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| Paper: |
Renewing the XMM-Newton Pipeline and SAS
Python Solution |
| Volume: |
522, Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems XXVII |
| Page: |
203 |
| Authors: |
Perea-Calderón, J.; Rodriguez-Pascual, P.; Ojero-Pascual, E.; Tomás, L.; Gabriel, C. |
| Abstract: |
The aim of the XMM-Newton Pipeline Processing System (PPS) is to
provide a set of data products which are of immediate value for the XMM-Newton
observer as well as for the XMM-Newton Science Archive (XSA), where they are also
stored for public release. The dedicated pipeline reduces data from each of the EPIC,
RGS and OM science instruments on board of XMM-Newton.
That PPS is conducted by a collection of Perl modules which manage the actual
data processing carried out by XMM-Newton Science Analysis Software (SAS) tasks.
Some of the 3rd party libraries used inside SAS and PPS are not maintained anymore and others are less used
today in the astronomy community.
Modernising SAS and PPS appears as a need to accomplish new products requirements (new data visualizations, etc),
but also as a way to simplify the code, therefore making it more maintainable in the future.
Advantages by Python are mainly: a) versatility and graphic power in a modern easy-to-learn language, b) it is the language of
choice by a majority of astronomers these days, with an impressive growth curve, c) there are loads of ready-to-use modules
as "astropy" and "matplotlib", both libraries with a very big development community.
This paper is an overview of the first steps on the implementation of Python in the XMM-Newton Pipeline infrastructure
and the new challenges we have to face. |
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