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BeppoSAX U.S. Coordination Facility
[BeppoSAX] [BeppoSAX Email]

BeppoSAX e-mail news n. 6


                                                   07 January 1998
Dear BeppoSAX user,
 
this is the sixth BeppoSAX "e-mail news" message and covers the 
following topics:

		1. AO2 accepted Core Program Target List
		2. Status of the BeppoSAX Science Data Center
                3. Opening of the BeppoSAX archive 

1. AO2 accepted Core Program Target List
-  -------------------------------------

The list of the accepted targets in the AO2 Core Program  
(priority A and B) is now available and can be accessed 
on-line form our WEB pages.  

   http://www.sdc.asi.it/ao_browser.html
   http://www.sdc.asi.it/ao2.html

We remind you that the deadline for the AO2-Guest Observer Program
is January 20 1998. 


2. Status of the BeppoSAX Science Data Center
-  ------------------------------------------

Following the end of his contract with ASI one of the three scientists 
working at the SDC moved to other occupation. 
Since the beginning of December 1997 the scientific personnel of the
SDC is therefore limited to two senior scientists, one junior 
scientist provided by Telespazio, and one WFC expert provided by SRON.  
This severe manpower shortage comes at a particularly difficult time, 
in the middle of AO2 activities and just after a major software and 
calibration release (see the fifth BeppoSAX e-mail news, Dec. 5th 1997).
ASI is currently looking for a solution to the present man-power shortage. 
At this time a full service to the community cannot be guaranteed 
and several SDC activities can only be offered on a best effort basis.

 Service limitations will include:

 - Support for the AO2 Guest Observer Program 
   Proposal submission tools like SPASS will
   still be available but cannot be fully supported 
 
 - Helpdesk support 
   It is now carried out on a best effort basis and response 
   may be slow.

 - Software support
   Support to XAS software is reduced to a minimum since the scientist
   supporting the activity left the SDC.
   SAXDAS support is carried out on a best effort basis; 
   significant limitations/delays in the support to the users are to be 
   expected.

 - Pipeline processing and data distribution.
   There will be delays in the pipeline processing and in the 
   data quality checks. 
   Data distribution to PIs will take longer than in the past. 
 
We hope to be in a position to offer a more adequate level of support 
in the very near future. In the meantime we apologize for any inconvenience.

 3. Opening of the public archive 
 -  ------------------------------

    As previously announced, the BeppoSAX public archive is now open 
    and SVP data acquired before December 31st 1996 can be requested. 
    This service is however limited to FOT tapes to be requested to 
    Telespazio. Scientific products (e.g. screened event lists) produced 
    by the SDC are not yet available for most SVP observations. 
    SVP data, together with a limited number of early AO1 pointings will 
    be available on-line (from the SDC pages) starting from
    February 1998. Initially the archive will largely include 
    revision 0.0, 0.1 and 0.2 data; indication of the data revision will
    be available from the web data access pages. 
    The scientific quality of rev0.0, rev 0.1 and rev0.2 data is acceptable 
    but do not include the most up to date calibration. PDS data are not 
    available for rev0.2 or earlier processing. 

    The access to the on-line archive will be essentially identical to 
    that offered to all BeppoSAX PI. 

    Details on how to access the SDC public archive will be given in the 
    next issue of the BeppoSAX e-mail news which will also include the 
    list of released observations.

    Data reprocessing (revision 1.1, including PDS data) will start soon and 
    will take several months to complete, depending on the level of manpower 
    available at the SDC. 
    Revision 1.1 data will be included in the public archive when ready
    and after the expiration of the proprietary period.


If you think that, for a better exploitation of BeppoSAX data, a high level 
of scientific support should be maintained at the SDC (which would imply 
a strengthening of the SDC current scientific resources) please send e-mail 
to helpdesk@sax.sdc.asi.it. We will forward your comments to ASI.


 
Paolo Giommi and Fabrizio Fiore
BeppoSAX Science Data Center


------------------BeppoSAX SDC useful addresses and numbers----------------
 
WWW home page     http://www.sdc.asi.it/
anonymous ftp     www.sdc.asi.it
phone             +39 6 40796307 (M.E. Pennisi, SDC secretary)
fax               +39 6 40793855, +39 6 40796291
e-mail            helpdesk@sax.sdc.asi.it
p-mail address    BeppoSAX Science Data Center
                  ASI
                  c/o Nuova Telespazio
                  via Corcolle 19 
                  00131 Roma
                  Italy  
how to reach us   http://www.sdc.asi.it/howreach.html 
 
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