1996 Dec 20 22:00 - Dec 21 04:00 (Eastern Standard Time, USA), during which time all HEASARC services (including the CALDB) will be unavailable.

1996 Oct 01

CALDB INFO - A new version of the CALDB Installation Guide is available which hopefully corrects all the gross errors & ambiguities in the previous version. The current version should be considered a draft, and does not cover the full customisation of your local CALDB. However it does hoepfully now provide clear instructions for setting up a local CALDB which mimics that at the HEASARC - check out the EZ_CALDB route described in the document.
Please give us feedback via caldbhelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov

1996 Sep 30

CALDB S/W - Unfortunately the release of much-anticipated script (nominally called manage_caldb) which we hope will greatly ease the maintenance of a local CALDB has been delayed and will NOT be part of the forthcoming FTOOL 3.6 release.
We anticipate having a beta-test version available by the end of 1996 October, and are seeking volunteers outside NASA/GSFC willing to help us test the installation and running of the script. No prior CALDB experience is necessary. Applications from minority operating systems encouraged. If you are interested, please e-mail caldbhelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov.

1996 Jul 18

ASCA DATA - Temporary (crude) fix to prevent ASCAARF (FTOOLS v3.5) Core Dumping (CIFs etc at NASA/GSFC have been corrected 1996 Jul 24)

1996 Apr 17

XTE DATA - New PCA collimator cubes now available within the CALDB.

1996 Apr 12

XTE DATA - New PCA EDS gain correction dataset now available within the CALDB.

1996 Apr 05

CALDB WWW - A new set of automatically-generated listing of all the files flagged as "GOOD" within the CALDB along with their disk-space requirments are now available

1996 Apr 02

ASCA DATA - Three new SIS Calibration Files available within the CALDB
CALDB S/W - FTOOLS v3.5 now available

1996 Mar 02

ASCA DATA - The XRT Calibration Files announced in a message on 1996 Feb 26 WITHDRAWN from the HEASARC Caldb. Any copies already made should be deleted.

1996 Feb 28

XTE DATA - New PCA EDS gain correction dataset now available within the CALDB.

1996 Feb 26

ASCA DATA - IMPORTANT the XRT calibration files originally described in this message have since been WITHDRAWN from the HEASARC Caldb

1996 Feb 20

1996 Feb 13

ASCA DATA - New GIS Calibration Files available within the CALDB

1996 Jan 31

XTE DATA - The first post-launch calibration files for the PCA are now available within the CALDB.

1996 Jan 25

EINSTEIN DATA - Two SSS background spectra are now available within the CALDB in the caldb/data/einstein/sss/bcf/ directory. Further information on their use is given in the CAL/EIN/93-017 memo

1996 Jan 23

ROSAT DATA - PSPC Al-K event files available
ROSAT DATA - PSPC Al-K gain maps available (necessary for ftools/rosat/pctcor)

1996 Jan 05

EINSTEIN DATA - Two SSS detector redistribution matrices (without the telescope effective area) are now available within the CALDB in the caldb/data/einstein/sss/cpf/ directory. Further information on their use is given in the CAL/EIN/93-017 memo

1996 Jan 04

EINSTEIN DATA - The IPC matrix previously available in the CALDB has been renamed to ipc_90jun07_15ch.rsp, and a new matrix, ipc_90jun07_16ch.rsp, added. Both files are available within the caldb/data/einstein/ipc/cpf/ directory, and more information on their use is available in the CAL/EIN/93-017 memo

1995 Dec 16

CALDB INFO - It is hoped that the Caldb will remain online throughout this second shutdown of the US Federal Government, though this cannot be guaranteed. Check the Caldb Status]]]]]]] page for further information.

1995 Dec 08

ASCA DATA - Reorganization of OLD ASCA SIS matrices within the CALDB

1995 Nov 14

CALDB INFO - It is hoped that the Caldb will remain online throughout the shutdown of the US Federal Government, though this cannot be guaranteed. Check the Caldb Status page for further information.

1995 Oct 30

ROSAT DOCS - A new memo Calibration Correction Applied to Individual PSPC Events (CAL/ROS/95-010) delivered by the ROSAT GOF.

1995 Oct 26

CALDB S/W - FTOOLS v3.4 now available

1995 Oct 17

ROSAT DATA - New PSPC datasets available (necessary for ftools/rosat/pcpicor)

1995 Sep 22

ASCA DATA - New XRT Radial Point Spread Function dataset available (from Nagoya ray-tracing)

1995 Sep 21

ASCA DATA - New XRT Effective Area dataset available (from Nagoya ray-tracing)

1995 Sep 19

CALDB INFO - An e-mail hotseat has been set up for the CALDB, to which all comments/questions/problems should be sent: caldbhelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov

1995 Jul 27

ASCA DATA - New SIS dataset available (related to PHA to PI conversion)

1995 Jun 16

PEOPLE - Ron Zellar leaves Team CALDB

1995 Jun 13

XTE INFO - xtecaldb e-mail exploder created for the XTE Caldb

1995 Jun 05

CALDB INFO - In the hope of reducing confusion, the (former) "OGIP Calibration Database" will henceforth be known as the "HEASARC Calibration Database"
CALDB WWW - Along with the name change, the HEASARC Caldb WWW pages are being brought into line with "HEASARC WWW Standards" (meaning the logos, headers, footers and general style of the pages may be changing - comments/complaints to feedback@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov please).