XMM RPS Users' Manual

List of Figures

• Preparing an RGS observation using the High Time Resolution (HTR) mode, with an exposure time of 23.6 ks. The RGS observation is assumed to be the science driver of the observation; therefore, it is prepared first and determines the length of the observation.
• In most cases, the EPIC cameras will run parallel to primary RGS observations, with one exposure covering the entire duration of the observation. Thus, only one exposure each must be entered for the three EPIC instruments. The choice of EPIC operation mode depends primarily on the target's X-ray brightness.
• Parallel to the X-ray observations, OM exposures can now be prepared, using integration times and filter sequences determined as described in the text.
• Sequence of OM science windows covering the FOV in an imaging mode observation. Figure prepared by D. Lumb ( XMM SOC).
• Illustration of the concept of an intermediate memory for proposal information that has not yet been submitted into the proposal database.
• Screen shot of the top-level page containing details about an observing programme, the so-called ``Proposal Details'' page. This is the first page arranged in the frames setup typical of XRPS forms.
• Screen shot of the XRPS navigation tree. Observations are entered as directories carrying the first 8 characters of the object name. Each exposure is identified by a running index within the observation and the name of the instrument that it belongs to. In this example exposure 5 was deleted again from the list, leaving slot#5 empty because exposures are not renumbered after a deletion.
• Screen shot of the ``PI personal information'' page.
• Screen shot of an ``Observation'' page (top part).
• Screen shot of an ``Observation'' page (bottom part).
• Screen shot of the ``Time Constraints'' page in which entries for time-constrained observations must be made.
• Screen shot of an EPIC MOS exposure form sheet for a FULL WINDOW imaging exposure with a length of 45 ks and an offset with respect to the previous exposure of 0 s. The THIN optical blocking filter was chosen.
• Screen shot of an EPIC pn exposure form sheet. Mode PRI FULL PN, in conjunction with Frame Time Parameter = 5, defines the FULL WINDOW EXTENDED mode, which has a longer live time and less out-of-time events (see UHB section on points of concern ) than the normal FULL WINDOW mode, but potentially higher pile-up rates.
• Screen shot of an RGS exposure form sheet for a 45 ks exposure of RGS-2 in the recommended mode for standrd spectroscopy.
• Screen shot of an OM exposure form sheet for an exposure with the U filter (filter wheel position 3), in imaging mode, using the default configuration for EPIC pn as prime instrument, with 1000 s exposure time for each of the five sub-exposures comprising a default configuration exposure.
• Screen shot of an OM exposure details page. Entries for one science window have already been committed to memory; those for a second window are still in the input fields. Committal of these will add a second entry in the upper part of the form.
• Screen shot of a proposal that has passed the formal XRPS check, with a warning that OM is not used during the entire observation. The sum of all user-defined OM exposures (3000 s) is much smaller than the observation duration of 15000 s.