XMM-NEWTON SCIENCE PROPOSAL & PLANNING TOOLS
The AO-24 Call For Science Proposals Is Closed.
Schedule:
AO-24 Science Proposal Information:
SOC AO-24 home page
| Information | Location |
|---|---|
| XMM-Newton GOF Status Report #431 - AO-24 Announcement | ASCII |
| NASA AO-24 "Dear Colleague" Letter from Dr. Valerie Connaughton | ASCII |
| ESA AO-24 "Dear Colleague" Letter from Professor Carole Mundell | |
| ESA Policies and Procedures for the XMM-Newton AO-24 | SOC PDF |
| XMM-Newton Observation Visibility Checker and Search Tool Check if a target has been observed or is awaiting observation by XMM-Newton, or if it is possible to observe. |
SOC Online, HEASARC |
| XMM-Newton Visibility Map Check a sky map to determine the visibility of a target. |
SOC Online |
| Pending Anticipated Targets of Opportunity (ToOs) Find accepted anticipated ToOs and the AOs during which they are valid. |
SOC Online |
| XMM-Newton Users' Handbook (UHB) | GOF Online, GOF PDF SOC Online, SOC PDF |
| XMM-Newton SOC XIPS | SOC Online |
| XMM-Newton SOC LaTeX Template (highly recommended, and note that all sections included in the template must fit within the page limitations) | LaTeX |
| XMM-Newton Proposers' Generic Help | SOC Online, or the GSFC GOF: xmmhelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov |
AO-24 Science Proposal Submission
Proposals must be electronically submitted directly to the XMM-Newton SOC through the SOC's XIPS facility. Successful PIs will also need to use the SOC's XIPS to submit observation details for their accepted targets at a later date (Phase II proposal submissions).
Please Note
The XMM-Newton SOC highly recommends the use of:
- the online documentation because it contains updated links to references in the text
- the Scientific Justification LaTeX template
For GOs with dual appointments between US and foreign institutions and foreign GOs moving to the US:
- if you intend to apply for support through the GOF, use your US affiliation and your US e-mail address for your science proposal.
- if this is not possible (e.g., your appointment to a US institution has not started) notify the GOF at xmmhelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov as soon as possible but no later than 31 March 2025 with your details.
Using the LaTeX Template File
Use of the provided LaTeX template to write the scientific justification is highly recommended. Proposers may submit their justifications either in one or two column format. Instructions to activate a specific column format are provided in the template.Proposal justifications MUST be submitted as one file in Portable Document Format (PDF). A PDF file can be generated from the LaTeX template in one of three ways:
- Upload the template to a free online LaTeX editor like
Overleaf and edit as needed, then compile it
and download the PDF.
- Use a LaTeX installation which allows you to create PDF files directly
from the .tex file (e.g. pdflatex). Some installations of pdflatex do not
allow you to include postscript figures. In this case you might use method 3.
-
Use ps2pdf (preferably version 1.4) to convert a postscript file to PDF:
> latex file.tex
> dvips -Ppdf -G0 -o file.ps file.dvi
> ps2pdf14 file.ps file.pdf
- Users must make sure that generated pdf output from the template is complete both when displayed with a viewer (e.g. Acrobat Reader or Preview) and when printed on paper. LaTeX installations vary greatly and therefore it might not be possible to get all proposals to come out correctly with a single text page layout. In some cases the user will have to adjust the \topmargin=-7mm command in the template to vertically center the text.
-
The page limit for a standard proposal is 4 pages. This includes everything
your to-be-submitted proposal justification, including Sections
4 and 5 (on previous work and publications). The page limits for other proposal
classes are:
- 8 pages for Multi-Year Heritage Programs
- 5 pages for Large Programs
- 2 pages for Fulfil Programs
- You are free to include color images in your proposal justification. Proposals are distributed to OTAC in electronic form. However, the scientific content of the images should still remain extractable when displayed or printed in black and white only.
- The proposal justification can be created both in single and in two-column format. Instructions on how to switch between these two layouts are given in the template.
-
The font size (11pt) is mandatory.
The Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader can be downloaded for free.
All questions regarding XMM-Newton proposal submission should be
directed to the SOC XMM-Newton
Helpdesk,
which provides a web-based tool to send technical queries to mission specialists and
programmers. Questions can also be sent in via email. For all other XMM-Newton questions,
email the U.S. GOF directly at
xmmhelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov.
AO Science Proposal and Planning Tools
FLIX - FLIX scans the public data products used to make the 4XMM-DR13 catalogue. For positions of interest it estimates the likely upper-limit to detectable flux. It also estimates the actual flux at that position from the counts in a small circle and the estimated background level. FLIX produces a FITS binary table of all results, and HTML output for selected energy bands.
PIMMS and WebPIMMS - The WebPIMMS package, which is already familiar to many X-ray astronomers has been updated to include the X-ray instruments of XMM-Newton observatory. It provides a convenient method for calculating the expected coarse count rates and pile-up effects for sources with a variety of spectra. WebPIMMS calculates the count rates directly from input spectral parameters as well as by converting from source count rates observed by other X-ray observatories (with spectral form and absorption also as inputs). PIMMS and WebPIMMS have been updated to use in-orbit calibration results consistent with the current SAS V 21.
Xspec - Xspec is a spectral analysis package for X-ray astronomy. Besides fitting observed and model spectra, it can also be used to simulate spectra.Sherpa - Sherpa is the CXC's spectral analysis software, which is part of their CIAO package. While ostensibly built for Chandra data, it works perfectly well with XMM data and response files, too. Like Xspec, it can be used to fit and simulate spectra.
SIXTE - SIXTE is a software package developed at Remeis Observatory (ECAP) which performs simulations for X-ray telescopes.
WebSpec - WebSpec provides spectral simulations of XMM-Newton EPIC (and other X-ray observatory instruments) observations. WebSpec is based on the Xspec package.
Response Files - Information on canned intrument response files can be found at the SOC Calibration Area. EPIC RMFs are available from the SOC and GOF (MOS and PN). The GOF MOS files are in the subdirectories 15eV and 5eV , according to their energy resolution. Information on the use of the files can be found at the SOC. Response files are available for the RGS from the SOC and GOF. Response files are available for the OM from the SOC and GOF.
Browse - Browse provides access to the XMM-Newton target and observation database.
Coordinate Conversion - The HEASARC tool Coco provides a simple tool for converting between coordinate systems.
X-ray Background Intensities - The HEASARC X-ray Background Tool provides ROSAT All-Sky Survey cosmic X-ray background intensities.
NH - The HEASARC tool nH provides neutral hydrogen column densities.
If you have any questions concerning XMM-Newton send email to xmmhelp@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov
