path: root/noao/digiphot/daophot/doc/datapars.hlp

.help datapars May00 noao.digiphot.daophot
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NAME
datapars -- edit the data dependent parameters
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USAGE
datapars
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PARAMETERS
.ls scale = 1.0
The scale of the image in user units, e.g. arcseconds per pixel.  All DAOPHOT
distance dependent parameters are assumed to be in units of scale. If
\fIscale\fR = 1.0 these parameters are assumed to be in units of pixels. Most
DAOPHOT users should leave \fIscale\fR set to 1.0 unless they intend to compare
their aperture photometry results directly with data in the literature.
.le
.ls fwhmpsf = 2.5 (scale units)
The full-width half-maximum of the point spread function in scale units.
The DAOFIND task and the PHOT task  "gauss" and "ofilter" centering algorithms
depend on the value of fwhmpsf. DAOPHOT users can either determine a value
for fwhmpsf using an external task such as IMEXAMINE, or make use of the
interactive capabilities of the DAOPHOT tasks to set and store it.
.le
.ls emission = yes
The features to be measured are above sky. By default the DAOPHOT package
considers all features to be emission features. DAOPHOT users should
leave this parameter set to "yes". 
.le
.ls sigma = 0.0
The standard deviation of the sky pixels.  The DAOFIND task and the PHOT task
"constant" sky fitting algorithm error estimate depend on the value of sigma. 
DAOPHOT users should set sigma to a value representative of the noise in
the sky background.
.le
.ls datamin = INDEF
The minimum good pixel value. Datamin defaults to -MAX_REAL the minimum
floating point number supported by the host computer. Datamin is used
to detect and remove bad data from the sky aperture, detect and flag
bad data in the aperture photometry aperture, and detect and remove  bad
data from the PSF fitting aperture.  DAOPHOT users should either leave
datamin set to INDEF or set it to a number between 5-7 sigma below the
sky background value.
.le
.ls datamax = INDEF
The maximum good pixel value. Datamax defaults to MAX_REAL the maximum
floating point number supported by the host computer.  Datamax is used
to detect and remove bad data from the sky aperture, detect and flag
bad data in the aperture photometry aperture, and detect and remove  bad
data from the PSF fitting aperture.  DAOPHOT users should either leave
datamax set to INDEF or set it to the linearity or saturation
limit of the detector.
.le
.ls noise = "poisson"
The noise model used to estimate the uncertainties in the computed
magnitudes. DAOPHOT users must leave noise set to "poisson".
.le
.ls ccdread = ""
The image header keyword defining the readout noise parameter whose units
are assumed to be electrons.
.le
.ls gain = ""
The image header keyword defining the gain parameter whose units are assumed to
be electrons per adu.
.le
.ls readnoise = 0.0
The readout noise of the detector in electrons. DAOPHOT users should set
readnoise or ccdread to its correct value before running any of the DAOPHOT
package tasks in order to ensure that the PSF fitting weights, magnitude
error estimates, and chi values are correct.
.le
.ls epadu = 1.0
The gain of the detector in electrons per adu. DAOPHOT users should set this
epadu or gain to its correct value before running any of the DAOPHOT package
tasks in order to ensure that the PSF fitting weights, magnitude error 
estimates, and chi values are correct.
.le
.ls exposure = ""
The image header exposure time keyword. The time units are arbitrary but
must be consistent for any list of images whose magnitudes are to be compared.
The computed magnitudes are normalized to  one timeunit by the PHOT task.
As the magnitude scale of the DAOPHOT package is set by the PHOT task,
setting exposure can save DAOPHOT users a lot of unnecessary zero point
corrections in future analysis and calibration steps.
.le
.ls airmass = ""
The image header airmass keyword.  The airmass parameter is not used
directly by DAOPHOT but the airmass value is stored in the output file
and its presence there will simplify future calibration steps.
.le
.ls filter = ""
The image header filter id keyword.  The filter parameter is not used
directly by DAOPHOT but the filter id is stored in the output file
and its presence there will simplify future calibration steps.
.le
.ls obstime = ""
The image header time of observation keyword. The obstime parameter is not used
directly by DAOPHOT but the obstime value is stored in the output file
and its presence there will simplify future calibration steps.
.le
.ls itime = 1.0
The exposure time for the image in arbitrary units. The DAOPHOT magnitudes are
normalized to 1 timeunit by the PHOT task using the value of exposure in the
image header if exposure is defined or the value of itime.
.le
.ls xairmass = INDEF
The airmass value.  The airmass is read from the image header if airmass
is defined  or from xairmass. The airmass value is stored in the DAOPHOT
output files.
.le
.ls ifilter = "INDEF"
The filter id string. The filter id is read from the image header if filter
is defined otherwise from ifilter. The filter id is stored in the DAOPHOT
output files.
.le
.ls otime = "INDEF"
The value of the time of observation. The time of observation is read from
the image header if obstime is defined otherwise from otime. The time of
observation is stored in the DAOPHOT output files.
.le

.ih
DESCRIPTION

\fIDatapars\fR sets the image data dependent parameters. These parameters are
functions, of the instrument optics, the noise characteristics and range of
linearity of the detector, and the observing conditions. Many of the
centering, sky fitting, and photometry algorithm parameters in the CENTERPARS,
FITSKYPARS, PHOTPARS, and DAOPARS  parameter sets scale with the data dependent
parameters.

The parameter \fIscale\fR sets the scale of the apertures used by the
centering, sky fitting, aperture photometry, and psf fitting  algorithms.
Scale converts radial distance measurements in pixels to radial distance
measurements in scale units. The DAOPHOT parameters cbox, maxshift, rclean
and rclip in the CENTERPARS parameter set; annulus, dannulus, and rgrow in
FITSKYPARS parameter set; apertures in the PHOTPARS parameter set; and psfrad,
fitrad, sannulus, wsannulus, and matchrad in the DAOPARS parameter set are
expressed in units of the scale. The scale parameter is useful in  cases where
the observations are to be compared to published aperture photometry
measurements in the literature.

The parameter \fIfwhmpsf\fR defines the full-width at half-maximum of the
stellar point spread function. The DAOFIND task, the PHOT task centering
algorithms "gauss" and "ofilt", and the PSF modeling task PSF all require
an accurate estimate for this parameter.

By setting the \fIscale\fR and \fIfwhmpsf\fR appropriately the aperture
sizes and radial distances may be  expressed in terms of the half-width
at half-maximum of the stellar point spread function.  The way to do this
is to define the scale parameter in units of the number of half-width at
half-maximum per pixel, set the fwhmpsf parameter to 2.0, and then
set the remaining scale dependent centering, sky fitting, aperture photometry,
and psf fitting algorithm parameters in CENTERPARS, FITSKYPARS, PHOTPARS,
and DAOPARS to appropriate values in units of the half-width at half-maximum
of the point-spread function. Once an optimum set of algorithm parameters is
chosen, the user need only alter the DATAPARS scale parameter before
executing a DAOPHOT task on a new image.

If \fIemission\fR is "yes", the features to be measured are assumed to
be above sky. By default the DAOPHOT package considers all features to be
emission features. DAOPHOT users should leave this parameter set to "yes".
Although the DAOFIND and PHOT tasks can detect and measure absorption features
the PSF fitting tasks currently cannot.

The parameter \fIsigma\fR estimates the standard deviation of the sky
background pixels. The star finding algorithm in DAOFIND uses sigma
and the \fIfindpars.threshold\fR parameter to define the stellar
detection threshold in adu. The PHOT task centering algorithms use sigma,
1) with the \fIcenterpars.kclean\fR parameter to define deviant pixels
if \fIcenterpars.clean\fR is enabled; 2) to estimate the signal to
noise ratio in the centering box; 3) and with the \fIcenterpars.cthreshold\fR
parameter to define a lower intensity limit for the pixels to be used
for centering.  If sigma is undefined or <= 0.0 1) no cleaning is performed
regardless of the value of centerpars.clean; 2) the background noise in the
centering box is assumed to be 0.0; and 3) default cutoff intensity is used
for centering.

The \fIdatamin\fR and \fIdatamax\fR parameters define the good data range.
If datamin or datamax are defined bad data is removed from the sky pixel
distribution before the sky is fit, data containing bad pixels in the
photometry apertures is flagged and the corresponding aperture photometry
magnitudes are set to INDEF, and bad data removed from the PSF fitting
aperture. DAOPHOT users should set datamin and datamax to appropriate values
before running the DAOPHOT tasks.

DAOPHOT users must leave \fInoise\fR set to "poisson".  This model includes
Poisson noise from the object and both Poisson and readout noise in the sky
background.

The parameters \fIgain\fR and \fIepadu\fR define the image gain.
The gain parameter specifies which keyword in the image header contains
the gain value. If gain is undefined or not present in the image header
the value of epadu is used.  Epadu must be in units of electrons per adu.
DAOPHOT users should set either gain or epadu to a correct value before
running any of the DAOPHOT package tasks to ensure that the aperture
photometry magnitude error estimates, and the PSF fitting weights, chis, and
magnitude error estimates are computed correctly.

The two parameters \fIccdread\fR and \fIreadnoise\fR define the image
readout noise.  The ccdread parameter specifies which keyword in the
image header contains the readout noise value. If ccdread is undefined or
not present in the image header the value of readnoise is used.
Readnoise is assumed to be in units of electrons.
DAOPHOT users should set either ccdread or readnoise before running any
DAOPHOT tasks to insure that the PSF fitting weights, chis, and magnitude
error estimates are computed correctly.

The magnitudes computed by PHOT are normalized to an exposure time of 1 
timeunit using the value of the exposure time in the image header parameter 
\fIexposure\fR or \fIitime\fR. If exposure is undefined or not present
in the image header a warning message is issued and the value of itime
is used. The itime units are arbitrary but must be consistent for images
analyzed together. As the magnitude scale in DAOPHOT is determined by the
PHOT task setting either exposure or itime can save DAOPHOT users a lot
of unnecessary zero point corrections in future analysis and calibration
steps.

The parameters \fIairmass\fR and \fIxairmass\fR define the airmass
of the observation. The airmass parameter specifies which keyword in the
image header contains the airmass value. If airmass is undefined or
not present in the image header the value of xairmass is used.
The airmass values are not used in any DAOPHOT computations, however their
presence in the DAOPHOT output files will simplify future reduction steps.

The parameters \fIfilter\fR and \fIifilter\fR define the filter
of the observation. The filter parameter specifies which keyword in the
image header contains the filter id. If filter is undefined or not present
in the image header the value of ifilter is used. The filter id values are
not used in any DAOPHOT computations, however their presence in the DAOPHOT
output files can will simplify future reduction steps.

The parameters \fIobstime\fR and \fIotime\fR define the time
of the observation (e.g. UT). The obstime parameter specifies which keyword
in the image header contains the time stamp of the observation. If obstime is
undefined or not present in the image header the value of otime is used.
The time of observations values are not used in any DAOPHOT
computations, however their presence in the DAOPHOT output files can
greatly simplify future reduction steps.


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EXAMPLES

1. List the data dependent parameters.

.nf
	da> lpar datapars
.fi

2. Edit the data dependent parameters.

.nf
	da> datapars
.fi

3. Edit the data dependent parameters from within the PSF task.

.nf
    da> epar psf

	... edit a few parameters

	... move to the datapars parameter and type :e

	... edit the datapars parameters and type :wq

	... finish editing the psf parameter and type :wq
.fi

4. Save the current DATAPARS parameter set in a text file datnite1.par.
This can also be done from inside a higher level task as in the previous
example.

.nf
    da> epar datapars

	... edit a few parameters

	... type ":w datnite1.par"  from within epar
.fi
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TIME REQUIREMENTS
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BUGS

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SEE ALSO
epar,lpar,daofind,phot,pstselect,psf,group,peak,nstar,allstar,substar,addstar
.endhelp