VIMOS data management: basics about files
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File Ownership

All raw files carry the FITS keyword 'HIERARCH ESO OBS PROG ID'. During Service Mode data distribution, this keyword is used in two ways:

• SCIENCE files: you will receive only files which carry your PROG.ID, including any associated slit acquisition images (called TEST).
• CALIB files: you will receive all the files which carry your PROG.ID, as well as any relevant calibration files produced by the ESO daily calibration plan. In many cases, these shared-files will out-number your programme specific files. Shared-files are seleted based on instrument configuration, not PROG.ID.

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 VIMOS, 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 (without the extension '.fits'), 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 the name of master calibration data products. These names contain 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 VIMOS master calibration files.

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 found many Service Mode data packages. To clarify these associations for the end-users, list files are provided in each data directory.

In general, the links between raw files and product files (both SCIENCE and CALIB) are contained in the pipeline log files, that also contain information on the reduction. Pipeline log files for reduced science products are found in the log directory. These log files contain the following information:

• the name of the raw file(s),
• the name of the recipe applied,
• the name(s) of associated calibration files,
• path and names of procuts.

The pipeline logs are named after the input raw file with an extension .log. The associated master calibration files can be found in the calib directories, while the products are in the reduced directories.

Frequently Asked Questions (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 Group. This signal is sent to the Data Flow Operations Group which then prepares the VIMOS package. The data are copied onto CDs/DVDs and sent to the PI as soon as possible.

When can I expect to receive my VIMOS data package?

In general, data packages are only released when a Service Mode observing run has been completed for one of the following reasons:

• all submitted OBs successfully executed;
• ESO Period has ended and observing run was not carried over;
• targets are no longer observable.

Due to the shipping delay between Paranal and Garching, and then the time needed to process your data in Garching, it may not be possible to ship your data package until 10 - 14 days after the last OB has been executed.

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

General information about ServiceMode Observing can be found here.

Under which conditions will my data be reduced?

Imaging, MOS and, since period 73, IFU Service Mode science data can be expected to be pipeline-reduced.

Send comments to <qc_vimos@eso.org> Last update: April 16, 2008