Downloads
The most recent
Canned
Response Matrices can be downloaded here (please refer to
Update 2014-11-24)
and can be used to estimate EPIC count rates in AO15.
Please carefully read the notes below before retrieving and using the files.
Canned response matrices
General Information
PN response files
The PN response varies with operating mode, for each of which a set of
ready-made matrices is available.
Different matrices are available for spectra selected from single-pixel
events only, doubles only and singles+doubles combined
(except for Timing mode, where only the last is applicable). This allows
the user to opt for increased spectral accuracy by
using single pixel events only, or signal-to-noise improvement by including
double event patterns. Users should however be
warned to compare spectral fitting results with and without the inclusion of
double events, as results may vary due to the
effects of pile-up.
Additionally, as of SAS 14.0, PN canned response matrices have been created
for 3 different epochs
(
Update 2014-11-24).
Furthermore, the response matrices are provided at spatial intervals of
20 physical pixel rows, owing to the changing
energy resolution due to charge transfer effects. The response file chosen
should be that closest to the corresponding
location of the extracted spectrum.
The file names of the PN canned response matrices follow the nomenclature:
<camera>_<epoch>_<mode><adu>_<pattern><rows>_<version>.rmf
camera |
epn |
epoch |
e1 to e3 |
mode |
where mode can be ff, ef, sw, lw, ti and bu |
adu |
indicates the standard mode-dependent event threshold |
pattern |
where patterns can be s (singles only), d (doubles only), sd (singles+doubles) |
rows |
CCD physical row interval |
ver |
version number, eg; v14.0 (aligned with SAS version) |
The three epochs cover the time periods:
e1: 2000-02-01 - 2007-01-01
e2: 2007-01-01 - 2014-01-01
e3: 2014-01-01 - present
The respective modes are:
- ff - fullframe mode
- ef - extended full frame mode
- sw - small window mode
- lw - large window mode
- ti - timing mode
- bu - burst mode
The respective row segments are indicated as follows:
- Y0 CCD lines 1-20 (i.e farthest from the detector centre)
- Y1 CCD lines 21-40
- ...
- Y9 CCD lines 181-200 (i.e. nearest to the centre; for CCD 4 this corresponds
to the on-axis location)
For example,
epn_e1_sw20_dY9.rmf is a file corresponding to epoch 1 (e1),
for small window mode (sw20) and considering only double events (d) from CCD lines 181-200 (Y9).
MOS response files
Since SAS 6.5 the full set of ready-made MOS response files is not provided
(see
"Update 2005-12-15"). However, for the purpose of the feasibility study
of XMM-Newton proposals, a limited set of MOS response files are still available.
Additionally, since SAS 13.5, two sets of files are produced for
spectra generated at 5eV and 15eV energy resolution (see
update 2014-01-31). Each energy resolution set has been generated for:
The new EPIC-MOS files follow the nomenclature:
<camera>_<epoch>_<mode>_<patterns>_<position>.rmf
camera |
m1 for MOS-1 or m2 for MOS-2 |
epoch |
e1 to e14 |
mode |
im for imaging mode or tu for timing mode |
patterns |
p0 for pattern 0 only or pall for patterns 0 - 12 |
position |
c for centre of patch, w for wings of patch and o for off patch |
For example:
m1_e6_im_p0_w.rmf
m2_e12_tu_pall_o.rmf
The fourteen epochs cover the time periods:
e1: 2000-02-01 - 2001-01-01
e2: 2001-01-01 - 2001-10-01
e3: 2001-10-01 - 2002-01-01
e4: 2002-01-01 - 2002-10-01
e5: 2002-10-01 - 2003-01-01
e6: 2003-01-01 - 2004-10-01
e7: 2004-10-01 - 2005-10-01
e8: 2005-10-01 - 2006-10-01
e9: 2006-10-01 - 2007-10-01
e10: 2007-10-01 - 2008-10-01
e11: 2008-10-01 - 2009-10-01
e12: 2009-10-01 - 2010-10-01
e13: 2010-10-01 - 2011-10-01
e14: 2011-10-01 - present
MOS response files for 5eV and 15eV can be found under different sub-directories
in the ftp repository.
Note: MOS response files before SAS 6.5 had a different nomenclature
as the one listed above (see
"Update 2005-12-15").
Note: MOS response files before SAS
11.0 had a different nomenclature
as the one listed above (see
"Update 2011-04-12").
Pipeline Produced Matrices
The source spectra produced by the pipeline refer to a set of canned matrices
(please refer to
"Update
2006-02-16"). These matrices are the latest available at the time of the
pipeline processing, and may be used for performing spectral analysis with the
following caveat:
- MOS spectra of sources which are within 1 arcminute of the
boresight of the MOS cameras (normally the target of the observation)
experience a redistribution which is highly dependent upon the exact
position of the source and the size of the extraction region. An
accurate analysis of such sources should use a redistribution matrix
produced by the task rmfgen. Using a canned matrix in this case may
introduce large errors below 1 keV
(please refer to "Update 2005-12-15").
Updates
Information on the performed updates of the EPIC canned response files is available
here.
How to use canned responses and/or arfgen and rmfgen
Details on how to perform a standard spectral analysis of EPIC
data is available from the
SAS User's Guide (Section
4.8)
and from the EPIC
SAS Threads. Details about the status of the EPIC Calibration can be found in the
EPIC Status of Calibration and Data Analysis Document.