Keywords for Controlling SimCADO¶
Observation Parameters¶
Keyword Default [units] Explanation
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OBS_DATE 0 # [dd/mm/yyyy] Date of the observation [not yet implemented]
OBS_TIME 0 # [hh:mm:ss] Time of the observation [not yet implemented]
OBS_RA 90. # [deg] RA of the object
OBS_DEC -30. # [deg] Dec of the object
OBS_ALT 0 # [deg] Altitude of the object [not yet implemented]
OBS_AZ 0 # [deg] Azimuth of the object [not yet implemented]
OBS_ZENITH_DIST 0 # [deg] from zenith
OBS_PARALLACTIC_ANGLE 0 # [deg] rotation of the source relative to the zenith
OBS_SEEING 0.6 # [arcsec]
OBS_FIELD_ROTATION 0 # [deg] field rotation with respect to the detector array
OBS_DIT 60 # [sec] simulated exposure time
OBS_NDIT 1 # [#] number of exposures taken
OBS_NONDESTRUCT_TRO 2.6 # [sec] time between non-destructive readouts in the detector
OBS_REMOVE_CONST_BG no # remove the median background value
OBS_READ_MODE single # [single, fowler, ramp] Only single is implemented at the moment
OBS_SAVE_ALL_FRAMES no # yes/no to saving all DITs in an NDIT sequence
OBS_INPUT_SOURCE_PATH none # Path to input Source FITS file
OBS_FITS_EXT 0 # the extension number where the useful data cube is
OBS_OUTPUT_DIR "./output.fits" # [filename] Path to save output in.
Simulation Parameters¶
Keyword Default [units] Explanation
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SIM_DETECTOR_PIX_SCALE 0.004 # [arcsec] plate scale of the detector
SIM_OVERSAMPLING 1 # The factor of oversampling inside the simulation
SIM_PIXEL_THRESHOLD 1 # photons per pixel summed over the wavelength range. Values less than this are assumed to be zero
SIM_LAM_TC_BIN_WIDTH 0.001 # [um] wavelength resolution of spectral curves
SIM_SPEC_MIN_STEP 1E-4 # [um] minimum step size where resampling spectral curves
SIM_FILTER_THRESHOLD 1E-9 # transmission below this threshold is assumed to be 0
SIM_USE_FILTER_LAM yes # [yes/no] to basing the wavelength range off the filter non-zero range - if no, specify LAM_MIN, LAM_MAX
# if "no"
SIM_LAM_MIN 1.9 # [um] lower wavelength range of observation
SIM_LAM_MAX 2.41 # [um] upper wavelength range of observation
SIM_LAM_PSF_BIN_WIDTH 0.1 # [um] wavelength resolution of the PSF layers
SIM_ADC_SHIFT_THRESHOLD 1 # [pixel] the spatial shift before a new spectral layer is added (i.e. how often the spectral domain is sampled for an under-performing ADC)
SIM_PSF_SIZE 1024 # size of PSF
SIM_PSF_OVERSAMPLE no # use astropy's inbuilt oversampling technique when generating the PSFs. Kills memory for PSFs over 511 x 511
SIM_VERBOSE no # [yes/no] print information on the simulation run
SIM_SIM_MESSAGE_LEVEL 3 # the amount of information printed [5-everything, 0-nothing]
SIM_OPT_TRAIN_IN_PATH none # Options for saving and reusing optical trains. If "none": "./"
SIM_OPT_TRAIN_OUT_PATH none # Options for saving and reusing optical trains. If "none": "./"
SIM_DETECTOR_IN_PATH none # Options for saving and reusing detector objects. If "none": "./"
SIM_DETECTOR_OUT_PATH none # Options for saving and reusing detector objects. If "none": "./"
Atmospheric Parameters¶
Keyword Default [units] Explanation
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ATMO_USE_ATMO_BG yes # [yes/no]
ATMO_TC TC_sky_25.tbl # [filename] for atmospheric transmission curve. Default: <pkg_dir>/data/TC_sky_25.tbl
ATMO_EC EC_sky_25.tbl # [filename, "none"] for atmospheric emission curve. Default: <pkg_dir>/data/EC_sky_25.tbl
# If ATMO_EC is "none": set ATMO_BG_MAGNITUDE for the simulation filter.
ATMO_BG_MAGNITUDE 13.6 # [ph/s] background photons for the bandpass. If set to None, the ATMO_EC spectrum is assumed to return the needed number of photons
ATMO_TEMPERATURE 0 # deg Celcius
ATMO_PRESSURE 750 # millibar
ATMO_REL_HUMIDITY 60 # %
ATMO_PWV 2.5 # [mm] Paranal standard value
Telescope Parameters¶
Keyword Default [units] Explanation
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SCOPE_ALTITUDE 3060 # meters above sea level
SCOPE_LATITUDE -24.589167 # decimal degrees
SCOPE_LONGITUDE -70.192222 # decimal degrees
SCOPE_PSF_FILE scao # [scao (default), <filename>, ltao, mcao, poppy] import a PSF from a file.
SCOPE_STREHL_RATIO 1 # [0..1] defines the strength of the seeing halo if SCOPE_PSF_FILE is "default"
SCOPE_AO_EFFECTIVENESS 100 # [%] percentage of seeing PSF corrected by AO - 100% = diff limited, 0% = 0.8" seeing
SCOPE_JITTER_FWHM 0.001 # [arcsec] gaussian telescope jitter (wind, tracking)
SCOPE_DRIFT_DISTANCE 0 # [arcsec/sec] the drift in tracking by the telescope
SCOPE_DRIFT_PROFILE linear # [linear, gaussian] the drift profile. If linear, simulates when tracking is off. If gaussian, simulates rms distance of tracking errors
SCOPE_USE_MIRROR_BG yes # [yes/no]
SCOPE_NUM_MIRRORS 5 # number of reflecting surfaces
SCOPE_TEMP 0 # deg Celsius - temperature of mirror
SCOPE_M1_TC TC_mirror_EELT.dat # [filename] Mirror reflectance curve. Default: <pkg_dir>/data/TC_mirror_EELT.dat
SCOPE_MIRROR_LIST EC_mirrors_EELT_SCAO.tbl # [filename] List of mirror sizes. Default: <pkg_dir>/data/EC_mirrors_EELT_SCAO.tbl
Instrument Parameters¶
Keyword Default [units] Explanation
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INST_TEMPERATURE -190 # deg Celsius - inside temp of instrument
INST_ENTR_NUM_SURFACES 4 # number of surfaces on the entrance window
INST_ENTR_WINDOW_TC TC_window.dat # [filename] Default: <pkg_dir>/data/TC_window.dat --> transmission = 0.98 per surface
INST_DICHROIC_NUM_SURFACES 2 # number of surfaces on the entrance window
INST_DICHROIC_TC TC_dichroic.dat # [filename] Default: <pkg_dir>/data/TC_dichroic.dat --> transmission = 1 per surface
INST_FILTER_TC Ks # [filename, string(filter name)] List acceptable filters with >>> simcado.optics.get_filter_set()
INST_PUPIL_NUM_SURFACES 2 # number of surfaces on the pupil window
INST_PUPIL_TC TC_pupil.dat # [filename] Default: <pkg_dir>/data/TC_pupil.dat --> transmission = 1 per surface
# MICADO, collimator 5x, wide-field 2x (zoom 4x), camera 4x
INST_NUM_MIRRORS 11 # number of reflecting surfaces in MICADO
INST_MIRROR_TC TC_mirror_gold.dat # [filename, "default"] If "default": INST_MIRROR_TC = SCOPE_M1_TC
INST_USE_AO_MIRROR_BG yes # [yes/no]
INST_AO_TEMPERATURE 0 # deg Celsius - inside temp of AO module
INST_NUM_AO_MIRRORS 7 # number of reflecting surfaces between telescope and instrument (i.e. MAORY)
INST_MIRROR_AO_TC TC_mirror_gold.dat # [filename, "default"] If "default": INST_MIRROR_AO_TC = INST_MIRROR_TC
INST_MIRROR_AO_LIST EC_mirrors_ao.tbl # List of mirrors in the AO. Default: <pkg_dir>/data/EC_mirrors_ao.tbl
INST_ADC_PERFORMANCE 100 # [%] how well the ADC does its job
INST_ADC_NUM_SURFACES 8 # number of surfaces in the ADC
INST_ADC_TC TC_ADC.dat # [filename] Default: <pkg_dir>/data/TC_ADC.dat --> transmission = 0.98 per surface
INST_DEROT_PERFORMANCE 100 # [%] how well the derotator derotates
INST_DEROT_PROFILE linear # [linear, gaussian] the profile with which it does it's job
INST_DISTORTION_MAP none # path to distortion map
INST_WFE data/INST_wfe.tbl # [nm] (float or filename) A single number for the total WFE of a table of wavefront errors for each surface in the instrument
INST_FLAT_FIELD none # path to a FITS file containing a flat field (median = 1) for each chip.
Spectroscopy parameters¶
Keyword Default [units] Explanation
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SPEC_ORDER_SORT HK # Order-sorting filter: "HK" or "IJ"
SPEC_SLIT_WIDTH narrow # Slit width: "narrow" or "wide"
Detector parameters¶
Keyword Default [units] Explanation
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FPA_USE_NOISE yes # [yes/no]
FPA_READOUT_MEDIAN 4 # e-/px
FPA_READOUT_STDEV 1 # e-/px
FPA_DARK_MEDIAN 0.01 # e-/s/px
FPA_DARK_STDEV 0.01 # e-/s/px
FPA_QE TC_detector_H2RG.dat # [filename] Quantum efficiency of detector.
FPA_NOISE_PATH FPA_noise.fits # [filename, "generate"] if "generate": use NGHxRG to create a noise frame.
FPA_GAIN 1 # e- to ADU conversion
FPA_LINEARITY_CURVE FPA_linearity.dat # [filename, "none"]
FPA_FULL_WELL_DEPTH 1E5 # [e-] The level where saturation occurs
FPA_PIXEL_MAP none # path to a FITS file with the pixel sensitivity map
# if FPA_PIXEL_MAP == none
FPA_DEAD_PIXELS 1 # [%] if FPA_PIXEL_MAP=none, a percentage of detector pixel which are dead
FPA_DEAD_LINES 1 # [%] if FPA_PIXEL_MAP=none, a percentage of detector lines which are dead
FPA_CHIP_LAYOUT centre # ["tiny", "small", "centre", "full", <filename>] description of the chip layout on the detector array.
FPA_PIXEL_READ_TIME 1E-5 # [s] read time for y pixel - typically ~10 us
FPA_READ_OUT_SCHEME double_corr # "double_corr", "up-the-ramp", "fowler"
NXRG Noise Generator package parameters¶
Keyword Default [units] Explanation
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# See Rauscher (2015) for details
# http://arxiv.org/pdf/1509.06264.pdf
HXRG_NUM_OUTPUTS 64 # Number of
HXRG_NUM_ROW_OH 8 # Number of row overheads
HXRG_PCA0_FILENAME FPA_nirspec_pca0.fits # if "default": <pkg_dir>/data/
HXRG_OUTPUT_PATH none # Path to save the detector noise
HXRG_PEDESTAL 4 # Pedestal noise
HXRG_CORR_PINK 3 # Correlated Pink noise
HXRG_UNCORR_PINK 1 # Uncorrelated Pink noise
HXRG_ALT_COL_NOISE 0.5 # Alternating Column noise
HXRG_NAXIS1 4096 # Size of the HAWAII 4RG detectors
HXRG_NAXIS2 4096
HXRG_NUM_NDRO 1 # Number of non-destructive readouts to add to a noise cube