CIAO 2.2 Released - 22 October 2001
===================================
The Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) is pleased to announce that version 2.2
of CIAO ("Chandra Interactive Analysis of Observations") and version 2.9
of CALDB are now available for download from:
http://cxc.harvard.edu/ciao/download.html
They will also be copied shortly on the European mirror site at:
http://ledas-cxc.star.le.ac.uk/ciao/download.html for
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CIAO 2.2 includes a number of significant improvements including:
Support of extended and/or multiple source analysis with new or enhanced
tools: e.g. mkwarf (to compute weighted ARFs), mkrmf (with weighting
option), dmextract (with wmap option), dmfilth (to replace pixel values
in source regions of an image with values interpolated from surrounding
background regions).
Sherpa now allows the use of numerical models read from file: exposure
maps, psf images, psf profiles and radial profiles may be specified via
GRIDMODEL. Visualization has greatly improved. Sherpa user models can
now be written as S-Lang scripts. The user has the option to use the
pileup model (JDPILEUP). Statistical tests have been added (FTEST and
MLR).
More utilities to help users view and manipulate their data (dmjoin,
dmimgthresh, rmfimg, acisreadcorr, mkgrmf).
The datamodel I/O library now supports filtering on row number,
accessing WCS coordinate columns as virtual columns, and supports the
definition of a null value when making images (see ahelp dmopt).
The most widely used scripts have been improved and are now incorporated
as a part of the standard CIAO tool list.
Improved documentation includes a significant revisions to the Data
Model manual, a large number of new ahelp files (including many on the
s-lang language), several new threads and all documents (including ahelp
and threads) available in PDF format.
The ISIS spectral analysis package is now bundled with CIAO, and is
accessible within the ChIPS and SHERPA command lines via
import("isis"). A general re-work of parsers makes S-lang more cleanly
integrated with CIAO, allowing powerful scripting and programming
without compiling and linking C code.
PRISM now has cell-based table and image editing capabilities including
the possibilty to add rows and columns; it now maintains a
recently-visited files list and can access the full chips plotting
functionality. CHIPS, SHERPA and VARMM can read customized startup
files; CHIPS can use undo/redo and store/restore from S-Lang variables.
An easier and more flexible mechanism for custom plotting is available
through the use of state objects. FITS files can be written out using
S-Lang.
Full Release Note are available at:
http://cxc.harvard.edu/ciao/documents_releasenotes.html
-----------------------------------
In tandem with CIAO2.2 is the release of the Chandra Calibration
Database CALDB 2.9.
Release Notes are available at:
http://cxc.harvard.edu/caldb/Release_notes/CALDB_v2.9.txt
Several new tools require CALDB2.9 therefore it must be downloaded and
installed (or upgraded from an earlier version) to run CIAO 2.2.
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CIAO2.2 is distributed for the following platforms:
Solaris 2.6, 7, and 8.
Linux Redhat 6.2 and 7.1, SuSE 7.x and Slackware 7.1.
Compaq Alpha/True64 Unix 4.0f.
More details at http://cxc.harvard.edu/ciao/download_platforms.html
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As always please send questions to the CXC HELPDESK and requests for
enhancements to ciaoenhancements@head-cfa.harvard.edu
CIAO2.2 is a collaborative effort between the SAO/CXC Science Data
Systems, the SAO/CXC Data Systems, and MIT/CXC personel.
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