XMM-Newton Users Handbook



B. XMM-Newton Routine Calibration Programme

In order to monitor the performance of the XMM-Newton science instruments, regular observations of a number of targets are performed.

Such observations are defined in the Routine Calibration Plan (available at
http://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/calibration-documentation#General)
and are used to update the Current Calibration Files (CCFs, see § 6.2) whenever necessary.
Routine calibration targets are also included in the Target Search Tool
(at URL: http://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/target-search-tool).

The following monitoring observations are foreseen:

The time needed to fulfil the monitoring requests defined in the routine calibration plan should stay below a 5% margin of the available time for science (cf. Policies and Procedures at http://xmm-tools.cosmos.esa.int/external/xmm_user_support/documentation/AOpolicy/).

European Space Agency - XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre