       SDAST CHAT MEETING #87: Wednesday 3rd March 2004

***** Participants: Peter Kretschmar, Silvia Martinez-Nunez, Niels Joergen
	Westergaard,  Carol Anne Oxborrow, Stefan Larsson
	
***** Subjects Discussed:
	 Main topic: spectral anomalies
	 	Gain smoothing doesn't always work for certain science windows
	 		immediately after planned switch on or switch on after
	 		emergency shutdown
	 	SL is updating his source extraction software: general cleanup
	 		plus improved detail on detector resolution and
	 		penetration depth; using shared functions
	 	Flux below 7 KeV is too low
	 	Peter has a very sharp line at 28KeV
	 	SMC X-1 spectra have jump at 7 KeV, posssibly due to being
	 		off axis
	 	Overall flux normalisations too low
	 	Some tailor-made RMFs by NJW handle these problems, but not
	 		generally available
	 	
	Short topics:
	1) OSA 4.0 : When and what.
		OSA 4.0 freeze is expected end of May
	2) JEM-X1 status
		The unit is functioning well
	3) Crab calibration: IMOD updates and other preparations etc.
		JMX1-ECAL-MOD and JMX1-DETE-MOD being updated
		CORX/Y-MOD also need updating to remove NULL values that are
			potentially dangerous
	4) AI List
		List not updated since Munich meeting so leave this till next
			chat
	5) Next chat, next topic
		Next chat will be Wednesday 17th March at 14.00 the featured
			topic will be mosaicking
	6) AOB
		Next SDAST meeting has been moved to May 3rd and 4th at DSRI


***** Action Items:
 
AI040303_1 CAO	12 Mar 2004	Write update to Know Issues file at ISDC
OPEN			detailing conditions where gain smoothing fails

AI040303_2 SL	12 Mar 2004	Write update to Known Issues files at ISDC
OPEN			detailing the spectral jump problem for off axis
			sources.
			
AI040303_3 ALL	31 Mar 2004	Write email to CAO detailing expected 
OPEN			improvements in ISSW for OSA 4.0

AI040303_4 NJW	31 Mar 2004	Update CORX/Y-MOD to remove gigantic NULL
OPEN			values from the `inactive' area of the detector


**** Logging Started : Wed Mar 03 10:48:20 MET 2004

*** njw (~njw@uhuru.dsri.dk) has joined channel #jemxadr
<njw> Godt med din advarsel, jeg havde helt glemt vores chat i dag END
> Hi NJW! How are you? Please type quietly because I'm still not feeling that
> well after the horrible cold/sore throat. END
> I wonder if everyone else has forgotten too? I would have sent a reminder on
> Monday had I been here. I tried to phone you yesterday to do it but you
<njw> O K, I   w i l l ... h a v e   q u i c k     r  e c o v e ry END
> weren't in  you office the times I rang. END
<njw> Yesterday I had an appointment with my dentist - hurts mostly in my 
purse.END
> How strange - I didn't have an appointment with my dentist and it hurt
> horribly in my mouth - but it was very cheap to sleep all day! END
*** peter (~pkretsch@crab.unige.ch) has joined channel #jemxadr
<peter> Hi there - sorry for the slight delay, another meeting ... END
*** smaisala (~smaisala@gemini.astro.helsinki.fi) has joined channel #jemxadr
> Sorry for the short notice, Peter - I hope everyone else will turn up. END
> Hi Sami! END
<smaisala> hello everybody. END
<njw> Hello ! END
*** silvia (~silvia@uhuru.dsri.dk) has joined channel #jemxadr
<silvia> Hi everyone ! END
> Hi Silvia! I take it everyone got home safely from Munchen. END
*** larsson (~larsson@tenma.dsri.dk) has joined channel #jemxadr
<larsson> Hi.  Sorry to be a bit late. END
> That's great, the gang's all here, except Jerome who's on holiday in Nice,
> lucky devil. Shall we get started? END
<silvia> Yes, please END
> Okay, major topic is SPECTRAL ANOMALIES. I'd like to make my one and only
> contribution at the beginning, if I may, since it's quite fundamental to the
> problem:
> Basically, all users should be made aware of the fact that since the switch-on
> decay behaviour of the JEM-X2 unit has been evolving over the course of the
> mission, there are times, usually at the beginning of the revolution when the
> smoothing model doesn't do a very good job of finding the current gain. This
> probably applies to the first couple of science windows in each revolution.
> So any one who reckons they've caught a transient source doing something
> insteresting just after switch on should be informed of the realities of the
> instrument. In one or two places the smoothing will also fail because we have
> very strong decay behaviour after emergency shutdowns of just a few minutes,
> and the model was never designed to cope with this. Again we're talking about
> a few science windows. Otherwise, smoothing works well. Of course these
> problems will be fixed for OSA 4.0, since now I have many more revolutions
> with many more anomalies to work with. Anyway, these are the limitations
> that you should all be aware of. END
> So who's going to start the spectral anomalies discussion? How about Stefan
> since he's in charge of the sourec extraction software. END
<peter> Why don't you write a short summary for the Known Issues we are 
maintaining - these are also sometimes updated between software releases. END
<peter> Sorry, that was for the gain smoothing issue ... END
<peter> Stefan? Are you taking up the ball, or should I try? END
<larsson> Unfortunatlly I dont have too much to say in addition to what
<larsson> I have said about limitations before. In particular detector
<larsson> resolution effects and a few other details of the extraction.
<larsson> After Munich I have started a cleanup of my extraction programs
<larsson> including a better structuring, with the aim of using function
<larsson> that can, in some cases be used as shared functions, and also
<larsson> to use the once made by Peter last month. As part of this I
<larsson> am improving some of the detail in the exttraction, in particular
<larsson> detector resolution and penetration depth.
<larsson> I have completed a function which computes a PIF-map for a source 
position
<larsson> and selected energy. Interface should probably be simplified a bit
<larsson> by using structures as suggested by peter. I'll talk to you (PK)
<larsson> about that later. 
<larsson> This is maybe a little off the "Spectral anomales" but it is what I am 
doing
<larsson> to try to cure the limitations in my program.
<peter> Just as a reminder - we currently know about the JEM-X spectra:
<larsson> Some callibration work will follow after that. A few weeks off. 
<larsson> END
<larsson> END
<peter> - the flux below ~7 keV is too low
<silvia> To Stefan: Have you taken a look to the SMC X-1 spectra I sent you last 
week ? Have you found any correlation between offangle or/and posangle and the 
"jump" around 7 keV ? END
<peter> - we have a 'nice' impossibly narrow spectral feature at 28 keV or so.
<peter> - the overall flux normalization falls below expectations still (OSA 3).
<peter> END
<larsson> To Silvia: I have not done so, but as I said in Munich it is actually 
not
<larsson> surprising becouse there 
<larsson> are quite few pixels used. It is something I will see if my upgrade
<larsson> handles better.
<larsson> To Peter: Normalizatio. How much below?
<larsson> END
<peter> Factor 0.7? 
<peter> END
<peter> I've sent you a poster by Piotr Lubinski and partners in crime. END
<silvia> To Stefan: Then we should only take the spectra from a source that lies 
less than 2 deg off-axis or otherwise it seems we have always the "nasty" jump. 
Should this limitations mention to the users ? END
<larsson> The support structure, which is left out is something like 5-10% flux 
reduction
<larsson> if I remember correctly.
<larsson> The detector resolution also accounts for maybe 5-20% of flux loss
> Perhaps Stefan should write a Known Issues update aboutthis jump and the 
offset
> angle problem. END
<larsson> as a guess. This is a point which I think has to be callibrated. END
<larsson> To Peter: When did you send that poster? END
<larsson> OKK Just now I noticed...END
<peter> So is it correct to summarize that you have been working quite a bit on 
your code and when it is available we have to test it's functionality - maybe 
including Piotr. 
<peter> While for the existing software we should describe the limitations based 
on these experiences. END
<larsson> You are right. A note on limitations should be written.
<larsson> When my new code update is updated I will ask peter to install it
<larsson> at ISDC for evaluation? END
<peter> Fine - any guess of when that will be ready? END
<larsson> Probably end of next week. (I have too many meetings now., grrrr) END
<peter> OK, note that next week Thursday & Friday I'll be in Paris (SIMBOL-X 
workshop) END
<peter> So will you write the note on issues - or should Silvia an I try? END
<larsson> Then it will be after that. I am at a meeting in Kiruna, 
Tuesday-Wednesday. END
<larsson> About the note. Lets say that I take responsibility for but is happy 
if you
<larsson> send me contributions to it? END
<peter> OK, we'll concot something next week. END
<peter> Next item? END
> Is that everything on spectral anomalies? Shall we move on to the short
> topics? END
<silvia> One, last thing
<silvia> What about the RMF ? Do we have a new one taking care of the low flux 
under 7 keV ? END
<njw> I've made one for the Kirsch-poster i.e. a new ARF based on the Crab 
calibration Rev 102
<njw> I'll send it to you so that you can check out if you get better results. 
END
<silvia> Mange tak Niels Joergen ! And what about a RMF for PV data ? END
<njw> That is still on my to-do list, unfortunately END
<peter> Let's move on - I have another meeting soon and need to get some lunch 
inbetween. Sorry, they all have come suddenly and flagged as "urgent, cannot be 
moved". END
<silvia> OK . Let's move to the next point END
> Okay OSA 4.0: when is the freeze for this expected Peter? END
> I'll put an AI on us all to email me with our expected improvements to
> the ISSW for OSA 4.0. EN
> Since Peter isn't responding, and we need to move on, I can merge what
<peter> End of May. END
> I need to say about JEM-X1 and the upcoming Crab Calibration. Basically
> our meeting last week concluded that the JEM-X1 unit is working well, and the
> lataest patch worked well too. I'm currently updating ECAL-MOD and DETE-MOD in
> time for the Crab calibration. Has anyone else anything to add? END
> So let's make the due date for the list of expected improvements as end March.
> Any more on OSA 4.0, JEM-X1 or Crab Calibration? END
<silvia> N END
<njw> N
<smaisala> n
<peter> n
<larsson> To CAO: I have a question on -CORX-MOD in the instrument model.
> AI list: I haven't updated this since Munich, so I'm relying on you to tell me
<larsson> There are some strange values in the outer part (I think I asked
> what you've done by way of AI's completed. END
> What about CORX-MOD? END
<larsson> you before but dont think you replied?)
> Please refresh my memory. If it's about the huge values outside the active 
area,
> NJW's supposed to be working on this. Is there something else wrong? END
<larsson> The values at the edges are unreasonable. Completely off.
> Yes, they're NULL values, and I think NJW's working on this. How is it going
> NJW? END
<larsson> When I use them I use a cut radius to make sure I dont use them.
<njw> Hmm, this has not been on the top of my list but I'll put it there. END
<larsson> ("use and dont use" maybe you understand...) END
<larsson> It is maybe not urgent since I can go arround it but in principle
<larsson> dangerous. END
<njw> OK END
> For the AI list, I suggest we skip this until next week. I'll be updating it
> probably today or tomorrow, so everyone can see what they're supposed to be
> doing. That's a new AI on you NJW to get the NULL values out of CORX/Y-MOD. 
END
> Any comments? END
<silvia> N
<larsson> N. Just that next wednesday I will be away. END
<smaisala> n
<njw> N
<peter> N
> What about next Thursday? END
<peter> I'm in Paris then ...
<larsson> Should we trade trips Peter, you go to Kiruna and i to Paris?END
<larsson> I think you should do the chat on Wednesday anyway. END
> So shall we wait till the Wednesday after next, the 17th March. Could we move
> it to 14.00 or so, I've got students in the morning. END
<silvia> Fine, I will be at ISDC END
<peter> OK
<larsson> 17th is fine with me. END
<njw> OK
> Okay, next chat 14.00 on March 17th 2004. What will be the topic? END
<peter> To Stefan: nice try :-) ... END
<peter> To NJW: can we make image mosaics the next topic? I could try to nudge 
Roland a bit ... END
> Good idea PEter: next topic is mosaicking. END
<njw> We certainly can END
> Okay I have a piece of AOB. About the next SDAST meeting scheduled for April
> 26 and 27th. My husband will be in Nice then, so either we move the meeting,
> or I will simply have to leave at 15.45 both afternoons to pick up my 
children,
> and you'll have to do without my company for supper on the 26th. Comments?END
<peter> I have no strong opinion on the date - it could be moved a bit. END
> What about one week later: may 3rd and 4th? END
<smaisala> About the next chat: unfortunately I cannot join to it. We have 
Physics days at Oulu (~600 km from Helsinki) and I'll be there. END
> That's okay Sami, so long as all the mosaicking gurus are with us. Enjoy your
> trip. Will it be very cold? The Even Frozener North? END
> Could you all get out your calenders and let me know about May 3 and 4? END
<silvia> As i told you I do not think I will attend our next SDAST Meeting. 
Therefore not constraints by my side for the dates END
<larsson> 3rd and 4th of May looks suspicously blank in my calendar. Its 
probably OK. END
<peter> May 3+4 look OK. END
<smaisala> Those days are fine. END
<njw> OK
> I'll assume that we can move the SDAST meeting at DSRI to May 3rd and 4th 
> then, unless I hear any dissenting voices within the next week or so.
<peter> OK
<larsson> OK
<njw> Fine
<silvia>  OK
> Okay, I think that's all. Anyone else with AOB? END
<njw> N
<silvia>  N
<peter> N
<silvia>  To Peter : See you on Tuesday. I will arrive to Geneve at 18:30 on 
Monday. END
<peter> Have a nice afternoon - good bye (gotta run)
<silvia> Bye everyone ! Have a nice afternoon ! END
<peter> To Silvia: thanks for the info, see you then. END
<smaisala> bye. END
*** Signoff: peter (ircII/tkirc)
> Have a good and productive week everyone! Bye! end
<njw> Bye bye
<larsson> Bye
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*** Signoff: larsson ()
*** Signoff: smaisala (Leaving)
