XMM-Newton-NEWS


XMM-Newton-NEWS  #113,    30-Sep-2010

XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre at
ESA's European Space Astronomy Centre,
P.O. Box - Apdo. 78, 28691 Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain

SOC Home Page: https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/
Helpdesk web interface: https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/xmm-newton-helpdesk
Helpdesk email address: xmmhelp@sciops.esa.int
News Mailing List: https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/newsletter

Contents:


User Guide to the XMM-Newton SAS v10.0

XMM-Newton SOC has released the User Guide to the XMM-Newton Science Analysis System for SAS version 10.0 (announced in XMM-Newton NEWS #107 ). The guide is available in different formats (postscript, pdf and html) from the XMM-Newton Proposers Documents and Manuals Web page (Section: Data Analysis) at:

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

Data Analysis Threads for SAS v10.0

SAS threads are simple examples intended to help users, in particular beginners, to reduce and analyse XMM-Newton data. They cover from the basic system set-up to the most complex topics.

SAS analysis threads have been revised to reflect the latest changes included in version 10.0 and to change the style in which they are presented to the users. New threads have been added like, for example, "How to process EPIC slew data" or "Combining the spectra of the 3 EPIC cameras".

The new version of the threads can be found at:

    http://xmm.esac.esa.int/sas/current/documentation/threads/

New XMM-Newton 'blank sky' background events files

The EPIC Background Working Group announces an update of the blank sky project. The entire XMM-Newton EPIC database up to revolution 1789 has been reprocessed for blank sky usage with SAS version 9.0.0. Improved resolved point source removal and additional bad pixel filtering have been implemented.

Users can request blank sky files specifically tuned to their own particular needs, e.g., from a region centred on their target, from a period centred around the date of their observation or from observations of similar duration. Files such as these have proved extremely useful in the analysis of diffuse or extended sources which cover moderate to large areas of the detector field of view, thus preventing the usage of any 'local' background.

The relevant web page can be found at:

    http://xmm2.esac.esa.int/external/xmm_sw_cal/background/blank_sky.shtml

Updated Filter Wheel Closed repository

The EPIC Background Working Group announces an update of the XMM-Newton Filter Wheel Closed repository. This new version includes data up to January 2010 for both the MOS and pn cameras. Also, new features have been added to the Web pages like the inclusion of camera images in different energy ranges, count rate light curves and a comparison to the data from the EPIC Radiation Monitor.

More information can be found at:

    http://xmm2.esac.esa.int/external/xmm_sw_cal/background/filter_closed/



Yours sincerely,
XMM-Newton SOC