Glossary
The following terms and acronyms are used in this Handbook.
ADU | Analog-to -digital Unit |
ADC | Analog to digital Converter |
ABMAG | –2.5 log (Fν) – 48.60 where Fν is the flux from the source in erg cm–2 sec-1 Hz-1 |
ABν | Correction to ABMAG to account for the fact that the source spectrum is not constant in Fν (ABMAG=V+ABν) |
ACS | Advanced Camera for Surveys |
APT | Astronomer’s Proposal Tool |
aXe | Spectroscopic Data Extraction Software (replaced by hstaxe) |
BOP | Bright Object Protection |
calwf3 | WFC3 calibration pipeline software |
CCD | Charge Coupled Device. Solid-state, photon counting device |
CDS | Correlated Double Sampling |
COS | Cosmic Origins Spectrograph |
CP | Call for Proposals |
CR | Cosmic ray |
CR-SPLIT | Division of a CCD exposure into shorter exposures to be used for cosmic ray rejection |
CSM | Channel select mechanism |
CTE | Charge Transfer Efficiency |
CVZ | Continuous Viewing Zone |
DCL | Detector Characterization Laboratory at NASA GSFC |
DN | Data Number |
DQ | Data Quality |
EE | Encircled energy |
ETC | Exposure Time Calculator. ETCs are Web-based tools which can be accessed through the WFC3 webpages. |
FET | Field-effect Transistor |
FGS | Fine Guidance Sensors |
FITS | Flexible Image Transport System. |
FOV | Field of View |
FPA | Focal-Plane Array |
FSM | Filter select mechanism |
FWHM | Full width at half maximum |
GO | General Observer |
GSC | Guide Star Catalog |
GSFC | NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center |
Help Desk | Facility for getting help on HST related topics: http://hsthelp.stsci.edu or help@stsci.edu. |
HRC | High Resolution Channel of ACS (non-operational) |
HST | Hubble Space Telescope |
hstaxe | grism exposure analysis software (replaced aXe) |
IPT | Integrated Product Team |
IR | Infrared |
IRAF | Image Reduction and Analysis System. The environment in which STSDAS operates. |
ISR | Instrument Science Report |
K | Degree Kelvin |
MBE | Molecular-beam Epitaxial |
MPP | Multi Pinned Phased, a CCD mode that reduces dark current rate |
MTF | Modulation Transfer Function |
MUX | Multiplexer |
NICMOS | Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrograph |
NUV | Near ultraviolet (~2000–4000 Å) |
OTA | Optical Telescope Assembly |
PASP | Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific |
Phase | A proposal for observing time on HST |
Phase | An approved HST proposal; includes precise detail of how program is to be executed |
PI | Principal investigator |
POM | Pick- off Mirror |
PRF | Pixel Response Function |
PSF | Point-spread function |
PyRAF | version of IRAF implemented in the Python language |
QE | Quantum efficiency |
ramp | A sequence of non-destructive readouts comprising a single IR exposure |
rms | Root mean square |
SAA | South Atlantic anomaly |
SBC | Solar-Blind Channel of ACS |
SDSS | Sloan Digital Sky Survey |
SED | Spectral-energy Distribution |
SIAF | Science Instrument Aperture File |
SM4 | Servicing Mission 4 |
SMOV | Servicing Mission Observatory Verification |
S/N | Servicing Mission Observatory Verification |
SOFA | Selectable Optical Filter Assembly |
SOC | Scientific Oversight Committee |
ST-ECF | Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility |
STIS | Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph |
STScI | Space Telescope Science Institute |
STSDAS | Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System. The complete suite of IRAF data analysis and calibration routines used to process HST data. |
synphot | Synthetic Photometry software package: https://synphot.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ |
TAC | Telescope Allocation Committee |
TEC | Thermal Electric Coolers |
UV | Ultraviolet |
UVIS | Ultraviolet and Visual (CCD channel of WFC3) |
WFC | Wide-Field Channel of ACS |
WFC3 | Wide Field Camera 3 |
WF/PC-1 | Wide Field Planetary Camera-1. Original on-axis HST camera |
WFPC2 | Wide Field Planetary Camera-2. Replacement for WF/PC installed during first servicing mission of December 1993. |
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WFC3 Instrument Handbook
- • Acknowledgments
- Chapter 1: Introduction to WFC3
- Chapter 2: WFC3 Instrument Description
- Chapter 3: Choosing the Optimum HST Instrument
- Chapter 4: Designing a Phase I WFC3 Proposal
- Chapter 5: WFC3 Detector Characteristics and Performance
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Chapter 6: UVIS Imaging with WFC3
- • 6.1 WFC3 UVIS Imaging
- • 6.2 Specifying a UVIS Observation
- • 6.3 UVIS Channel Characteristics
- • 6.4 UVIS Field Geometry
- • 6.5 UVIS Spectral Elements
- • 6.6 UVIS Optical Performance
- • 6.7 UVIS Exposure and Readout
- • 6.8 UVIS Sensitivity
- • 6.9 Charge Transfer Efficiency
- • 6.10 Photometric Calibration
- • 6.11 Other Considerations for UVIS Imaging
- • 6.12 UVIS Observing Strategies
- Chapter 7: IR Imaging with WFC3
- Chapter 8: Slitless Spectroscopy with WFC3
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Chapter 9: WFC3 Exposure-Time Calculation
- • 9.1 Overview
- • 9.2 The WFC3 Exposure Time Calculator - ETC
- • 9.3 Calculating Sensitivities from Tabulated Data
- • 9.4 Count Rates: Imaging
- • 9.5 Count Rates: Slitless Spectroscopy
- • 9.6 Estimating Exposure Times
- • 9.7 Sky Background
- • 9.8 Interstellar Extinction
- • 9.9 Exposure-Time Calculation Examples
- Chapter 10: Overheads and Orbit Time Determinations
-
Appendix A: WFC3 Filter Throughputs
- • A.1 Introduction
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A.2 Throughputs and Signal-to-Noise Ratio Data
- • UVIS F200LP
- • UVIS F218W
- • UVIS F225W
- • UVIS F275W
- • UVIS F280N
- • UVIS F300X
- • UVIS F336W
- • UVIS F343N
- • UVIS F350LP
- • UVIS F373N
- • UVIS F390M
- • UVIS F390W
- • UVIS F395N
- • UVIS F410M
- • UVIS F438W
- • UVIS F467M
- • UVIS F469N
- • UVIS F475W
- • UVIS F475X
- • UVIS F487N
- • UVIS F502N
- • UVIS F547M
- • UVIS F555W
- • UVIS F600LP
- • UVIS F606W
- • UVIS F621M
- • UVIS F625W
- • UVIS F631N
- • UVIS F645N
- • UVIS F656N
- • UVIS F657N
- • UVIS F658N
- • UVIS F665N
- • UVIS F673N
- • UVIS F680N
- • UVIS F689M
- • UVIS F763M
- • UVIS F775W
- • UVIS F814W
- • UVIS F845M
- • UVIS F850LP
- • UVIS F953N
- • UVIS FQ232N
- • UVIS FQ243N
- • UVIS FQ378N
- • UVIS FQ387N
- • UVIS FQ422M
- • UVIS FQ436N
- • UVIS FQ437N
- • UVIS FQ492N
- • UVIS FQ508N
- • UVIS FQ575N
- • UVIS FQ619N
- • UVIS FQ634N
- • UVIS FQ672N
- • UVIS FQ674N
- • UVIS FQ727N
- • UVIS FQ750N
- • UVIS FQ889N
- • UVIS FQ906N
- • UVIS FQ924N
- • UVIS FQ937N
- • IR F098M
- • IR F105W
- • IR F110W
- • IR F125W
- • IR F126N
- • IR F127M
- • IR F128N
- • IR F130N
- • IR F132N
- • IR F139M
- • IR F140W
- • IR F153M
- • IR F160W
- • IR F164N
- • IR F167N
- Appendix B: Geometric Distortion
- Appendix C: Dithering and Mosaicking
- Appendix D: Bright-Object Constraints and Image Persistence
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Appendix E: Reduction and Calibration of WFC3 Data
- • E.1 The STScI Reduction and Calibration Pipeline
- • E.2 The SMOV Calibration Plan
- • E.3 The Cycle 17 Calibration Plan
- • E.4 The Cycle 18 Calibration Plan
- • E.5 The Cycle 19 Calibration Plan
- • E.6 The Cycle 20 Calibration Plan
- • E.7 The Cycle 21 Calibration Plan
- • E.8 The Cycle 22 Calibration Plan
- • E.9 The Cycle 23 Calibration Plan
- • E.10 The Cycle 24 Calibration Plan
- • E.11 The Cycle 25 Calibration Plan
- • E.12 The Cycle 26 Calibration Plan
- • E.13 The Cycle 27 Calibration Plan
- • E.14 The Cycle 28 Calibration Plan
- • Glossary