4. Data analysis

Concerning the PDS specific software, the following modules will be included in the BeppoSAX data analysis software:

• gain and energy resolution versus energy, using calibration data;
• response matrix calculation (including tabulated data coming from Monte Carlo simulations - see Sect. 3.1 (click here));
• background subtraction.

The third module will be tuned following the results of the Scientific Verification phase.

Apart from this analysis software, a dedicated software was developed at ITeSRE, based on a common framework for BeppoSAX S/W (Chiappetti & Morini 1991; Maccarone et al. 1992), for the data acquisition and analysis during ground calibrations (Dal Fiume et al. 1994, 1995). This software allows unpacking of raw data from BeppoSAX telemetry, real time display of selected housekeepings, analysis of calibration data. It can transparently read data both in raw telemetry format and in reformatted FOT format. The data display and analysis section is based on . A SQL database based on was also configured to host the results of the analysis of the PDS calibrations during all the pre-operative and operative life of PDS. To this database, we added external facilities to allow easy browsing of the database. The choice of this SQL database was done for the following reasons:

• high reliability due to the high quality of the DB system;
• possibility to embed SQL calls in Fortran and C programs;
• capability to easily design and build GUI interfaces using a native object oriented language.

This software configuration was designed to allow an efficient control of PDS during all its life, with a stable and coherent set of tools, allowing the PDS Scientific Group to answer promptly to the needs of the scientific community in terms of calibrations control, analysis and results. A detailed description of the system will be published elsewhere.

Acknowledgements

The BeppoSAX program and thus the PDS experiment are supported by the Italian Space Agency ASI. Alenia Spazio (Torino), Laben SpA (Vimodrone, Milano), Tecnol (Barberino del Mugello), Bicron (New Bury, U.S.A.) and Officine Galileo (Firenze) with their industrial contracts had a large part in the final PDS design as well as PDS make up. We wish to thank many people who contributed to PDS realization, in particular A. Basili, A. Emanuele, T. Franceschini, G. Landini, E. Morelli, A. Rubini, S. Silvestri and C.M. Zhang for their contribution to the preliminary PDS design and M.N. Cinti who contributed to the analysis of the data from functional tests. Finally warm thanks to R.C. Butler for his continuous skilled and efficient supervision of the PDS final design and realization.