Hints and Pointers for Pros Users #23: marx2pros
ROSAT PROS Development wrote on Jan 06, 1998
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[ HINTS & POINTERS for PROS Users ]
[ 6 JANUARY 1998 #23 ]
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1) READING MARX FITS FILES INTO PROS/IRAF
2) BUGS IN PROS 2.5
1) READING MARX FITS FILES INTO PROS/IRAF
At the current time (1998 JAN), the only AXAF files of general
interest are those produced by the AXAF simulator, MARX, via the MARX
utility 'marx2fits' (which produces an events list format FITS file)
and 'marx2img' (which makes a FITS file with only a primary image).
Although the MARX fits files conform to FITS standards, there are two
parameters in the events list fits header which are written as reals
whereas fits2qp expects integer format. Therefore, we provide a
script which fixes this incompatibility. The necessary files can be
downloaded from our anonftp area, sao-ftp.harvard.edu. cd to
pub/rosat/read_marx and 'get' the files there. Further information is
included in the new chapter 14 of the Pros Users Guide (available
soon), and in the file 'instruc' in the anonftp area. If you want
only spatial information, you can run the MARX utility 'marx2img'.
This can be read by the general IRAF task dataio.rfits to produce an
IRAF image file (no special 'fixes' are required).
2) BUGS IN PROS 2.5
2.1 LPEAKS
This bug predates PROS2.5, but was only discovered recently. After a
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) map is constructed (based on the
conventional sliding detect cell), 'lpeaks' finds local maxima in the
SNR map. The algorithm is designed to ignore the detect cells that
border the edge of the map (since SNR are not meaningful without data
in the frame area surrounding the detect cell). The bug caused two
rows of cells to be ignored along one edge, whilst the other edge was
not ignored. We judged that this bug is of little practical
consequence, but report it here 'for the record'.
2.2 IMDIR problem in binary files
When image files were generated for PROS 2.5, we inadvertently
included hardwired paths for the pixel file location. This problem
was not found by our testing because everything worked well with our
local configuration. Our version of PROS 2.5 on ftp was fixed on 5 Dec
1997. If you obtained PROS 2.5 before that date, you should replace
the affected files with new ones that contain the proper path, HDR$.
A total of 15 file pairs ( .img and .pix) need replacing.
REPLACE the files in
<users-xray-root>/xray/caldata/rosat/
WITH the files in
our anonftp pub/pros/pros_2.5/imh_dec.5.97/caldata_rosat/
(total: 3 *.imh + 3 *.pix)
REPLACE the files in
<users-xray-root>/xray/data/
WITH the files in
our anonftp pub/pros/pros_2.5/imh_dec.5.97/xray_data/
(total: 11 *.imh + 11 *.pix)
REPLACE the files in
<users-xray-root>/xray/xspatial/data/
WITH the files in
our anonftp pub/pros/pros_2.5/imh_dec.5.97/xspatial_data/
(total: 1 *.imh + 1 *.pix)
2.3 IMDETECT bug on .imh files
The new task in PROS 2.5, xproto.imdetect, was designed to operate on
either qpoe or image files. The bug causes imdetect to fail when
using an image file. We plan to release a PROS patch once IRAF 2.11
for DEC ALPHAs is released and we have tested PROS 2.5 on that
platform.
ABOUT HINTS & POINTERS
As the provider of the PROS software package ("xray" in IRAF), the
ROSAT Science Data Center (RSDC) at SAO distributes HINTS & POINTERS
to PROS Users via email. When we find answers to often asked
questions, or when we have implemented new software solutions to
longstanding problems, we will send this information directly to our
users. These messages will also be available via anonymous ftp*, but
to receive the email version, you should register with us. If your
username is the one associated with your site registration, you are
already registered for "HINTS & POINTERS", but we encourage other
users (even at the same sites) to register.
Mailings will be sent as the need arises. If you would like to
suggest items for future issues of H&P or add your name to our
distribution list, please contact us at the following address:
**************************************************************************
RSDC MS-3 tel: (617) 495-7134 FAX: 495-7356
Center for Astrophysics Internet - rsdc@cfa.harvard.edu
60 Garden St. Cambridge MA 02138 USA
**************************************************************************
* to access our anonymous ftp service:
o ftp -i sao-ftp.harvard.edu # node address: 131.142.41.9
[Name: anonymous]
[Password: <yourusername@yoursite>]
ftp> cd pub/pros/Hints
N.B.: you can obtain your own copy of the PROS USERS GUIDE by
anonftp from subdir /pub/pros/PUG. The PUG is also on the WorldWideWeb:
http://hea-www.harvard.edu/PROS/pros.html
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Last post on Jan 06, 1998