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             |              CCC  XX   XX    OOO           |
Chandra      |             CC     XX XX    OO OO          | CXC
Electronic   |            CC       XXX    OO   OO         | Number 7
Bulletin     |             CC     XX XX    OO OO          | October
             |              CCC  XX   XX    OOO           | 2001
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Welcome to the Chandra X-ray Center's Electronic News Bulletin Number 7.

CXC Web site: cxc.harvard.edu

If you would like to unsubscribe from this alias,  simply reply to this message
to let us know.  

Contents:

1. CIAO 2.2 and Chandra Calibration Database CALDB 2.9. 

2. Results of Special Call for Archival Research on the Neutron 
   Star RX J 185636-375

3. Cycle 3 Programs

4. Chandra Fellows Talks

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Item 1. 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://chandra.ledas.ac.uk/ciao/download.html for

                       -----------------------------------
CIAO 2.2 includes a number of significant improvements including:

Extended and/or multiple source analysis is supported 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 are available 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.

                       -----------------------------------
 
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

                       -----------------------------------

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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Item 2. Results of Special Call for Archival Research on the Neutron  
    Star RX J 185636-375  are now available at:

http://asc.harvard.edu/target_lists/extra/sc_NSRXJ_1856.html


The data will be made publicly available once the separate OBSIDs have been 
successfully processed and combined to form a single spectral dataset.
The individual datasets will also be made available at that time.
We expect this process to be complete within about a week.
An announcement will be posted on our website at that time.

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Item 3.  Cycle 3 Programs


 The Cycle 3 observing program has now been officially approved by NASA HQ. As 
well as being available in the Observation Catalog
either using ChaSeR or the Target Search page on our website, we have also 
posted summaries on the Target Lists page for your convenience.
Grants will be available from Nov 1st or when your first observation is made, 
whichever date is later.

These lists are available using the "Target Lists and Scheduling 
Information" link on the main Chandra science page or directly at:

http://asc.harvard.edu/target_lists/cycle3/abstracts_cyc3.html

http://asc.harvard.edu/target_lists/archive_accept_03.html

http://asc.harvard.edu/target_lists/cycle3/LP_accept03.html

http://asc.harvard.edu/target_lists/cycle3/chandra_hst_c3.html

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Item 4. Talks by Chandra Fellows 

Missed the 2001 Chandra Fellows Symposium?  Many of the Fellows have
been able to supply viewgraphs from their talks,  Check links 
to their abstracts:

http://asc.harvard.edu/fellows/abstracts_2001.html

or the program:

http://asc.harvard.edu/fellows/program_2001.html


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