Imaging Spectroscopy

Extracting Spectra and Creating Response Files:

specextract should be used for the analysis of extended sources only. Users working with point sources should instead use the psextract script. The mkwarf tool, which is used for ARF generation by specextract, may not produce accurate results for point sources. The mkarf tool, used by psextract, is preferred for point source extraction.

In certain cases, the mkacisrmf tool will need to be run separately to create the best possible RMFs for ACIS observations; see the thread for details.

• The ACIS "Blank-Sky" Background Files
  Uses: the acis_bkgrnd_lookup script; the lc_clean.sl S-Lang script
• Using specextract to Extract ACIS Spectra and Response Files
• Using psextract to Extract ACIS Spectra and Response Files for Pointlike Sources
  Uses: the psextract script; the acis_fef_lookup script
• Coadding Spectra and Weighted Responses
  Uses: the acisspec script
• Creating ACIS RMFs with mkacisrmf

Step-by-step Analyses:

These threads give step-by-step instructions for creating spectra and response files. Note that all of the tasks described here are executed automatically by the specextract script.

• The ACIS "Blank-Sky" Background Files
  Uses: the acis_bkgrnd_lookup script; the lc_clean.sl S-Lang script
• Weighting ARFs and RMFs: multiple sources
• Step-by-Step Guide to Creating ACIS Spectra for Pointlike Sources
  Uses: the acis_fef_lookup script

General:

• A Note on HRC Spectra