XMM-Newton Science Analysis System: User Guide

2.2 Steps in the analysis of XMM-Newton data. Threads and Watchout items

In general, the analysis of XMM-Newton data is composed of several steps.

1. Preparation of the analysis environment, including the access to XMM-Newton data and CCFs, the Science Analysis System (SAS) and the associated software tools.

2. Inspection of XMM-Newton ODFs and CCFs and pipeline products (PPS).

3. Creation of the Calibration Index File (CIF) and the ODF summary file (*SUM.SAS).

4. Definition and planning of the analysis activities.

5. Creation of calibrated event lists using the SAS pipeline processing meta-tasks. The user may skip this step and use the calibrated event lists provided by the pipeline products. This step will however be necessary if more up-to-date CCFs or SAS version have become available since the generation of the pipeline products.

6. Data screening, source detection and extraction of scientific products, including images, spectra and time series. To generate spectral products it is necessary to generate response files. Scientific products are also part of the pipeline products.

The completion of steps 2, 3, 5 and 6 require the use of tasks which are specific to SAS.

Before starting the process of data analysis, users are strongly encouraged first to have a look at the SAS Analysis Threads, where detailed examples are provided for the data reduction of each instrument, and to check regularly the Watchout items and evergreen tips, both under:

https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/sas-watchout