Handbook Structure

The WFC3 Data Handbook is organized in 10 chapters, which discuss the following topics:

Chapter 1 - WFC3 Instruments - provides a brief summary of the capabilities and design of the Wide Field Camera 3.
Chapter 2 - WFC3 Data Structure - describes WFC3 data products as would be obtained from the MAST, file name conventions, and auxiliary files. The structure of WFC3 images is explained, and an extensive list of all the header keywords found in typical WFC3 data files is included.
Chapter 3 - WFC3 Data Calibration - explains the flow of calibration steps performed on WFC3 data with the STScI software calwf3. It provides detailed information on what each step does with the data, and how the data header keywords are used and modified as the data are processed. It also describes when the data should be manually recalibrated and how to do it.
Chapter 4 - WFC3 Images: Distortion Correction and AstroDrizzle - provides the current knowledge about WFC3 detector distortion. A brief description of what the task AstroDrizzle does for WFC3 data is also presented.
Chapter 5 - WFC3-UVIS Sources of Error - provides users with all the currently known error sources in the data for the UVIS detectors. Possible methods of mitigating the error sources are also discussed.
Chapter 6 - Charge Transfer Efficiency (CTE) in WFC3/UVIS- describes various aspects of CTE losses and provides users with methods for mitigating CTE effects.
Chapter 7 - WFC3/IR Sources of Error - provides users with all the currently known error sources in the data for the IR detector. Possible methods of mitigating the error sources are also discussed.
Chapter 8 - Persistence in WFC3/IR - describes the effects of persistence on IR images, and strategies for correcting for persistence effects.
Chapter 9 - WFC3 Data Analysis - includes discussions for improved analysis of WFC3 data. The discussions are primarily focused on photometry, astrometry and grism spectrophotometry.
Chapter 10 - WFC3 Spatial Scan Data - provides some pointers on how to reduce and analyze spatial scanned images.

For the latest information regarding WFC3 performance and calibration, users are advised to consult the WFC3 web pages located at:

http://www.stsci.edu/hst/instrumentation/wfc3

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WFC3 Data Handbook
- • Acknowledgments
- • What's New in This Revision
- Preface
  - • Handbook Structure
  - • Typographic Conventions
- Chapter 1: WFC3 Instruments
  - • 1.1 Instrument Overview
  - • 1.2 The UVIS Channel
  - • 1.3 The IR Channel
- Chapter 2: WFC3 Data Structure
  - • 2.1 Types of WFC3 Files
  - • 2.2 WFC3 File Structure
  - • 2.3 Data Storage Requirements
  - • 2.4 Headers and Keywords
- Chapter 3: WFC3 Data Calibration
  - • 3.1 The calwf3 Data Processing Pipeline
  - • 3.2 UVIS Data Calibration Steps
  - • 3.3 IR Data Calibration Steps
  - • 3.4 Pipeline Tasks
  - • 3.5 Manual Recalibration of WFC3 Data
- Chapter 4: WFC3 Images: Distortion Correction and AstroDrizzle
- Chapter 5: WFC3-UVIS Sources of Error
  - • 5.1 Gain and Read Noise
  - • 5.2 Bias Subtraction
  - • 5.3 Dark Current and Hot Pixels
  - • 5.4 UVIS Flat Fields
  - • 5.5 Image Anomalies
  - • 5.6 Generic Detector and Camera Properties
  - • 5.7 UVIS Photometry Errors
  - • 5.8 References
- Chapter 6: WFC3 UVIS Charge Transfer Efficiency - CTE
  - • 6.1 Overview
  - • 6.2 CTE Losses And Background
  - • 6.3 The Nature Of CTE Losses
  - • 6.4 The Pixel-Based Model
  - • 6.5 Empirical Corrections
  - • 6.6 Dealing With CTE Losses in WFC3 UVIS Images
  - • 6.7 Sink Pixels
  - • 6.8 References
- Chapter 7: WFC3 IR Sources of Error
  - • 7.1 WFC3 IR Error Source Overview
  - • 7.2 Gain
  - • 7.3 WFC3 IR Bias Correction
  - • 7.4 WFC3 Dark Current and Banding
  - • 7.5 Blobs
  - • 7.6 Detector Nonlinearity Issues
  - • 7.7 Count Rate Non-Linearity
  - • 7.8 IR Flat Fields
  - • 7.9 Pixel Defects and Bad Imaging Regions
  - • 7.10 Time-Variable Background
  - • 7.11 IR Photometry Errors
  - • 7.12 References
- Chapter 8: Persistence in WFC3 IR
- Chapter 9: WFC3 Data Analysis
  - • 9.1 Photometry
  - • 9.2 Astrometry
  - • 9.3 Spectroscopy
  - • 9.4 STSDAS, STSCI_PYTHON and Astropy
  - • 9.5 Specific Tools for the Analysis of WFC3
  - • 9.6 References
- Chapter 10: WFC3 Spatial Scan Data
  - • 10.1 Analysis of Scanned Data
  - • 10.2 IR Scanned Data
  - • 10.3 UVIS Scanned Data
  - • 10.4 References

Handbook Structure

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