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| Paper: |
XMM-Newton: Passing Five Years of Successful Science Operations |
| Volume: |
347, Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems XIV |
| Page: |
425 |
| Authors: |
Gabriel, C.; Guainazzi, M.; Metcalfe, L. |
| Abstract: |
The major ESA X-ray observatory, XMM-Newton, has passed five years of operations in flight. The design concepts driving the activities of the Science Operations Centre at the European Space Astronomy Centre in Spain have shown their validity for this astrophysics long-term mission. Scienti fic exploitation of data by the astronomical community is facilitated especially through a system resting on 4 pillars:
- scientific data dissemination: from raw telemetry up to processed and calibrated high-level science products, such as images, spectra, source lists, etc;
- dedicated science analysis software: development and distribution of mission specific software, as well as of continuously updated instrument calibration;
- scientific archive: access to data but also to high level information on data contents through state-of-the-art, in-house developed archival facilities;
- documentation: continuously updated documentation on all aspects of spacecraft and instrument operations, data reduction and analysis, with particular focus on the most important scientific results obtained by XMM-Newton, reachable through a comprehensive set of project web pages.We intend to review all these and related aspects forming the basis of a modern astronomical observatory. Our aim is to show how the innovative but solid elements in the approach to each of the mentioned points contribute to forefront science in the light of some of the outstanding scientific results achieved by XMM-Newton.
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