Data processing pipeline for Herschel HIFI
Journal article, 2017

Context. The HIFI instrument on the Herschel Space Observatory performed over 9100 astronomical observations, almost 900 of which were calibration observations in the course of the nearly four-year Herschel mission. The data from each observation had to be converted from raw telemetry into calibrated products and were included in the Herschel Science Archive. Aims. The HIFI pipeline was designed to provide robust conversion from raw telemetry into calibrated data throughout all phases of the HIFI missions. Pre-launch laboratory testing was supported as were routine mission operations. Methods. A modular software design allowed components to be easily added, removed, amended and / or extended as the understanding of the HIFI data developed during and after mission operations. Results. The HIFI pipeline processed data from all HIFI observing modes within the Herschel automated processing environment as well as within an interactive environment. The same software can be used by the general astronomical community to reprocess any standard HIFI observation. The pipeline also recorded the consistency of processing results and provided automated quality reports. Many pipeline modules were in use since the HIFI pre-launch instrument level testing. Conclusions. Processing in steps facilitated data analysis to discover and address instrument artefacts and uncertainties. The availability of the same pipeline components from pre-launch throughout the mission made for well-understood, tested, and stable processing. A smooth transition from one phase to the next significantly enhanced processing reliability and robustness.

methods: data analysis

instrumentation: spectrographs

Author

R. Shipman

University of Groningen

Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)

S. F. Beaulieu

University of Waterloo

D. Teyssier

European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC)

P. Morris

California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

M. Rengel

Max Planck Society

European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC)

C. McCoey

University of Waterloo

K. Edwards

University of Waterloo

D. Kester

Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)

A. Lorenzani

Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory

O. Coeur-Joly

Paul Sabatier University

M. Melchior

University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland

J. Xie

European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC)

E. Sanchez

European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA ESTEC)

P. Zaal

Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)

I. M. Avruch

Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)

C. Borys

California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

J. Braine

Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux

C. Comito

University of Cologne

B. Delforge

University of Groningen

F. Herpin

Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux

A. Hoac

California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

W. Kwon

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute

Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)

S. D. Lord

California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

A. P. Marston

Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)

M. Mueller

Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)

University of Groningen

Michael Olberg

Chalmers, Earth and Space Sciences, Onsala Space Observatory

V. Ossenkopf

University of Cologne

E. Puga

European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC)

M. Akyilmaz-Yabaci

University of Cologne

Astronomy and Astrophysics

0004-6361 (ISSN) 1432-0746 (eISSN)

Vol. 608 A49- A49

Subject Categories

Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology

Infrastructure

Onsala Space Observatory

DOI

10.1051/0004-6361/201731385

More information

Latest update

1/15/2021