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Last modified: 1 November 2022

URL: https://cxc.cfa.harvard.edu/ciao/PSFs/characterize.html

PSF Central

Characterizing the Chandra PSF



Besides simulating the Chandra PSF, there are a few tools that are used to characterize the PSF:

Tool/Script Description Related Threads

mkpsfmap

Creates a PSF-size map for each pixel in an image.

Image Smoothing with a PSF map

[Thumbnail image: smoothing an image on the PSF-scale for each pixel]

[Version: full-size]

[Print media version: smoothing an image on the PSF-scale for each pixel]

Image Smoothing with a PSF map

make_psf_asymmetry_region

Creates a region file that shows the location of the HRMA PSF optical artifact for a given observation, to help rule out mis-identification of a physical source feature at sub-arcsecond scales.

PSF Asymmetry Region

[Thumbnail image: Location of PSF asymmetry region]

[Version: full-size]

[Print media version: Location of PSF asymmetry region]

PSF Asymmetry Region

psf

Python module that interpolates the approximate size of encircled counts fraction of the Chandra PSF, based on calibration radially enclosed energy fraction (REEF) tables. These tables were generated assuming a flat detector, which is accurate for HRC and ACIS-S3, but the other ACIS CCDs are tilted, which causes additional asymmetries.