Quality Control and
Data Processing

Generally UVES calibration data are taken as daytime calibrations. On request by the user, also nighttime calibrations can be obtained as part of the Observing Block which generates the SCIENCE data ("attached calibrations").
All calibration data taken in UVES standard settings are processed by the QC group to obtain calibration solutions. These solutions come as

Calibration Raw Data

The following table contains an overview of the raw calibration files for the UVES echelle mode. The data types are identified with the DPR TYPE keyword of the fits headers.

frame	DPR TYPE	Purpose	typical number taken at night
BIAS	BIAS	detector status, bias level	5
DARK	DARK	dark current	3 per month for monitoring
FORMAT CHECK	LAMP,FMTCHK	align spectral format to physical model	1
ORDER DEFINITION FLAT	LAMP,ORDERDEF	define position of orders and interorder background	1
WAVELENGTH CALIBRATION	LAMP,WAVE	dispersion relation	1
ECHELLE FLAT	LAMP,FLAT	fix-pattern noise, fringing, slit function, blaze function	5
ECHELLE DEUTERIUM FLAT	LAMP,DFLAT	same as ECHELLE FLAT, but higher sensitivity in the extreme blue (346 nm)	5
ECHELLE ABSORPTION-CELL FLAT	LAMP,IFLAT	ECHELLE FLAT with the Iodine absorption cell switched on (setting RED 600 1x1)	5
STANDARD STAR EXPOSURE	STD	spectral response of telescope, instrument, detector; efficiency	1

FLATs are taken for each setting and slit width used for SCIENCE data.
Examples of raw UVES frames, FITS headers, and some pipeline products are available from the UVES reference frames page.
For a complete overview of the data types and their dependencies, check the calibration cascade.

Calibration products

The following table contains an overview of the products calibration files for the UVES echelle mode.

raw frame(s)		recipe	description	product(s)
BIAS		uves_cal_mkmaster	create a master bias from set of input raw frames	MASTER_BIAS
DARK		uves_cal_mkmaster	create a master dark from set of input raw frames	(MASTER_DARK)*
FORMAT CHECK		uves_cal_predict	obtain first guess wavelength calibration solution	LINE_TABLE (guess), DRS_SETUP TABLE
ORDER DEFINITION FLAT		uves_cal_orderpos	define order table and background table	ORDER_TABLE, BACKGROUND_TABLE, DRS_SETUP_TABLE
WAVELENGTH CALIBRATION		uves_cal_wavecal	obtain wavelength calibration solution	LINE_TABLE_1/2/3, DRS_SETUP_TABLE
ECHELLE FLAT		uves_cal_mkmaster	create a master flat from set of input flats	MASTER_FLAT
STANDARD STAR EXPOSURE		uves_cal_response	determine instrumental response, efficiency	RESPONSE, EFFICIENCY_TABLE

* for monitoring, taken once a month

If there are several sets of daytime calibration data, only one is processed. If there are one or several sets of night-time calibration data, they are all processed.

Naming scheme

After production and certification, the calibration products are renamed after a scheme which includes type, creation data and relevant UVES setting parameters.
The naming scheme can be found here

Calibration cascade

The processing of UVES calibration frames requires a cascading scheme where the mutual dependencies of products and raw frames have to be respected. Some products (master bias, first guess line table) can be produced from raw files only, but most products require the prior generation of other calibration products. The proper sequence of all these production steps is called the calibration cascade (see here ).
Within that cascade, all products are checked with respect to their quality and their relationship in time. This means e.g. that a master flat is not only generated using an arbitrary quality-checked order table, but that specific table is chosen which at the moment of processing is closest in time.
All products created by QC Garching respect the calibration cascade.

Static calibration tables

The following static calibration tables (not regularly updated) are used by the UVES pipeline:

The flux standard table contains tabulated fluxes for the flux standard stars in use for UVES.
They have been part of the data packages for UVES data, and they are also delivered through the calSelector archive service.