PIMMS Version 3.9/3.9a/3.9b/3.9c/3.9d/3.9e/3.9f/3.9g/3.9h/3.9i/3.9j/3.9k Release Notes
New in Version 3.9k (Released 2009 Oct 6)
Effective area curves for the Suzaku XIS and HXD instruments have
been updated. Background numbers contained in a Suzaku/HXD specific
routine have been updated. Suzaku Cycle 5 proposers should use this
version of PIMMS.
New in Version 3.9j (Released 2009 Jan 21)
Effective area curves for the Chandra instruments have
been updated. The new versions are appropriate for Cycle 11 proposers.
New in Version 3.9i (Released 2008 Nov 4)
This version correctly treats the statistical errors in the Suzaku
HXD background files provided to the users.
It also crrects bugs for Swift XRT grade 0 count rates as well as
ASCA count rates within the typical extraction regions, in cases
when a limited energy range is specified.
Also when a limited energy range is specified for outputs, the
message regarding the lack of instrument-specific extra information
has been updated.
New in Version 3.9h (Released 2008 Oct 20)
The effective area curves for Suzaku XIS and HXD have been updated,
although differences are minor compared with the previous version.
In addition for the HXD, PIMMS now outputs approximate time needed
for 3-sigma and 5-sigma detection in the standard energy bands
(1 for PIN and 2 for GSO), given the current level of systematic
uncertainties in the background models.
New in Version 3.9g (Released 2008 Sep 15)
Effective area curves for XMM-Newton EPIC/MOS and Swift XRT have
been updated. For the MOS, a new warning regarding the loss of
efficiency in MOS1 timing mode data has been included.
New in Version 3.9f (Released 2008 Apr 14)
Effective area curves for Constellation-X (under the new name
"conx"), XEUS, as well as those for Swift UVOT (except
grisms), have been updated.
New in Version 3.9e (Released 2007 Dec 18)
Effective area curves for the Chandra instruments have
been updated. The new versions are appropriate for Cycle 10 proposers.
New in Version 3.9d (Released 2007 Oct 23)
Effective area curves for Suzaku XIS and HXD instruments have
been updated. The new versions are appropriate for Cycle 3 proposers.
New in Version 3.9c (Released 2007 Sep 12)
Effective area curves for XMM-Newton EPIC instruments have been
updated, reflecting very minor calibration changes. However, at
the same time, PIMMS now predicts count rates for EPIC/pn for
PATTERN=0 events only, to provide a more conservative estimates
for proposers. This change reduces the predicted count rates
typically by a third. There is a corresponding minor change
in pile-up correction routine so it will continue using the
total (all PATTERN) count rates internally.
New in Version 3.9b (Released 2006 Dec 26)
Updated Chandra effective area curves appropriate for Cycle 9 proposers.
A bug that affected energy flux calculations of redshifted,
table-based models (including Raymond-Smith) has been fixed.
Note that analytical models (power-law, blackbody, bremsstrahlung)
were never affected by this bug; neither were table-based models
when not redshifted; nor the photon flux calculations of
redshifted, table-based models.
New in Version 3.9a (Released 2006 Oct 26)
Suzaku XIS and HXD effective area curves have been updated.
The new calibration is appropriate for Cycle 2 proposers.
New in Version 3.9 (Released 2006 Sep 6)
A bug that affected command-line users on Linux platforms,
causing a core dump under certain circumstances, has been fixed.
XMM-Newton EPIC effective area curves have been updated. The
new calibration is appropriate for AO-6 proposers. However, the
differences with previous versions are small.
