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Suzaku Guest Observer Facility

Three Updates: PIN Epoch 6/XIS Burst Mode GTI/New Scripts

December 4, 2009


The recent Suzaku CALDB (2009-12-01 release) and FTOOLS (v14, in HEASoft v6.8) updates include three noteworthy items.

1. PIN Epoch 6 Response Files

The HXD team has adjusted the low energy threshold for the PIN detectors due to the secular increase in the noise in the lower energy range. Data taken on or after 2009 October 1 has this new, Epoch 6, setting. These observations should be analyzed with the Epoch 6 response files, ae_hxd_pinXXXXe6_20090826.rsp (where XXXX is either xinom, hxnom, or flat as appropriate). These new response files are now public in the 2009-12-01 release of the Suzaku CALDB.

We now have a page describing the PIN epochs, with additional information on this topic.

2. XIS Burst Mode GTI

XIS submodes with the burst option enabled can have upwards of 98.75% dead time per 8 s frame. Until now, the good time interval (GTI) of the XIS event files did not contain the detailed (e.g., one line for each 2 second exposure separated by 8 seconds) GTI information. Although the approximate exposure time can always be calculated using the burst option parameters, the detailed GTIs are necessary to derive the accurate exposure time. This is because the GTIs based on data screening and selection criteria are not quantized to 8 s, and the errors at the ends of these GTIs can add up.

The XIS team has released a new version of xistime, with a new option "bstgti=yes," as part of Suzaku software V14 in HEASoft v6.8. Note that:

  • The use of this option will result in a GTI extension with a large number of rows. In rare cases, the number of rows may exceed the limits in down-stream software.
  • This software switch can be used regardless of whether the data were taken with with the burst option. However, we do not recommend the use of "bstgti=yes" for data obtained without the burst option.

Further information can be found by issuing the command fhelp xistime.

3. New Scripts for Reprocessing and HXD Background Subtraction

Suzaku software V14 also includes 5 new scripts that are meant to make reprocessing and HXD background subtraction easy.

  • aepipeline allows users to reprocess their Suzaku data using the most up-to-date software and calibration files. This script can be used when, e.g., a new XIS gain calibration file is released. Previously, although these steps were documented and not difficult, users had to run multiple tools which was tedious and time consuming.
  • hxdpinxbpi, hxdpinxblc, hxdgsoxbpi, and hxdgsoxblc, calculates the source (+background) and background spectra (XXXpi) or light curves (XXXlc) for PIN and GSO data, respectively. Previously, users had to run multiple tools which was tedious and time consuming, and led to occasional user errors.

We will provide more detailed descriptions in the near future. In the mean time, fhelp can be used to learn the basic usages of these scripts.


If you have any questions concerning Suzaku, visit the Feedback form.

This file was last modified on Friday, 04-Dec-2009 16:49:54 EST

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