XMM-Newton Science Analysis System: User Guide

1.4 Structure of the document

The structure of the present document is as follows:

• Chapter 2 introduces the investigator to the analysis of XMM-Newton data. It provides a brief description of XMM-Newton observation and calibration files and outlines the analysis steps required to produce calibrated event files and to extract scientific products.

• Chapter 3 describes the SAS graphical user interface (GUI), a user friendly tool which enables SAS interactive analysis tasks to be run without using the command line.

• Chapters 4, 5 and 6 describe the SAS analysis steps required to obtain EPIC, RGS and OM data products, respectively, which can be used afterwards by standard astronomical software packages.

• Chapter 7 gives an overview of a SAS procedure to produce high-level science products for XMM-Newton cameras from the raw, uncalibrated, data files contained in the Observation Data File (ODF). The procedure allows for some interactivity which lets the user take decisions concerning the analysis process.