Purpose
This page aims to pull together definitions for the jargon and technical terms that get used by the Fermi collaboration. A glossary exists in the Workbook, but as far as we can tell it hasn't been updated in a while.
The purpose of this glossary in particular is to provide new Fermi members (especially junior members) with a resource to tackle all the jargon that gets tossed around. Therefore, please avoid using more jargon to explain jargon. The definitions should stand alone as much as possible, and can link to papers / Confluence pages / etc. for more detailed information. The explanations should only provide what is necessary for a basic understanding; details can go in the links.
This glossary focuses on terms that are difficult to just google ("GlastRelease", "theta"). It also includes googleable terms that have specific applications to Fermi (e.g., AGN observations in gamma rays rather than AGN in general).
0-9
| term | definition | links |
|---|---|---|
| #FGL | A catalog of LAT point sources, which are objects in the sky that are bright in gamma rays over a long period of time. These are often active galaxies, supernova remnants, pulsars, and pulsar wind nebulae. So far, the LAT team has published the 1FGL (which used 11 months of LAT data) and 2FGL (2 years of LAT data). There is also a 0FGL (3 months of LAT data), also known as the Bright LAT source list. The Catalog group is currently working on 3FGL. (see also Catalog) | 0FGL page |
| #FHL | ||
| #LAC | ||
A
| term | definition | links |
|---|---|---|
| ACD | (Anti-Coincidence Detector) | |
| AGN | (Active Galactic Nuclei) | |
| ARR | (Autonomous Repoint Request) | |
| ATel | (Astronomer's Telegram) | |
| ATS | ||
B
| term | definition | links |
|---|---|---|
| BA | (burst advocate) | |
| back | ||
| back-converting | ||
| BGO | (bismuth germanate detector) | |
| blazar | ||
| BL Lac | ||
| boresight | ||
C
| term | definition | links |
|---|---|---|
| C&A | Calibration and Analysis (group); | |
| CAL | (Calorimeter) | |
| Calorimeter | (CAL) | |
| cat. / Cat. | (category) | |
| catalog | LAT catalogs | |
| Catalog (group) | ||
| category | ||
| clean (event class) | ||
| CR | (cosmic ray) | |
| CTB | ||
D
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| dec | (declination) | |
| diffuse | ||
| DM | Dark Matter (group); | |
| DQM | (Data Quality Monitor) | |
| ds9 | ||
| dSph | (dwarf spheroidal galaxy) |
E
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| Earth limb / Earth's limb | ||
| EBL | (Extragalactic Background Light) | |
| EPO | (Education and Public Outreach) | |
| event | ||
| event class | ||
| Evo | see also "SeeVogh" | |
| exposure | ||
F
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| FA | (flare advocate) | |
| fits / .fits (file type) | ||
| FltOps | (Flight Operations) | |
| FOT | (Flight Operations Team) | |
| FOV / FoV | (field of view) | |
| front | ||
| front-converting | ||
| FSW | (Flight Software) | |
| FT1 (file) | ||
| FT2 (file) | ||
| FTOOLS | ||
| fv |
G
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| GALPROP | ||
| GBM | (Gamma-ray Burst Monitor) | |
| GCN | (Gamma-ray Coordinates Network) | |
| GEANT | ||
| GLAST | ||
| GlastRelease | ||
| GLEAM | ||
| GRB | (gamma-ray burst) | |
| gt_____ | ||
H
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| HEASARC | ||
I
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| IRF | (Instrument Response Function) | |
| ISOC | ||
J
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| JIRA | ||
K
L
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| L1Proc | ||
| LAT | (Large Area Telescope) | |
| LAT Low Energy | ||
| light curve | ||
| likelihood | ||
| livetime | ||
| LLE | (LAT Low Energy) | |
| LMC | (Large Magellanic Cloud) | |
| LPA |
M
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| MC | (Monte Carlo) | |
| merit / merit file | ||
| MIP | (minimum ionizing particle) | |
| MOC | ||
| MSP | (millisecond pulsar) | |
| MW | (multiwavelength) |
N
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| nadir | ||
| nadir observations | ||
| NaI | (sodium iodide) | |
O
P
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| Pass #, version # | ||
| phi | ||
| pipeline | ||
| pointed observations | ||
| pole pointing | ||
| PSF | (point-spread function) | |
| PSR | (pulsar) | |
| PWN | (pulsar wind nebula) | |
Q
R
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| RA | (right ascension) | |
| ROI | (region of interest) | |
| ROOT, .root file |
S
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| SAA | (South Atlantic Anomaly) | |
| Science Tools | ||
| SeeVogh | ||
| senior review | ||
| SMC | (Small Magellanic Cloud) | |
| SNR | (supernova remnant) | |
| source (event class) | ||
| star trackers |
T
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| TDRSS | (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System) | |
| TGFs | (terrestrial gamma-ray flashes) | |
| theta | ||
| ToO | (Target of Opportunity) | |
| transient | ||
| transient (event class) | ||
| TRK | (Tracker) | |
| Trunc64 | ||
| TS | (test statistic) |
U
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| ultraclean (event class) | ||
V
W
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| white paper | ||
X
Y
Z
| term | definition | link |
|---|---|---|
| zenith | ||
| zenith angle cut | ||