Science Tools Working Group
The current release of the Science Tools remains v9r11.
Data products: Reprocessing is still in planning. Julie has prepared a dictionary file for the new, trimmer LS1 definition, described by Steve at a C&A meeting last month. This has been turned into a test file sent to the FSSC for scrutiny.
Databases and related utilities
No news
Likelihood analysis
- The next ST release will have the convergence tolerance specified as an absolute rather than a relative quantity by default. This is less likely to result in surprises (inadequate convergence) with larger data sets. (Likelihood v14r6, pyLikelihood v1r12)
- A bug-fix for using exponentially cut-off power-law models with binned likelihood was implememented. (Likelihood v14r6p1)
GRB tools
No news
Pulsar tools
From Masa: "We just published a new document describing what the pulsar tools do in detail. We will move it to somewhere more official on the FSSC web site, but we need to figure out where is best for it." This is a complete definition of what each tool does and how the various modules relate.
We learned last week that the FSSC has decided that Masa's updated pulsar tools documentation will first appear with the FSSC's documentation of the Science Tools and then be made available to Chuck for reformatting for the User Workbook. Presumably this procedure will apply for other updates to the documentation that originate the FSSC. We do need to figure out how to make documentation updates flow the other way, and to keep each other mutually informed about updates.
Lucas at Bordeaux is working on some examples of pulsar analysis that will include cases for which TEMPO2 ("The world's most poweerful pulsar timing package") is needed.
Observation simulation
No news
User interface and infrastructure (& utilities)
Eric W. reports that he has successfully imported Science Tools v9r11 into the HEASARC build system and is starting to systmatically port it to a number of versions of Linux. What the FSSC currently has available is based on v9r8p2.
Source Catalog
Last week most of the discussion again was related to the 6-month source list that Jean has developed; Toby described evaluating error ellipses (vs. error circles) using pointfit.
Science Tools Working Group
The current release of the Science Tools is now v9r11.
Here are the differences from v9r10. v9r11 includes the Pass 6 v3 IRFS that include the effect of ghosts and some additional functionality described below.
Data products: Reprocessing is still in planning.
Databases and related utilities
In you use the AstroServer, you should have noted Tony's note this week about the 4 runs previously flagged as bad have been removed from the server.
Likelihood analysis
From Jim, regarding new functionality in v9r11 of the Science Tools:
- phi-dependence in the Likelihood packages. Note that none of the IRFs have the phi-dependence in them yet, and when they do, it will only be for the effective area
- At Jean's request, Pat and I have added access to the MINOS functionality for the Minuit and NewMinuit optimizers. This will use the profile likelihood method for determining 1-sigma confidence intervals. The interface still needs some development, but knowledgeable users (e.g., Johann C.-T., et al) can make use of it.
GRB tools
No news
Pulsar tools
Masa reports continuing to work on updated documentation for the pulsar tools. As of Monday evening he was ready to start updating the User Workbook.
No news yet about how and whether D4 and the pulsar tools will be modified for handling the real-life ephemeridies that the Bordeaux group has been receiving from the pulsar timing consortium; for some pulsars very-high order time derivatives are included.
Observation simulation
Jim reports that v9r11 includes the previously-reported "fix to astro wherein the unneeded IGRF calculations are skipped so that gtobssim runs a factor of 3 faster."
User interface and infrastructure (& utilities)
No news
Source Catalog
Last week most of the discussion was related to the 6-month source list that Jean has developed and a presentation by Keith on monitoring cumulative source significances.
Science Tools Working Group
The current release of the Science Tools remains v9r10.
Eric Winter reports that he is working on an FSSC port of v9r10. Part of this is to streamline the process.
An incremental release of the Science Tools is likely soon, to include the Pass 6 v3 IRFS that include the effect of ghosts. This does not mean that these IRFs have been blessed for publishing results but it is time to shake them down. Some early results were presented in the C&A meeting yesterday.
Data products: No new news about reprocessing; Richard scheduled a meeting on reprocessing planning ('many-ringed circus') later this morning.
Databases and related utilities
No news
Likelihood analysis
No news
GRB tools
No news
Pulsar tools
From Masa: "Nothing new in the pulsar tools development. I am still writing a new document describing what the pulsar tools do in detail."
Last week saw some discussion about how the real-life radio ephemerides provided by the timing consortium could be handled by the Science Tools (pulsar tools and ephemeris database). It turns out that at least some pulsars are coming in with timing solutions with several frequency derivatives. D4 can handle up to 2nd derivatives only. The pulsar group has worked around this with TEMPO 2.
Observation simulation
No news
User interface and infrastructure (& utilities)
No news
Source Catalog
Last week most of the discussion was related to the 6-month source list that Jean has developed and a first look at source associations.