Parameterization of the Chandra point spread function

Christopher Allen; Diab H. Jerius; Terrance J. Gaetz

doi:10.1117/12.509411

3 February 2004 Parameterization of the Chandra point spread function

Christopher Allen, Diab H. Jerius, Terrance J. Gaetz

Proceedings Volume 5165, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.509411
Event: Optical Science and Technology, SPIE's 48th Annual Meeting, 2003, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The Chandra X-ray Observatory point spread function (PSF) is a complex function of source position and energy. On-orbit calibration observations with sufficient S/N sample only a small fraction of the possible parameter space, and are complicated by detector systematics. Thus, the standard method of analyzing Chandra data uses the standard Chandra optics model as a reference. The optics model accurately simulates the telescope's PSF, but as it is a raytrace based technique, it can be time-consuming to run and is not always appropriate for a given analysis task. A simple parameterization of the PSF would be useful for many analysis purposes, in many cases obviating the need for users to run lengthy raytraces. We present an approach to a simple PSF parameterization of off-axis point sources, discussing its applicability to analysis of Chandra observations in light of the complicated PSF structure. We also present some results of our PSF parameterization and discuss its accuracy.

Citation Download Citation

Christopher Allen, Diab H. Jerius, and Terrance J. Gaetz "Parameterization of the Chandra point spread function", Proc. SPIE 5165, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII, (3 February 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.509411

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