Science Tools Working Group
Did not meet this week. We probably will meet next on Nov. 15.
The version of ScienceTools remains v7r5 but is soon to become v7r6, which will include the first version of the new (handoff review era) IRFs. (ST was tagged this morning and v7r6 is building.)
The GLAST Users Committee 'Beta Test' of the science tools will take place late next week, at NASA Goddard. The Beta Test Web site has links to the data, software, and agenda for the meeting. The presentations themselves will be linked in eventually. The data set is DC2 and the science tools are v7r5. The site is not widely advertised; this is posted here for our reference.
Data products: No news.
Databases and related utilities
No news.
Likelihood analysis
From Jim: "I updated the workbook documentation and reordered the plotting feature in gtlikelihood so that it comes before the query to refit the data rather than at the very end. At Riccardo Rando's request (and Jean's), I reinstated the check in Likelihood that only a single energy range cut be in the FT1 data, since the gtexpmap application does not correctly merge two cuts. That change will require some development in dataSubselector to proceed in full generality."
GRB tools
No news.
Pulsar tools
James reports that through the end of last week "James and Masa continued work on the blind period search tool, modifying the search classes to allow selected frequency ranges to be displayed and output." Masa reports that this week was given over to preparations for presentations to the GUC.
Observation simulation
From Jim: "I added the capability of giving an arbitrary spectral model from an ascii file to the SpectralTransient class, so now it can take two template files, one for the light curve and one for the spectrum. Using it in this mode, however, does not allow for spectral variability as a function of time. This work was to support Solar flare modeling for the Service Challenge run. It will either be generalized to support spectral variability or this functionality will be moved to TransientTemplate where it would be more appropriate."
User interface and infrastructure
James reports: "James analyzed differences between the behavior of 4 parameter interfaces (legacy Ftools interface, PIL, the Ciao interface and the new Ape interface), and met with the HEASARC development team to determine a set of changes to Ape that maximize backward compatibility." Ape will be our new PIL at some point.
Source Catalog
Met yesterday. Jean presented interesting results on likelihood analysis of the test pattern files using results from the optimal filter source detection algorithm as input. He also made further investigations of biases in the measured fluxes of sources. And if you are interested, you will have to look.