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RELEASE NOTES FOR HEASOFT 6.0.3
October 7, 2005
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The HEASoft 6.0.3 release is primarily driven by the release of the Swift
software version 2.2, but also includes updates to several tasks in the
attitude subpackage and to the FTOOLS utilities 'xselect', 'extractor',
and 'grppha2', which have been revised to mirror the current development
versions in use at the HEASARC. This release also includes CFITSIO v3.003
(updated from v3.001 in the last release).
As before, configuration-related changes thoughout the package means that
users who already have HEASoft v6.0X installed will need to completely
replace their software installation; there is no clean way to simply
overlay this new release or to update an existing installation.
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ATTITUDE
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aberrator -
allow qualified CALDB query [1]
aspcorr [NEW TASK] -
Apply an attitude correction to sky images
attcombine -
added parameter interpolation to set attitude interpolation mode
output now contains records only at times from first input file
optionally transfer input POINTING to output file
coordinator -
added parameter interpolation to set attitude interpolation mode
allow qualified CALDB query [1]
prefilter -
allow qualified CALDB query for alignfile and leapname parameters [1]
tristarid [NEW TASK] -
Perform triplet-based star identification
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CFITSIO
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Version 3.003:
Enhancements
- enhanced the string column reading routing fits_get_col_str to
support cases where the user enters a null pointer (rather than
a null string) as the nulval parameter.
- modified the low level ffread and ffwrite routines that physically
read and write data from the FITS file so that they write the name
of the file to the CFITSIO error stack if an error occurs.
- changed the definition of fits_open_file into a macro that will test
that the version of the fitsio.h include file that was used to
build the CFITSIO library is the same version as included when
compiling the application program.
- made a simple modification to region.c to support regions files
of type "linear", for compatibility with ds9 and fv.
- modified the internal ffgpr routine (and renamed it ffgprll) so
that it returns the TNULL value as a LONGLONG parameter instead
of 'long'.
- in fits_get_col_display_width, added support for TFORM = 'k'
- modified fitsio.h, fitsio2.h, and f77_wrap.h to add test for (_SX)
to identify NEC SX supercomputers.
- modified eval_f.c to treat table columns of TULONG (unsigned long)
as a double. Also added support for TLONGLONG (8-byte integers) as
a double, which is only a temporary fix, since doubles only have about
52 bits of precision.
- changed the 'blank' parameter in the internal ffgphd function to
to type LONGLONG to support integer*8 FITS images.
- when reading the TNULL keyword value, now use ffc2jj instead of
ffc2ii, to support integer*8 values.
Bug fixes
- fixed a significant bug when writing character strings to a variable
length array column of a binary table. This bug would result in some
unused space in the variable length heap, making the heap somewhat
larger than necessary. This in itself is usually a minor issue, since
the FITS files are perfectly valid, and other software should have
no problems reading back the characters strings. In some cases, however,
this problem could cause the program that is writing the table
to exit with a status = 108 disk read error.
- modified the standalone imcopy.c utility program to fix a memory allocation
bug when running on 64-bit platforms where sizeof(long) = 8 bytes.
- added an immediate 'return' statement to ffgtcl if the input status >0,
to prevent a segfault on some platforms.
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HEASARC
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extractor v4.56 -
Fixed problem that arises if the input event file has no GTIs and there
are selection GTIs in use. The resulting event file was given the
selection GTIs instead of the correct result of no GTIs.
Modified the region file reading routine to ignore the 'CR' character
if it is the last character on the line. If the region file was created
on a PC, which uses CR LF as the 2 End-of-Line characters, then the CR
is left over when read on a Unix machine, which uses only a single LF
character to mark the end of line.
Fixed inconsistency between rotation angle defined in ds9 ELLIPSE and BOX
regions and their use in extractor. It appears that extractor was treating
these angles as clockwise from the x-axis while ds9 defines the angles as
counter-clockwise from the same axis.
grppha2 -
Change error to warning if ROWID column is not found.
xselect v2.3:
Fixed error that datamode keyword was not allowed to be different for
different instruments. Trapped case of a blank string being entered for
a filename.
xsl_chandra_acis_makeresp:
mkacisrmf wants the spectrum file as the input of the wmap parameter, not the
weighting file produced by mkwarf (as mkrmf did). Modified call to mkacisrmf
to include all required parameters.
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SWIFT
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Swift software v 2.2:
----------------------
BAT specific tools
----------------------
batoccultgti [NEW TASK] -
this new task computes good time intervals that are unocculted by
the earth, moon, and/or sun. The user enters as input the
observation "prefilter" (or "SAO") file and the position of the
source. The output is a standard good time interval file which can
be used for selecting BAT survey data (it can be used as input to
the 'mgtime' or 'batbinevt' tasks).
This task is used when the source of interest is known.
batoccultmap [NEW TASK] -
this new task computes an exposure correction based on occultations
by the earth, moon and/or sun. The user enters as input the
observation "prefilter" (or "SAO") file and the image to be
corrected. Portions of the image which are occulted by the earth
or other bodies have their exposure reduced accordingly. The
motion of these bodies in the BAT field of view as a function of
time are accounted for as well.
This task is used when a blind image search will be performed, or
if there are many sources being analyzed at the same time. When
the source is known in advance, unocculted data should be selected
using batoccultgti instead.
batphasyserr [NEW TASK] -
this new task applies a systematic error vector to a user-generated
BAT spectrum (PHA file). By default the systematic error vector is
taken from CALDB. Both type I and type II spectral formats are
handled. If the user binning does not match the systematic error
template, then the template is rebinned to match.
batbinevt -
PARAMETER CHANGE: outtype, as detailed below
new output format: type I spectral format (for outtype="PHA1")
the type II format can be output by using outtype=PHA2
when outtype=PHA is given, then the output is either
type I, if only one output spectrum is produced OR
type II, if more than one output spectrum is produced
THUS, THE DEFAULT SPECTRUM TYPE HAS CHANGED FROM TYPE II TO TYPE I
a warning is produced if the users asks for a COUNTS spectrum
of type II format; this is particularly poorly supported by
OGIP/HEASARC downstream software
remove some confusing WCS keywords held over from the original input
handle cases where the input file is corrupted or mishandled; for
example, if the GTI extension is missing from a DPH
proper exposure-type keywords are written to the GTI and EBOUNDS
extensions
batcelldetect -
BUG FIX in the handling of multiple images in tangent plane
coordinates
BUG FIX in the handling of long catalog NAMEs and keyword strings
TDISPn keywords are written so that catalog entries are displayed
more readably
the task now uses the WCSLIB coordinate routines more fully
batclean -
PARAMETER CHANGE: several apertures can be chosen from CALDB;
use the "CALDB:flux" aperture by default
NEW PARAMETER: snrcol so the user can choose which column to
use for S/N thresholding
BUG FIXes in the handling of long catalog NAMEs and null values
some code cleanups
batdrmgen -
Added a better gain correction method to improve energy scale
Added more realistic energy-dependent resolution
The task now can correct for the "tile edge effect" more flexibly
REQUIRES new CALDB released with build 16
bateconvert -
Changed limits on energy to -10 to +3276.8 keV
baterebin -
NEW PARAMETER detmask, an optional input detector quality map
BUG FIXes to the handling of the upper and lower integral bins
Reduced number and apparent urgency of error messages
Added more diagnostic information
batfftimage -
PARAMETER CHANGE: several apertures can be chosen from CALDB;
use the "CALDB:flux" aperture by default
batmasktaglc -
PARAMETER CHANGE: scale=1.3 is a new scale factor to account
for the error in the flight software mask tagging
Task now writes a SCALEAPP keyword to record the scale factor used
batmaskwtevt -
PARAMETER CHANGE: several apertures can be chosen from CALDB;
use the "CALDB:flux" aperture by default
BUG FIX for the flat field correction
NOTE: this fix means that previous analysis must be re-run
batmaskwtimg -
PARAMETER CHANGE: several apertures can be chosen from CALDB;
use the "CALDB:flux" aperture by default
BUG FIX for the flat field correction
NOTE: this fix means that previous analysis must be re-run
NEW PARAMETER: outtype, which selects the filter applied to the
output image
NEW PARAMETER: combmeth, which controls how multiple output
images are combined (if at all)
batupdatephakw -
the task now handles both type I and type II spectral files,
in order to be compatible with changes to batbinevt.
Tasks batevt2dpi, batgse2dpi, batgse2dph, and batmasktagpha are
considered obsolete, and/or not for end users.
Known Open Issues Regarding BAT Analysis Software in Build 16 see :
http://swift.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/swift/analysis/bat_digest.html
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XRT specific tool
--------------------
xrttam -
Do not consider bias map and NULL frames in the calculation of the TAM Detector corrections
Modify check to see if the xrt header file time range covers the attitude one
New input parameters 'alignfile' and 'interpolation' needed to 'attcombine' call
xrttdrss -
Apply a DN correction to Postage Stamp Image pixels when the telemetry version of the Message is 2
Calculate the Postage Stamp image flux taking into account only pixels overthe background (set to 9DN)
xrtpipeline -
Updated calls to xrttdrss and coordinator.
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UVOT specific tool
-------------------
uvot2pha -
errors now recorded as STAT_ERROR column instead of keyword
uvotbadpix -
allow qualified CALDB query [1]
uvotdetect -
added parameter zerobkg for the limit of zeros/nulls in the image
before background and variance are calculated externally and
passed to SExtractor
uvotbadpix -
allow qualified CALDB query [1]
uvotexpmap -
allow qualified CALDB query [1] [2]
improved determination of interior pixels
uvotflatfield -
allow qualified CALDB query [1]
uvotgcn -
allow qualified CALDB query [1] [2]
output files ending in .gz are gzipped
if insufficient sources are found
attempt source detection with lower threshold
use tristarid for finding attitude correction
apply attitude correction [if found] to sky images
uvotmag -
allow qualified CALDB query [1]
added parameter syserr to control whether systematic errors
are included in results
uvotmaghist -
added parameter syserr to control whether systematic errors
are included in results
uvotrmfgen -
allow qualified CALDB query [1]
uvotscreen -
allow qualified CALDB query [1]
uvotskycorr [NEW TASK] -
determine/apply attitude corrections to UVOT sky images
uvotstarid [REPLACED by attitude/tristarid]
uvottfc -
allow qualified CALDB query [1]
added parameter exposure for estimate of exposure duration
scale rate errors by EXPGUESS / write EXPGUESS keyword
[1] Most tools support the special parameter value CALDB which indicates
to query CALDB for the appropriate calibration file. A qualified CALDB
query allows the user finer control over how CALDB is queried. Specifying
parameter=CALDB:<qualifier>[,<qualifier>...]
where each qualifier looks like
key=value
applies the comma-delimited list of qualifiers to the query. Supported
qualifiers include
MISSION INSTRUMENT DETECTOR FILTER EXPRESSION
STARTDATE STARTTIME STOPDATE STOPTIME DATE TIME
[2] CALDB queries for the UVOT telescope definition file now include an
expression
FILTER.eq.<filter>.and.WHEELPOS.eq.<wheelpos>
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Swift General tool
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swiftxform -
ensure TELDEF file used is appropriate for each image (HDU)
allow qualified CALDB query [1] [2]
added parameter skytime to set time at which attitude is sampled for
sky transformation