ROSAT Status Report #45:
Jan 13, 1993
New PSPC-B Response Matrix Now Available
The new PSPC response matrix is now available in XSPEC .ascii and XSPEC .rsp format. The matrix resides on the rosserv anonymous ftp account under the directory /pub/PSPC_Info and has the filenames pspcb_93jan12.ascii and pspcb_93jan12.rsp. Nominally this matrix is appropriate to PSPC-B, although the difference between the two PSPC instruments is very small, an official PSPC-C matrix will also be installed in that directory shortly. To make an XSPEC response matrix from the .ascii file, use the auxiliary program MKRSP.
The matrix was derived mainly from a comparison to the high count spectrum of Mkn 421. Checks have also been done with 2 other BL Lac objects (PKS 2155-304 and 4U1417+42), a soft excess Sy 1 (Mkn766), delta Orionis A (2 thermal components), X Persei and the mean quasar spectrum from the ROSAT Medium Sensitivity Survey. For a detailed description of the differences between this new matrix and the pspcb_mar11.rsp matrix please refer to the article SPSPC_spec_calib.Nov92 which can also be found in the GSFC rosserv anonymous ftp account under /pub/PSPC_Info/. In addition to the changes made to the photon redistribution component of the matrix, the effective area tables have also been updated. The new effective area files deviate from the previous tables by about 5% at the carbon edge (and by large factors below the lower PI discriminator).
Preliminary tests of the new matrix show a systematic improvement to goodness-of-fit statistics, and < 10% change in spectral fit parameters. Please notify us if there are any problems with the new matrix.
Note to the referee of my (Jane Turners) ROSAT PSPC spectral paper (submitted):
The spectral features in those AGN are still highly significant, when the data are fit with the new response matrix, and the authors stand behind the results!
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