XID Database News (updated 17/09/03)
Current status
The database is on line via http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/~ssco2
You can also get to it via the SSC XID database
link on the page at
http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/www_astro/xmm.html
Once there, click on XID_DB_MSSL
in the LH panel to get the login screen (in some cases you may be prompted to
login twice).
Please email xmmdb,
Simon Rosen (srr)
or Houri Ziaeepour (hz) to get
accounts set up if you don't have one or can't remember login details.
Present content
The XID DB currently contains summary information for
- > 2500 XMM Observations, ~ 1600 of these having summary products in
the DB and ~ 800 of those with source lists.
- Summary data exists for all thw WFC imaging data and some WFI imaging.
Optical catalogues are ingested for most WFC fields where X source lists
are ingested. No WFI products are yet available. Optical catalogues
derived from Supercosmos and USNO are available for some XMM fields.
- Spectra and ID information is available for most objects from
the AXIS programme and for AAT 2dF data from Dec 02.
- There is also a summary of optical observing runs.
Basic Functionality
From a block of 13 buttons on the top level page, one can get
an overview of
fields planned for XMM observations (XMM Fields button) and
links to data associated with the fields (including X- sources, Optical
counterparts etc)
an overview of
Completed X observations (XMM Observations button)
and links to data where ingested
a simple overview of
optical observations (XID Optical Runs
button). Increasingly, this includes optical proposal information (initially
for the recent proposal round).
a summary of
optical data taken via the Opt-IR Obs (by Exposure and by Field buttons)
- the former shows details of each separate exposure, the latter gives
numerical summary information (number of exposures, total exp
time) for each filter, one line per field.
global X-ray
and optical source information can be seen via the
X-ray sources and Opt. Sources buttons (currently only a subset of
optical objects, in the vicinity of the X sources, is being
ingested, to hasten access).
All pages have a variety of selection facilities.
Recent/Planned development
Some recent changes to the database include:
1) Ingesting many more X-ray and optical observation products
2) Quality information is now available for the optical imaging data
(WFC only for now). This is displayed on the `by Exposure` page
of the Opt-IR Obs data.
3) The XMM Observations page now displays
a) the GTI exposure time,
b) a 35' x 35' optical (DSS) whole-field finding chart,
c) a list of optical filters in which the field has been imaged: these are
colour-coded to show when one or more exposures in a filter has good
quality (green), none satisfy the quality criteria (red), or no quality
info available (purple) - the list is a link to the details,
d) links to the X-ray source list for the field and
e) whether the observation was position rectified or not.
4) Optical finding charts for X sources are now all on one page.
5) Query recall and querying different items in separate windows is now
possible.
6) More complex boolean constructs are now permitted in some selection tools,
especially the filter specification tools.
7) The runs page now gives links and information about the observatory sites
and also, for imaging observations, gives an overview of how many
exposures were taken (link to details) and how many related catalogue
products are in the DB.
Some intended developments include:
1) A review of the X sources page will be conducted to make it more
user-friendly. It is hoped that this page will soon also permit users
to select the columns to be displayed
2) Stacked WFC data from Jan 02 and recent WFC data (July 03) are awaited.
WFI data is expected to flow in shortly.
3) Further spectra and ID information from some outstanding observing runs
is to be chased up.
4) As for the optical finding charts, X-ray finding charts will be compiled into one page (hopefully also
to soon include energy resolved images). Optical finding charts at
high spatial scales will also be added to the optical finding charts page.
5) OM source lists should start to be added soon.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch
(srr)/
(hz) about
using the database - all comments will be gratefully received and
we will endeavour to respond to suggestions for improvements.