Data Release

As a rule, Service Mode science data are issued to PIs when:

• An observing run is completed, or
• The observing period is completed.

The interval between the completion of the run or of the period and the release of the data package to the PI is typically a few weeks, depending on the instrument mode and the data volume.

As of 01 April 2008 Principle Investigators can download their proprietary raw data from the Science Archive Facility as soon as the data have been ingested into the archive.

Please note that an archive query may return a result for data that are actually not yet in the archive (and hence are currently unavailable for download). This is caused by the fact that

1. the information returned for queries is derived from FITS header information which is available very soon after the corresponding data file has been created, and
2. the ingestion of the data themselves into the archive can only be done after they are transferred to Garching (either through the network or by traveling disk).

This latter process typically takes between a few hours and a day for electronic file transfer under conditions of nominal network performance or approximately 10-14 days if the data are being carried by traveling disk.

If a data request is made for data that appear in a query result but are not yet in the archive those files requested will not be available and the requester will be informed that they have N status ("Not available"). The request will be closed and the user should simply try again after waiting for an appropriate time.

It is important to note that the one year proprietary period begins when the corresponding archive request is successfully completed (data files are made available to the requester).

Note that this new data delivery policy does not change in any way the rapid data release procedure used in certain cases (e.g. Targets of Opportunity, pre-imaging for spectroscopy, or data presenting possible technical problems in which a quality assessment by the PI is needed).