Simple Spectral Access use cases

[Ivo Busko]

Doug Tody wrote:
<snip>
> Data Consumers (e.g., analysis packages, e.g., VO demonstrations that might
> want to add the ability to fetch and display a spectrum)
> 
>     - Name of application, package, demo, etc.
 
        Specview

>     - Summarize capabilities of software

        Spectral display and analysis software. For a list of
capabilities,
        see here: 
       
http://www.stsci.edu/resources/software_hardware/specview/what_is_specview
        and for a list of future capabilities, see here:
       
http://www.stsci.edu/resources/software_hardware/specview/upcoming 

>     - Desired characteristics of input data

        As a minimum, data should consist of (x,y) pairs of
wavelength-flux
        values expressed in wavelength/frequency/energy units, and
spectral
        flux density units respectively. The units information should be
present
        as well, in header keywords or table column descriptors or any
other
        suitable form.

        Additional information that could be included with the above,
(if
        available) is a third value associated with each (x,y) pair 
        representing the measurement error in flux density. Also, it
won't
        hurt if obvious pieces of information such as the object name,
are
        provided as well.

        Uncalibrated data (such as in counts/s units) can also be
ingested
        but not much else can be done with it besides plain ploting.

        A description of the currently supported data formats can be
seen
        here:
       
http://www.stsci.edu/resources/software_hardware/specview/formats
        Formats that share some resemblance with these can be included
in 
        the repertoire of supported formats with minimal effort.

>     - Desired input data format or formats (e.g., graphics, FITS, XML)

        FITS (images, tables), XML, and plain ASCII are all supported at
this
        point. It is fairly easy to write ingestor modules for almost
        any conceivable spectral format that uses one of those media.


-Ivo

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