File ownership

All raw files carry the FITS keyword 'HIERARCH ESO OBS PROG ID'. Depending on the content of this keyword, several cases are distinguished concerning the distribution of files in the Service Mode package:

• SCIENCE files: here a strict check on the PROG_ID is made. You will receive all files which carry your PROG_ID, and only these. Included are also all associated slit acquisition images (called TEST).
• CALIB files: you receive all the files which carry your PROG_ID, but in most cases your set is dominated by shared files, i.e. those ones which were produced by the Observatory as part of the daily calibration plan. So in general the selection of calibration files is not driven by the PROG_ID, but by the instrument settings.

File naming schemes

The following naming schemes are relevant for files in the Service Mode package:

• archive file name (FITS keyword: ARCFILE): this is the unique name of a rawfile which consists of the parent instrument name and the timestamp of its generation. Raw files always have extension '.fits'.
• original file name (FITS keyword: ORIGFILE): this is the name of a raw file generated by the instrument workstation. In case of FORS2, it consists of the name of the parent instrument, the arm, the category, the day number and a sequence number. Original file names are not necessarily unique.
• data product file name (FITS keyword: PIPEFILE): this is the name of any pipeline product. It is composed by the prefix 'r,', the ARCFILE of the parent raw file stripped off by the extension, and a sequence number '_0000' etc (since there may an arbitrary number of pipeline products per raw file). Product files may have the extension '.fits' if they are frames, or '.tfits' if they are tables. In case that more than one raw file have been used to generate the product, the ARCFILE of the first one is used.
• calibration file name: this is a name of calibration data products which has been chosen to have explicit information about the type of file, the date of creation, its version and the instrument parameters in the file name. It is generated after the pipeline product has been created. The FITS keyword PIPEFILE is preserved and can be used to map the two naming conventions. Find here more information about the naming scheme of FORS2 products.

File association

The association of raw files of different types (CALIB and SCIENCE), as well as of raw files and data products, is a non-trivial task given the amount and complexity of data types in many SM packages. To support in this task, we have created the list files which you find in each data directory.

In general, the logical link between raw files and product files (both SCIENCE and CALIB) is the Reduction Block (RB). You find the RBs which generated the reduced science data in the logs directory. Here is the scheme:

The RB carries all the information needed for the pipeline to process a raw frame:

• the name of the raw file,
• the name of the recipe to apply,
• the name(s) of associated calibration files,
• path and names of procuts in case of successful execution.

RBs in your log directories carry the name of the raw file (with extension .rX). The associated master calibration files can be found in the calib directories, while the products are in the reduced directories.

FAQs

General policy of data distribution

Check out here.

Do I have to submit a request to receive my Service Mode data package?

No. Service Mode programmes are declared completed by the Users Support Department. This signal is sent to the Data Flow Operations Group which then prepares the FORS2 package. The data are copied onto CDs/DVDs and sent to the PI as soon as possible.

When can I expect to receive my FORS2 data package?

You can check the status of FORS2 Service Mode runs:

Once you find your FORS2 SM run being finished, the following series of steps can be expected:

• FORS2 data are shipped from Paranal to Garching headquartes twice a week.
• They are processed by QC Garching as quickly as possible. Processed means: calibration products are created and quality-checked, science data are reduced.
• Once all data for a specific programme have been processed, a signal is sent to the archive group to copy these data on DVDs.
• The complete set of DVDs is mailed to the PI.

In total this chain of events is finished on average about four weeks after the last frames have been measured. Usually this time span is dominated by the shipping time.

Individual information about the status of a ServiceMode run can be found here.

General information about ServiceMode Observing can be found here.

Under which conditions will my data be reduced?

All FORS2 Service Mode science data taken in the supported modes can be expected to be pipeline-reduced. If a certain frame did not successfully reduce, there will be a note.