The IUE Final Archive Processing System

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Session 45 -- IUE Final Archive
Display presentation, Thursday, January 13, 9:30-6:45, Salons I/II Room (Crystal Gateway)

[45.02] The IUE Final Archive Processing System

C.L.Imhoff, N.Dunn, G.F.Fireman, K.L.Levay, T.Meylan, J.Nichols (CSC), A.Michalitsianos (NASA/GSFC)

The IUE Project has begun the task of reprocessing all IUE data using significantly enhanced reduction algorithms and calibrations. In order to perform this task in a timely, reliable manner, we have developed the IUE Final Archive Processing System. The system runs on a DECstation 5000, using Fortran software embedded in portable MIDAS. The processing queue is driven by a commercial relational database. The database interface allows the system to access the enhanced IUE database, which is resident on a second DECstation 5000 (see poster by Levay et al. ). The system runs automatically, with little operator intervention. Built-in quality assurance software detects virtually all input or processing problems. In addition, a fraction of the images, including all those with quality assurance warnings, are screened by the staff. The screening system, known as the Post-Production Verification (PPV) system, uses a widget-based graphics user interface written in IDL. It allows one to display and inspect the MIDAS and FITS files, review the FITS headers and other text files, and record the results in the IUE database. Images which have passed quality assurance are then delivered to NASA's National Space Science Data Center, which makes the data available to the astronomical community.

This work has been supported under NASA contract NAS5-31230 to Computer Sciences Corp.

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