Rosat status report 87

[REQUEST@rosat.gsfc.nasa.gov]

		ROSAT Status Report #87
		    1st March 1994


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=                                                                       =
=              ROSAT NEWS No. 26   ---      1-Mar-1994                  =
=                                                                       =
=-----------------------------------------------------------------------=
=                 ROSAT Scientific Data Center at the                   =
=       Max-Planck Institut fuer Extraterrestrische Physik (MPE)        =
=                 Postfach 1603, 85740 Garching, FRG                    =
=-----------------------------------------------------------------------=
=  e-mail addresses (Uli Zimmermann):                                   =
=   rosat_svc@mpe-garching.mpg.de (Internet) or                         =
=   MPE::ROSAT_SVC (SPAN)                                               =
=  ROSAT Service Area read-access via anonymous ftp:                    =
=   ftp rosat_svc.mpe-garching.mpg.de      user: anonymous              =
=-----------------------------------------------------------------------=
=  XUV Center: 29382::GXUVDC or  GXUVDC@AIT.PHYSIK.UNI-TUEBINGEN.DE     =
=   WFC Archive access via telnet/ftp ait.physik.uni-tuebingen.de       =
=                                user: xuv  (password: xuv_archive)     =
=========================================================================


SATELLITE STATUS
================
A new operating mode is now active for ROSAT in which the satellite is
angular momentum stabilized, if there is no startracker information
available in the earth shadow. In this case the magnetometers (the 
sources of the attitude control irregularities) are not used by the 
control procedure.

This stabilized mode was tested for all of last week with the HRI taken
out of focus and has proven to work in a satisfactory manner. Since 
midnight of Feb 26/27 (UT) we have continued the observing program 
beginning with 5 days of PSPC observations according to the timeline. 
Having re-started the program with the PSPC we are now able to continue 
the monitoring of the satellite behaviour for another few days before 
resuming observations with the HRI, foreseen for March 4.


MISSION PLANNING
================
The observations performed during February 1994 are listed in file
dec93-feb94.obs in directory timeline (ROSAT Service Area).

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*   Also available on legacy.gsfc.nasa.gov under		  *
*   /rosat/timelines/dec93-feb94.obs				  *
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AO-5: Call for Proposals
========================
Please remember that the deadline for ROSAT proposals (HRI only)
is March 31, 1994.


REPROCESSING of all pointed observations   
========================================
The reprocessing of all the pointed ROSAT observations has been started
on February 9. This was necessary because data delivered to the PI's 
from observations before September 19, 1992 contain several errors that 
may have impacts on the final analysis. Data and anlysis protocol will 
be sent automatically to the (original) PI, who will then own the 
reprocessed data exclusively for half a year. Thereafter data will be 
entered into the public archives.

Together with the start of the reprocessing all datasets, both from the 
recent observations and from the reprocessing, will be delivered in the 
so-called Rationalized Data Format (RDF) that GSFC introduced for all
the X-ray satellite projects in which they are involved (e.g. ASCA). 
To support standardization in data access both the German and the UK 
data center have agreed to use that format in the future. Proper EXSAS 
software to make this format EXSAS compatible is available (available 
through the EXSAS patch described below).


ROSAT DATA ARCHIVE (RDA)
========================
For easier usage of the online data archive a new version of the
intape/rod command allows now the conversion of the FITS datasets 
directly from disc (available through the EXSAS patch described below).


EXSAS/MIDAS
===========
Up to now EXSAS users in other institutes only occasionally could make 
use of new or updated EXSAS software developed in the time between 
the official EXSAS releases. We have now introduced a clean and, as we 
believe, easy-to-use scheme to make the newest EXSAS updates available 
at your place. All updates to the last EXSAS release are contained in 
directory exsas/patch on the ROSAT Service Area . Read file patch.doc 
in that directory to obtain directions how to install the updated code.

====================== end of ROSAT NEWS ================================