STELES Software

Software

Data Reduction Software

The data reduction package developed for STELES must be able to automatically receive and reduce the data obtained with the spectrograph. The on-line data reduction should be built to produce reduced data (automatically or semi-automatically) but should also be able to show quick checks and evaluation of the spectra.

    It is also important to be based on a public and well known platform. Initially we choose to use IRAF as it fits the requirements above and can be installed in most of the usual operational systems, even in inexpensive Linux PCs. This point means that all users can have access to the code and that it requires little training for the users and the technical support team. A multi-institutional team will develop the data reduction package (as it is being done for SIFUS spectrograph software).

    The basic reduction procedure should be the standard for echelle spectra accounting for the particular characteristics of STELES data. The reduction package shall include: flat-field correction, order definition, echelle blaze function definition, stray light extraction, background subtraction, sky subtraction, optimal order extraction, wavelength calibration, order merging, correction for the instrument response function, graphical user interface and data-archive facilities.

    An exposure time calculator is also foreseen. It will help the observing time proposals and preparation for the observing runs. Given the observation parameters, the necessary time to achieve a specified S/N will be computed as a function of wavelength.

Control System

The control system, besides controlling all the movable parts of the spectrograph is responsible for the integration of the instrument with the user, telescope, calibrations unit and the other telescope facilities. We shall use LabView for the control system and the SOAR library to integrate it to the TCS. LNA is in charge of the SIFUS control system and will have all the required experience to perform this task for STELES.

The control system shall include means to control all the movable devices individually, or in combination under computer control. All motorization will follow SOAR suggestion of using Silvermax Smart motors. This high performance servo motors have fully integrated design, built-in motion controller, internal non-volatile program memory, master-slave operation; what means that they can easily be integrated with the LabView ICS and TCS.

STELES project shall provide a modular LabView ICS to control each sub-system and monitor its status and provide a LabView based interface, in which all these modules are integrated in order to control all STELES sub-systems in standalone mode. SOAR shall be responsible for final integration of the ICS with the SOAR TCS.