Supported Software: SPICE

Spitzer IRS Custom Extraction (SPICE)

Purpose and Description

SPICE is designed to allow the user to:

• visualize the extraction performed by the SSC pipeline
• examine features at known wavelengths in the 2D dspersed image
• extract multiple targets along the slit
• extract local sky spectra along the slit
• re-extract target spectra after sky subtraction on the 2D dispersed image
• re-extract target spectra after interpolation over e.g. bad pixels
• extract spectra from multiple frames in Batch Mode

Downloading and Installing the Software

Manual release (07.23.2008): The latest version of the SPICE manual (pdf) has been released.

Update (04.16.2008): The LH spectral extraction algorithm and corresponding flux calibration has been updated for S17.2 pipeline-processed data. Please see the IRS Pipeline History Log for a detailed description of the changes. Most notably, the flux values (in e/sec) for LH delivered by the Extract module (Regular or Optimal) are now divided by the height (measured along the spectrum in pixels) of the extraction window, as set by the wavsamp wavelength calibration file. This change improves the order matching in *_extract.tbl spectra, but does not have much effect on the final, flux calibrated, *_spect.tbl spectra delivered by Tune. These updates do not pertain to any of the other modules. Note: This is the final update for which Solaris 8 will be supported. Future updates will support only Solaris 10.

Previous SPICE Updates

Follow these instructions for Downloading and Installing the Software.

Upgrading SPICE

All updates to SPICE are distributed via the auto-update function of the GUI. To use the auto-update, SPICE needs to be able to connect to the internet. The net status is displayed at the bottom of the GUI. If you do not see Net Up, you may need to address the problem. The GUI shares its update functionality with Spitzer's SPOT; please see the SPOT user's guide for more information.

SPICE will automatically download any available updates whenever it is restarted. To check for updates without re-starting SPICE, go to the Options menu on the task bar and toggle Use Automatic Spice Version Update off and back on again.

Updates will provide new functionality and cal files as they are developed. Existing files may be replaced if new versions are distributed with the same name, but other files will not be deleted. So, if you modify any files distributed with SPICE, we recommend changing their name to protect them from being overwritten.

Running SPICE

Description of Modules

User's Guides

The SPICE User's Guide is also available in pdf format.

Supporting Documentation

• The IRS Data Handbook may be helpful.
• Also see the Main Documentation Page for additional documents.