[XTEnews]: HEXTE Cluster B Update

[xtenews@lists.nasa.gov]

As announced on the RXTE Web pages early this year, HEXTE Cluster B ceased modulation 
(i.e., began "staring" instead of "rocking") on December 14, 2009, at approximately 
16:10 UT.  In January, the RXTE team performed a reboot of cluster B that successfully 
restored modulation, but only for a brief period before it ceased again. After careful 
consideration, the RXTE team has decided to permanently leave HEXTE Cluster B in an 
off-source position, rather than risk it becoming unrecoverable in some other position. 
The detectors in cluster B are still functioning well and collecting data. The off-source 
position of data taken by HEXTE Cluster B will thus complement the data taken by HEXTE 
Cluster A, which, since October 20, 2006, has been "staring" in an on-source position. 

For further details, including the exact times and dates that Cluster B was not rocking
and a description of how to analyze HEXTE data from these periods, please see this 
"Latest News" item on the RXTE Web pages:

  http://rxte.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xte/xhp_new.html