NExScI Keck Interferometer Support Page

The NExScI provides observation planning, data infrastructure, and data calibration applications for KI. This web page contains links to help you write and submit a KI proposal and access, reduce and calibrate KI data. For assistance, contact your assigned contact scientist or visit the the help desk page.

Quick Links

• KI public data
  
  • Search for data in the KI database
  • Nulling Key Science Target list
• getCal planning tool: manual and web interface
• Visibility and nulling calibration programs
• Visibility Modelling Tool
  
• Software download page
• Published science papers using KI.
• Published KI instrument papers.
• Requested acknowledgement of KI data or NExScI services.

Interferometry Basics

• What is a visibility and what can KI measure?
• Some useful references and links to complete tutorials
• JPL's PlanetQuest website

Instrument Information

• Instrument Modes and Configurations: Sensitivities and other important parameters
  
• Allowed reconfigurations and overheads
  

Proposal Planning

• How to propose (UC, Caltech, UH, NASA and NOAO TACs all accept KI proposals)
• Update for 2012B call for proposals:
  • The Keck Interferometer is not available.

Observation Planning

Once your proposal has been accepted, you will need to prepare a schedule file. All observations with the Keck Interferometer are executed as service observing.

• How KI observations work
• How to prepare a schedule file
• Calibrator search: getCal manual and web interface
• Visibility Modeling Tool
• Other calibrator search utilities:
  
• searchCal (at the Jean-Marie Mariotti Center)
  
• Calibrator catalogs:
• Borde et al. 2002 at VizieR.
• Merand et al. 2005 at VizieR.
• Lafrasse et al. 2010 at VizieR.
  
• Bad calibrator database (at the Jean-Marie Mariotti Center)

Data Access

The raw data are reduced to averaged visibilities (Level 1) by the NExScI and these data are available through a web interface, subject to data proprietary constraints.

• KI data proprietary policy
• Level 1 database
• Level 1 and 2 data product descriptions
  • V² data
  • Nulling data

Data Analysis

The data analysis is covered in two stages: from raw data to visibilities is called data reduction and correcting those visibilities for the system visibility is called data calibration.

Data Reduction

The data reduction step is run automatically by the NExScI. If you would like the reduction run with different settings, please contact your contact scientist.

• V² data
  • Data reduction guide
  • Default Kvis settings
• Nulling instrument description and data reduction paper (Colavita et al. 2009)

Data Calibration

• Date specific data notes
• Visibility and nulling calibration packages
• V² data
  • How to calibrate your data
  • wbCalib and nbCalib manuals and web interface.
  • wb/nbCalib recommended settings
• Nulling
• Data memos page
  • A series of memos describing the results of various data characterization and calibration tests.

Visiting the NExScI

The NExScI welcomes visits by KI observers who wish to receive in-person tutorials on how to make use of our observing planning and data analysis software tools. To initiate a request to come visit the NExScI, please send email to your contact scientist or visit the the help desk page.