Introduction of calibration selection via the ESO Science Archive Facility

Published: 04 Nov 2011

CalSelector is a new archive service that, starting from the results of a query for raw science files, groups together the raw science files that need to be calibrated together (e.g. an infrared jitter sequence) and associates and returns all the raw and static calibrations needed to process the raw science files. Excerpts from the relevant Night Logs and an xml representation of the calibration cascade are added as ancillary files to the request, as well. The set of raw and static calibrations needed to process the raw science files is defined by the calibration plan of that instrument and instrument mode. The calibration plans are distributed as part of the instrument documentation (http://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/instruments/instrumentName/doc, e.g. http://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/paranal/instruments/hawki/doc).

For this first release:

  • Only Paranal instruments are supported.
  • Associations become available only after the calibrations are certified for quality. This typically takes of the order of two working days. An upcoming release of the tool is foreseen to allow the association of uncertified calibrations, essentially with no delay wrt data acquisition.
  • The tool provides associations for all data acquired since June 2009. Sporadically for some instruments the coverage extends back to 2008. We are currently working to extend the coverage as far back in the past as possible.

More information and instructions on the tool are available here.