NSX: NIRES Spectral eXtraction

• Download Download the latest tar file: nsx.tar.gz (2018-08-31). Untar and read the ' 0.readme ' file for instructions and a description of use. You can also download the previous tar file: nsx_2018-05-31.tar.gz (2018-05-31), or an older version: nsx_2018-02-27.tar.gz (2018-02-27).

• Changes See the following for a description of recent changes and upgrades to nsx: ' 0.changes '.

• Overview: This program is designed to extract and wavelength calibrate spectra from NIRES exposures. The program can automatically select and extract point sources or the user can specify object and background range within the slit for extraction. The program can do A-B extractions or individual (A only) extractions of each of 5 echelle orders (K, H, J, z/J, and z/i). The program corrects for the curvature of each order and the (nightsky line) slant across the slit.

• A - B note: The program only extracts a spectra for only the 'A' image. In order to extract the 'B' spectrum, the program must be run again with the order of files reversed.

• Syntax:

  nsx (raw NIRES FITS file) [ B FITS file ] [ sp=as,as ] [ bk=as,as ] [ -autox ]
  

  See this for suggestions on reduction steps .

• Night sky lines: NSX uses a nominal polynomial wavelength scale (created from a combination of arclamps and sky lines) and this scale is shifted to the sky lines which are measured in each exposure. See this for typical spectra of the night sky Night Sky Spectra .

• NIRES Echelle Orders: The NIRES orders are numbered as follows:

    order  wavelength range  
      3      1.89 - 2.47     (K band: 2.0-2.4)
      4      1.42 - 1.86     (H band: 1.5-1.8) 
      5      1.14 - 1.49     (J band: 1.1-1.4)
      6      0.95 - 1.24     (z/J band)
      7      0.94 - 1.06     (z band:~0.82-1.03)
  

  Note that order 7 only has half the number of pixels as the other orders.

• Feedback: Please let me know if you have any problems reducing your NIRES data. Also include any comments and suggestions for improvements to the NSX pipeline program. Send email to tb@astro.caltech.edu .

• Request for NIRES calibration exposures: It would be helpful for the development of the NSX pipeline to have more examples of calibration exposures (flat fields, standard stars). I am particularly interested in seeing objects observed at various airmass.