Input File Options

In all XRONOS applications up to 10 INPUT FILE OPTIONS can be specified for each input file. Options are specified in the same string in which each input filename is given and consist of 2 characters followed, in most cases, by a numerical constant containing up to 8 characters. Available options are (X indicates the numerical constant):

• bt = to apply Barycentric Time correction contained in the rate buffer header. (Relevant only to Type 0,1,2 Rate Buffers)
• dn = not to apply any additional dead time correction(s) to the EXOSAT ME rate buffer, besides that (those) which are already applied in the rate buffer. (Relevant only to ME rate buffers).
• stX= Shift all Times in input file by X days
• ssX= Shift all times in input file by X Seconds
• frN= start reading input file from record number N (First Record)
• lrN= stop reading input file at record number N (Last Record) (Options fr and lr are useful to speed up the reading of a very large input file, when only part of the input file has to be analysed. They effectively work as fast time windows. The correspondence of record number and time can be worked out based on the input file type. These options apply to Rate Buffers only)
• vxN= use vector number N as x-axis (i.e. time axis) in a QDP input file (a negative value of N means that X-axis will be stepped according to the content of the XRONOS header line in the QDP input file)
• vyN= use vector number N as y-axis (i.e. series to be analysed) in a QDP input file
• veN= use vector number N as bin exposure in a QDP input file (a negative value of N means that no exposure vector is specified even if the input file contains more than 2 vectors)
• fsN= Find Subfile number N in a PAT-rate buffer. If the option is not specified than XRONOS will use the first subfile (N=1).

• muX= multiply data and errors by X (MUltiply)
• mdX= multiply data by X (Multiply Data)
• meX= multiply errors by X (Multiply Errors)
• maX= as muX but exposure is divided by X (used for dead time correction)
• diX= divide data and errors by X (DIvide)
• ddX= divide data by X (Divide Data)
• deX= divide errors by X (Divide Errors)
• daX= as diX but exposure is multiplied by X
• aaX= add data and errors with X (Add All)
• adX= add data with X (Add Data)
• aeX= add errors with X (Add Errors)
• saX= subtract data and errors with X (Subtract All)
• sdX= subtract data with X (Subtract Data)
• seX= subtract errors with X (Subtract Errors)
• qaX= add to data the square of data multiplied by X and add to errors the product of data and error multiplied by X. (This is used to multiply data (Y) and errors (SY) by a linear interpolation constant: Y'= Y(A+BY)= AY+BYAYA/AA= YA+CYAYA with C=B/AA , SY'= SY(A+BY)= SYA+BYASYA/AA= SYA+CYASYA. This can be done by using options: muA qaC (where A and C are those used above). To easily get C knowing A and B run command $ lfo)
• qdX= as above but for data only
• qeX= as above but for errors only
• dvX= work out and apply EXOSAT ME dead time correction for errors on count rates (to work out expected variance), by providing the source average count rate manually (this is for the case in which not all the relevant infos are contained in the rate buffer header). A positive (negative) value of X represents the source average count rate before (after) dead time correction. Note that in the absence of other instrumental effects the dead time correction is only a multiplicative constant which can be applied to both the data and errors with option mu. (This option is relevant only to ME rate buffers).

lc1> Ser. 1 filename   1 +options[.rbf]=> file1.rbf st-3.256
lc1> Ser. 1 filename   2 +options[.rbf]=> file2.rbf bt sd13.2

[n]Xronos> data file1.rbf st-3.256,file2.rbf bt sd13.2