STIS Instrument Handbook for Cycle 24

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Glossary

The following terms and acronyms are used in this Handbook.

 

A-D: Analog to Digital

ACS: Advanced Camera for Surveys

ABMAG: –2.5 log (Fν) – 48.60 where Fν is the flux from the source in erg/cm2/s/hz

APT: Astronomer’s Proposal Tool

BOP: Bright-Object Protection

CALSTIS: STIS calibration pipeline software

CCD: Charge Coupled Device. Solid-state, light detecting device

CDBS: Calibration Data Base. System for maintaining reference files and tables used to calibrate HST observational datasets.

CIM: Calibration insert mechanism

CP: Call for Proposals

CR: Cosmic ray

CR-SPLIT: Division of a CCD exposure into shorter exposures to be used for cosmic ray rejection

CTE: Charge Transfer Efficiency

CTI: Charge Transfer Inefficiency

CVZ: Continuous Viewing Zone

DQ: Data Quality

DN: Data Number

ETC: Exposure Time Calculator. ETCs are Web based tools which can be accessed through the STIS webpages.

ERO: Early Release Observations

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

FGS: Fine Guidance Sensors

FITS: Flexible Image Transport System. A generic IEEE and NASA defined standard file format used for storing image data.

FOC: Faint Object Camera

foible: Peculiarities in the STIS data, usually caused by the data processing software. Data foibles are posted on the STIS webpages.

FOS: Faint Object Spectrograph

FOV: Field of View

FSW: Flight Software

FTP: File Transfer Protocol. Basic tool used to retrieve files from a remote system. Ask your system manager for information about using FTP.

FUV: Far ultraviolet (~912-2000 å)

FWHM: Full Width at Half Maximum

GEIS: Generic Edited Information Set. Multigroup format used by STSDAS for storing some HST image data.

GHRS: Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph

GO: General Observer

GSC: Guide Star Catalog

GTO: Guaranteed Time Observer

HDA: Hubble Data Archive

Help Desk: Facility for getting help on HST related topics via email. help@stsci.edu.

HITM: Hole in the Mirror

HSP: High-Speed Photometer

HST: Hubble Space Telescope

HUT: Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope

ICD: Interface control document. Defines data structures used between software or systems to ensure compatibility.

IDT: Instrument Definition Team

IHB: Instrument Handbook

IR: Infrared

IRAF: Image Reduction and Analysis System. The environment in which ­STSDAS operates.

IS: Instrument Scientist

ISR: Instrument Science Report

IUE: International Ultraviolet Explorer

K: Degree Kelvin

LMC: Large Magellanic Cloud

LSF: Line spread function

MAMA: Multi-Anode Microchannel Array

MCP: Microchannel Plate

MSM: Mode-Selection Mechanism

ND: Neutral density

NICMOS: Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrograph

NUV: Near ultraviolet (~2000-4000 å)

OSS: Observation Support System

OTA: Optical Telescope Assembly

OTFR: On-the-Fly Re-processing

PC: Program Coordinator

Peakdown: Movement of a target along a slit to center it under an occulting bar.

Peakup: Movement of a target in one or both directions to center it in a slit.

Phase I: A proposal for observing time on HST

Phase II: An approved HST proposal; includes precise detail of how program is to be executed

PI: Principal investigator

PSF: Point-spread function.

QE: Quantum efficiency

QEH: Quantum efficiency hysteresis

QPOE: Quick Position-Oriented Event (IRAF data format for x-ray data)

QSO: Quasi-stellar object

RA: Right ascension

reference file: Data file containing STIS parameters or calibration information which is used by the pipeline

rms: Root mean square

SAA: South Atlantic anomaly

SIM: Space Interferometry Mission

SITe: Scientific Image Technologies; company that designed the STIS CCD

SMOV: Servicing Mission Observatory Verification

S/N: Signal-to-noise ratio

SNR: Signal-to-noise ratio

ST-ECF: Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility

STAN: Space Telescope Analysis Newsletter

STIS: Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph

stis_cti: Pixel-based CTI correction software for the STIS CCD

STMAG: STScI magnitude system; –2.5 log (Fλ) –21.10 where Fλ is the flux from the source in erg/cm2/s/å

STScI: Space Telescope Science Institute

STSDAS: Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System. The complete suite of IRAF data analysis and calibration routines used to process HST data.

SV: Science verification. Process of taking observations that can be used for HST instrument calibration.

synphot: STSDAS synthetic photometry (IRAF) software package

TAC: Telescope Allocation Committee

TAS: Target Acquisitions Simulator; software available on the Web

TDS: Time-dependent Sensitivity

TIR: Technical Instrument Report

URL: Uniform resource locator. Address for websites.

UV: Ultraviolet

WF/PC: Wide Field/Planetary Camera

WFPC2: Wide Field Planetary Camera-2. Replacement for WF/PC installed during first servicing mission of December 1993.

WWW: World Wide Web.