A new determination of the INTEGRAL/IBIS point source location accuracy
Abstract
Aims: We determine the point source location accuracy (PSLA) of the INTEGRAL/IBIS telescope based on analysis of archival in-flight data.
Methods: Over 40 000 individual pointings (science windows) of INTEGRAL/IBIS data were analysed using the latest Off-line Science Analysis software (version 7.0). Reconstructed source positions were then compared with the most accurate positions available, determined using focusing X-ray telescopes. Since the PSLA is a strong function of source detection significance, histograms of the offsets from true position were compiled to determine the 90% confidence limits for both sources in the fully coded field of view (FCFOV) and partially coded field of view (PCFOV).
Results: The PSLA is found to have improved significantly since measurements were first made for early mission data and software for both FCFOV and PCFOV.
Conclusions: This result has implications for observers executing follow-up programs on IBIS sources since the sky area to be searched is reduced by more than 50% in some cases.
- Publication:
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Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- June 2010
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/201014209
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1003.0515
- Bibcode:
- 2010A&A...516A..75S
- Keywords:
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- instrumentation: miscellaneous;
- methods: data analysis;
- Astrophysics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 3 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in A&