chanmerge 1.0.2

Automated Chandra X-ray Data Pipeline and Merger

Chanmerge

Chanmerge is a specialized Python library designed to automate the retrieval, reprocessing, and merging of Chandra X-ray Observatory data.

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Scientific Workflow

The library automates a rigorous X-ray analysis chain to ensure data consistency and reproducibility:

• Catalog Cross-Matching: Dynamically queries the chanmaster archival database using astroquery.heasarc to ensure all relevant spatial data within the user-defined search radius is captured.
• Calibration Alignment: Standardizes the reprocessing of raw event files using the chandra_repro algorithm, ensuring every observation is synchronized with the latest CALDB (Calibration Database) updates.
• Flux Synthesis: Automates the multi-step merge_obs process, including exposure map generation and aspect solution handling, to produce integrated flux images across specified energy bands.
• Automated Workspace Management: Sanitizes file structures and handles directory-level organization, mitigating the risk of manual processing errors during large-scale archival studies.

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Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.12+
• CIAO 4.16+ (Must be initialized in the environment)

Setup

pip install chanmerge

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Quick Start

To begin your analysis, use the following Python command:

from chanmerge import auto_merge_obs

auto_merge_obs(
    ra="13:25:27.6", 
    dec="-43:01:09", 
    energy_band="hard",
    radius_arcmin=15.0,
    outdir="chanmerge-test"
)

Coordinate Formats (Important!)

The ra and dec parameters accept coordinates as strings. You can provide them in two different ways:

1. Sexagesimal (Recommended): Just pass the standard string format.

   ra="13:25:27.6", dec="-43:01:09"
   

2. Decimal Degrees: If you prefer using decimal coordinates, you must append a d at the end of the string so the backend parser knows it is a degree.

   ra="201.342d", dec="-43.0192d"
   

> **WARNING:** If you input a raw decimal string without the `d` suffix (e.g., `ra="201.342"`), the pipeline will default to parsing the Right Ascension as *hours* instead of degrees. This will not crash the script, but it will cause the telescope to query an entirely wrong region of the sky!

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Author

Ahmet Sercan Kıyak
Boğaziçi University, Department of Physics

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.