SUN/269.4

Starlink Project
Starlink User Note 269.4

Tim Lister
Las Cumbres Observatory

February 2015

Copyright © 2014–2015 Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Inc.

ORAC-DR – LCOGT pipeline data reduction

0.4

User Guide

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Abstract

ORAC-DR is a general-purpose automatic data-reduction pipeline environment. This document describes its use to reduce optical imaging data collected on the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT).

Contents

1 Introduction
 1.1 Document conventions
2 LCOGT Pipeline Variants
 2.1 Requirements for running the LCOGT pipeline
 2.2 Important environment variables
3 Running ORAC-DR
4 An overview of the reduction
 4.1 Bias observations
 4.2 Dark observations
 4.3 Flatfield observations
 4.4 Imaging science observations
  4.4.1 Bias subtraction
  4.4.2 Dark scaling and subtraction
  4.4.3 Flatfield normalization
  4.4.4 Astrometric solution
  4.4.5 Calculation of image statistics
  4.4.6 Production of image catalog
  4.4.7 Calculation of zeropoint
  4.4.8 Output of derived products
  4.4.9 Airmass and barycentric time correction
  4.4.10 Photometric calibration
5 Data files
 5.1 Filenames and locations
 5.2 File suffixes
References
A Alphabetical list of LCOGT recipes
B Classified list of LCOGT primitives
C Specifications of LCOGT recipes
OFFLINE_REDUCTION – Reduce a normal imaging EXPOSE observation
QUICK_LOOK – Perform a basic reduction of EXPOSE observations to give a "quick look" at the data
REDUCE_BIAS – Reduce a imaging BIAS observation
REDUCE_DARK – Averages and files observations as the current dark
SKY_FLAT – Creates and files a flat field derived from dithered frames

D Specifications of LCOGT primitives
_ADD_AUTO_ASTROMETRY_ – Performs automated astrometric corrections
_ADD_PIPELINE_VERSION_ – Adds the current pipeline version to the file
_CALCULATE_IMAGE_STATISTICS_ – Calculate various image quality statistics based on an input catalogue
_CALCULATE_SEEING_STATS_ – Extract objects and determine the average FWHM, ellipticity, and position angle across a field
_CALCULATE_ZEROPOINT_ – Calculate various image quality statistics based on an input catalogue
_CALCULATE_ZEROPOINT_NULL_ – Files a null set of zeropoint parameters with the Calibration system.
_CHECK_PROPID_ – Checks whether the proposal id in the frame header is known to the science archive
_CLIPPED_STATS_MEDIAN_ – Finds the clipped mean, median and standard deviation of a frame
_CONVERT_TO_FITS_ – Converts current observation to FITS
_CREATE_GRAPHIC_FROM_FILE_ – Create a PNG, GIF, or JPG graphic from a given file
_CREATE_IMAGE_CATALOGUE_ – source extraction and photometry on all sources
_CREATE_RAW_FRAME_ – Creates a raw frame in ORAC_DATA_OUT
_DATA_QC_TEST_ – Evaluates the image data quality control flag and sets the relevant bitmask keywords in the data catalogue product
_DELETE_RAW_FRAME_ – Remove the raw frame file
_DERIVED_PRODUCTS_STEER_ – Steers processing for DERIVED_PRODUCTS recipe
_DERIVED_PRODUCTS_ – Create derived products from the processed frames
_DIVIDE_BY_FLAT_ – Flat-fields a frame
_FILE_LIBRARY_BIAS_ – Makes a copy of the masterbias and index file in the calibration library
_FILE_LIBRARY_DARK_ – Makes a copy of the masterdark and index file in the calibration library
_FILE_LIBRARY_FLAT_ – Makes a copy of the masterflat and index file in the calibration library
_FLAT_QC_ – To perform Quality Control on flat fields produced by this pipeline
_GET_FILTER_PARAMETERS_ – Returns LCOGT optical filter characteristics
_GET_GAIN_ – Finds the LCO instrument gain in electrons per ADU for the current Frame
_GET_READNOISE_ – Finds the LCO instrument readnoise in electrons for the current Frame
_GET_SATURATION_LEVEL_ – Finds the LCOSBIG saturation level in ADU the current Frame
_IMBOX_STATS_ – Evaluates basic statistics for a given pixel range of an image
_IMG_QC_READOUT_TEST_ – Test the frame for readout errors
_INSTRUMENT_HELLO_ – Performs the LCOSBIG-specific imaging setup
_LCOGT_STANDARD_MAGNITUDE_ – Obtains the catalogue magnitude of a LCOGT standard
_MAKE_BIAS_FROM_GROUP_ – Makes a masterbias from the current group of frames
_MAKE_DARK_FROM_GROUP_ – Makes a masterdark from the current group of frames
_MAKE_FLAT_FROM_GROUP_ – Makes flats from the current group of frames
_NIGHT_LOG_ – Produces a text file log of a night’s imaging observations
_OFFLINE_REDUCTION_HELLO_ – Sets up data-reduction tasks and data for OFFLINE_REDUCTION recipes
_QUICK_LOOK_HELLO_ – Sets up data-reduction tasks and data for QUICK_LOOK recipes
_REDUCE_BIAS_HELLO_ – Sets up data-reduction tasks and data for REDUCE_BIAS recipes
_REDUCE_BIAS_STEER_ – Steers processing for REDUCE_BIAS recipe
_REDUCE_BIAS_TIDY_ – Removes unwanted intermediate files for the REDUCE_BIAS recipe
_REDUCE_DARK_STEER_ – Steers processing for REDUCE_DARK recipe
_REDUCE_DARK_TIDY_ – Removes unwanted intermediate files for the REDUCE_DARK recipe
_REMOVE_BIAS_ – Subtracts a bias frame
_SET_ORIGIN_ – Sets the origin of an observation
_SET_QC_FLAGS_ – Evaluates quality control parameters and sets the relevant bitmask keywords in the data catalogue product
_SKY_FLAT_STEER_ – Steers processing for SKY_FLAT recipes
_STANDARD_MAGNITUDE_ – Obtains the catalogue magnitude of a standard
_SUBTRACT_DARK_NO_THRESH_ – Subtracts a dark frame
_SUBTRACT_DARK_ – Subtracts a dark frame
_TURN_ON_HISTORY_ – Switches on history recording

E Specification of LCOGT Quality Control index files
 E.1 Specification of the index.astromqc file
 E.2 Specification of the index.dqc file
 E.3 Specification of the index.zeropoint file

References

[1]   Brown, T. M. et al., 2013, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, PASP, 125, 1031–1055

[2]   Eastman, J., Siverd, R. & Gaudi, B. S., 2010, Achieving Better Than 1 Minute Accuracy in the Heliocentric and Barycentric Julian Dates, PASP, 122, 935

[3]   Petit, G. & Luzum, B. (eds), 2010, IERS Conventions (2010), IERS Technical Note No. 36, Chap. 10

[4]   Moisson, X. & Bretagnon, P., 2001, Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Volume 80, 3/4, 205–213

[5]   Fienga, A., Laskar, J., Kuchynka, P., Manche, H., Desvignes, G., Gastineau, M., Cognard, I., Theureau, G., 2011, The INPOP10a planetary ephemeris and its applications in fundamental physics, Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Volume 111, Issue 3, pp.363-385 DOI: 10.1007/s10569-011-9377-8

[6]   Shirai, T. & Fukushima, T., 2001, Construction of a new forced nutation theory of the nonrigid Earth , AJ, 121, 3270–3283.

[7]   Zacharias, N., Finch, C., Girard, T., Hambly, N., Wycoff, G., Zacharias, M. I., Castillo, D., Corbin, T., DiVittorio, M., Dutta, S., Gaume, R., Gauss, S., Germain, M., Hall, D., Hartkopf, W., Hsu, D., Holdenried, E., Makarov, V., Martinez, M., Mason, B., Monet, D., Rafferty, T., Rhodes, A., Siemers, T., Smith, D., Tilleman, T., Urban, S., Wieder, G., Winter, L., Young, A., 2010, The Third US Naval Observatory CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC3), AJ, 139, 2184–2199.

[8]   Skrutskie, M. F., Cutri, R. M., Stiening, R., Weinberg, M. D., Schneider, S., Carpenter, J. M., Beichman, C., Capps, R., Chester, T., Elias, J., Huchra, J., Liebert, J., Lonsdale, C., Monet, D. G., Price, S., Seitzer, P., Jarrett, T., Kirkpatrick, J. D., Gizis, J. E., Howard, E., Evans, T., Fowler, J., Fullmer, L., Hurt, R., Light, R., Kopan, E. L., Marsh, K. A., McCallon, H. L., Tam, R., Van Dyk, S., Wheelock, S., The Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), 2006, AJ, 131, 1163–1183.

[9]   Monet, D. G., Levine, S. E., Canzian, B., Ables, H. D., Bird, A. R., Dahn, C. C., Guetter, H. H., Harris, H. C., Henden, A. A., Leggett, S. K., Levison, H. F., Luginbuhl, C. B., Martini, J., Monet, A. K. B., Munn, J. A., Pier, J. R., The USNO-B Catalog, 2003, AJ, 125, 984–993.

[10]   Høg, E., Fabricius, C., Makarov, V. V., Bastian, U., Schwekendiek, P., Wicenec, A., Urban, S., Corbin, T., Wycoff, G., Construction and verification of the Tycho-2 Catalogue, 2000, A&A, 357,367–386.