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Last modified: 12 December 2012

URL: http://cxc.harvard.edu/caldb/prop_plan/pimms/pimms.html

Cycle 15 PIMMS Effective Area Public Information

Return to: PIMMS Index

Released as of 13 DEC 2012



PIMMS effective area (EA) files are built using model observations (OBSIDs) with standpimms15.xmlard/default detector and SIM_Z configurations with the CIAO 4.5 routines mkarf for imaging aimpoint cases and mkgarf for gratings configurations, using the most current CALDB input files (CALDB 4.5.5). The following table gives the input CALDB file information used by mkarf or mkgarf to generate the respective effective area files (as ARFs) for the CY14 (N0014) and CY15 (N0015) review cycles. Plots of the PIMMS effective areas may be viewed at the PIMMS Effective Area Data page. You may also use the automated Chandra Effective Area Viewer.

PIMMS Input Data and Procedure Changes for Cycle 15:

CalDB Input File Uprades (since CY14):

  1. The ACIS CONTAM file which provides a better estimate of the contamination since mid-2009. At that point the contamination layer began a more rapid increase in optical depth with time. The model for 2009-2014 is linearly increasing rapidly, which results in considerably more absorption predicted for mid-2014 than the previous CONTAM version.

  2. The ACIS time-dependent QE Uniformity has been included in CalDB 4.5.5. The QEU degrades slightly with time due to the increasing charge-transfer inefficiency (CTI) effect. Up until the present, the degradation has been very small; however after thirteen years of operation, the change is approximately 1 percent over the life of the mission for ACIS-I, and 3% for ACIS-S3. The particular file used for CY15 is the latest one available, effective on 2010-02-01, corresponding to T_GAIN epochs 41-48.

  3. The HRC-S QE (quantum efficiency) has been upgraded as well to version 2012-03-18 N0012, which includes corrections for the new high-voltage settings for the HRC-S, which were changed on 2012-03-18 to recover approximately 5% of the quantum efficiency over the full energy range.

Parameter Input Changes (versus CY14 inputs):

  1. Imaging aimpoints: The slow optical axis drift (with respect to the Science Instrument Module (SIM)) has continued with the progress of the mission. Hence the default position for an imaging observation strikes each detector in a slightly different place. (See the changes in the CHIPX, CHIPY positions in Table 1 below.) We include default pointing Y- and Z-offsets for ACIS-I and ACIS-S, to optimize the local EA calculation for where your source is likely to appear (unless a proposer specifies a different pointing offset). The change in position presents a slightly different QE and mirror vignetting in the CIAO modeling that is done to calculate PIMMS EA's.

  2. ACIS CONTAM time-delay parameter: The CIAO ARF- and GARF-generating routines employ a time-delay option in the "detsubsys" parameter specification, wherein a TT date value in seconds may be entered to set the date for the time-dependent CONTAM calculations. For Cycle 15 the value is 516499267.184, which corresponds to UTC date 15 May 2014. For Cycle 14 the value was 484963266.184, corresponding to 15 May 2013. This affects all and only ACIS configurations. For ACIS-S aimpoint position EAs and grating zeroth order EAs, the change is at most -6% at the Carbon Edge, and significantly less elsewhere.


TABLE 1

Configuration (CHIPX, CHIPY) ObsID Used HRMA QE QEU ACIS FI DEAD AREA ACIS CONTAM CONTAM TIME DELAY ACIS OSIP GREFF CALDB Filenames
ACIS-I (967, 963)
(972, 964)
9768 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits acisD1997-04-17qeN0006.fits acisD2000-01-29qeuN0006.fits
acisD2010-02-01qeuN0007.fits
acisD1999-09-16dead_areaN0001.fits acisD1999-08-13contamN0006.fits
acisD1999-08-13contamN0007.fits
484963266.184
516499267.184
N/A N/A acisiD2011-11-10pimmsN0014.fits
acisiD2012-11-26pimmsN0015.fits
ACIS-S (225, 516)
(206, 521)
9300 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits acisD1997-04-17qeN0006.fits acisD2000-01-29qeuN0006.fits
acisD2010-02-01qeuN0007.fits
acisD1999-09-16dead_areaN0001.fits acisD1999-08-13contamN0006.fits
acisD1999-08-13contamN0007.fits
484963266.184
516499267.184
N/A N/A acissD2011-11-10pimmsN0014.fits
acissD2012-11-26pimmsN0015.fits
HRC-I (7646, 7852)
(7615, 7862)
8531 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits hrciD1999-07-22qeN0008.fits hrciD1999-07-22qeuN0002.fits N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A hrciD2011-11-10pimmsN0014.fits
hrciD2012-11-26pimmsN0015.fits
HRC-S (2107, 8948)
(2117, 8955)
9630 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits hrcsD1999-07-22qeN0011.fits
hrcsD2012-03-18qeN0012.fits
hrcsD2013-01-01qeuN0006.fits N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A hrcsD2011-12-06pimmsN0014.fits
hrcsD2012-11-26pimmsN0015.fits
HETG0/ACIS-I (967, 963)
(972, 964)
9768 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits acisD1997-04-17qeN0006.fits acisD2000-01-29qeuN0006.fits
acisD2010-02-01qeuN0007.fits
acisD1999-09-16dead_areaN0001.fits acisD1999-08-13contamN0006.fits
acisD1999-08-13contamN0007.fits
484963266.184
516499267.184
N/A hetgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
hetgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
acisihetg0D2011-11-10pimmsN0014.fits
acisihetg0D2012-11-26pimmsN0015.fits
HETG0/ACIS-S (231, 393)
(212, 369)
7280 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits acisD2000-01-29qeN0006.fits acisD2000-01-29qeuN0006.fits
acisD2010-02-01qeuN0007.fits
acisD1999-09-16dead_areaN0001.fits acisD1999-08-13contamN0006.fits
acisD1999-08-13contamN0007.fits
484963266.184
516499267.184
N/A hetgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
hetgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
acisshetg0D2011-11-18pimmsN0014.fits
acisshetg0D2012-11-27pimmsN0015.fits
HEG1/ACIS-S (231, 393)
(212, 369)
7280 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits acisD2000-01-29qeN0006.fits acisD2000-01-29qeuN0006.fits
acisD2010-02-01qeuN0007.fits
acisD1999-09-16dead_areaN0001.fits acisD1999-08-13contamN0006.fits
acisD1999-08-13contamN0007.fits
484963266.184
516499267.184
acisD2000-01-29osip_ctiN0006.fits hetgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
hetgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
acissheg1D2011-11-18pimmsN0014.fits
acissheg1D2012-11-27pimmsN0015.fits
HEGMEG1/ACIS-S (231, 393)
(212, 369)
7280 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits acisD2000-01-29qeN0006.fits acisD2000-01-29qeuN0006.fits
acisD2010-02-01qeuN0007.fits
acisD1999-09-16dead_areaN0001.fits acisD1999-08-13contamN0006.fits
acisD1999-08-13contamN0007.fits
484963266.184
516499267.184
acisD2000-01-29osip_ctiN0006.fits hetgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
hetgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
acisshegmeg1D2011-11-18pimmsN0014.fits
acisshegmeg1D2012-11-27pimmsN0015.fits
MEG1/ACIS-S (231, 393)
(212, 369)
7280 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits acisD2000-01-29qeN0006.fits acisD2000-01-29qeuN0006.fits
acisD2010-02-01qeuN0007.fits
acisD1999-09-16dead_areaN0001.fits acisD1999-08-13contamN0006.fits
acisD1999-08-13contamN0007.fits
484963266.184
516499267.184
acisD2000-01-29osip_ctiN0006.fits hetgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
hetgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
acissmeg1D2011-11-18pimmsN0014.fits
acissmeg1D2012-11-27pimmsN0015.fits
LETG0/ACIS-I (967, 963)
(974, 969)
9768 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits acisD2000-01-29qeN0006.fits acisD2000-01-29qeuN0006.fits
acisD2010-02-01qeuN0007.fits
acisD1999-09-16dead_areaN0001.fits acisD1999-08-13contamN0006.fits
acisD1999-08-13contamN0007.fits
484963266.184
516499267.184
acisD2000-01-29osip_ctiN0006.fits letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
acisiletg0D2011-11-10pimmsN0014.fits
acisiletg0D2012-11-26pimmsN0015.fits
LETG0/ACIS-S (40, 158) 10662 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits acisD2000-01-29qeN0006.fits acisD2000-01-29qeuN0006.fits
acisD2010-02-01qeuN0007.fits
acisD1999-09-16dead_areaN0001.fits acisD1999-08-13contamN0006.fits
acisD1999-08-13contamN0007.fits
484963266.184
516499267.184
acisD2000-01-29osip_ctiN0006.fits letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
acissletg0D2011-11-18pimmsN0014.fits
acissletg0D2012-11-26pimmsN0015.fits
LEG1/ACIS-S (40, 158) 10662 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits acisD2000-01-29qeN0006.fits acisD2000-01-29qeuN0006.fits
acisD2010-02-01qeuN0007.fits
acisD1999-09-16dead_areaN0001.fits acisD1999-08-13contamN0006.fits
acisD1999-08-13contamN0007.fits
484963266.184
516499267.184
acisD2000-01-29osip_ctiN0006.fits letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
acissleg1D2011-11-18pimmsN0014.fits
acissleg1D2012-11-26pimmsN0015.fits
LETG0/HRC-I (7646, 7852)
(7615, 7862)
8531 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits hrciD1999-07-22qeN0008.fits hrciD1999-07-22qeuN0002.fits N/A N/A N/A N/A letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
hrciletg0D2011-11-10pimmsN0014.fits
hrciletg0D2012-11-26pimmsN0015.fits
LETG0/HRC-S  (2117, 8850)
(2118, 8848)
331 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits hrcsD1999-07-22qeN0011.fits
hrcsD2012-03-18qeN0012.fits
hrcsD2013-01-01qeuN0006.fits N/A N/A N/A N/A letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
hrcsletg0D2011-12-06pimmsN0014.fits
hrcsletg0D2012-11-27pimmsN0015.fits
LEG1/HRC-S  (2117, 8850)
(2118, 8848)
331 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits hrcsD1999-07-22qeN0011.fits
hrcsD1999-03-18qeN0012.fits
hrcsD2013-01-01qeuN0006.fits N/A N/A N/A N/A letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
hrcsleg1D2011-12-06pimmsN0014.fits
hrcsleg1D2012-11-27pimmsN0015.fits
LEGHI/HRC-S  (2117, 8850)
(2118, 8848)
331 hrmaD1996-12-20axeffaN0008.fits hrcsD1999-07-22qeN0011.fits
hrcsD1999-03-18qeN0012.fits
hrcsD2013-01-01qeuN0006.fits N/A N/A N/A N/A letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0006.fits
letgD1996-11-01greffpr001N0007.fits
hrcsleghiD2011-11-10pimmsN0014.fits
hrcsleghiD2012-11-27pimmsN0015.fits

Notes for Table 1:

None.

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Last modified: 12 December 2012
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