Automated SpectroPhotometric Image REDuction (ASPIRED)

Abstract

We provide a suite of public open-source spectral data-reduction software to rapidly obtain scientific products from all forms of long-slit-like spectroscopic observations. Automated SpectroPhotometric REDuction (ASPIRED) is a Python-based spectral data-reduction toolkit. It is designed to be a general toolkit with high flexibility for users to refine and optimize their data-reduction routines for the individual characteristics of their instruments. The default configuration is suitable for low-resolution long-slit spectrometers and provides a quick-look quality output. However, for repeatable science-ready reduced spectral data, some moderate one-time effort is necessary to modify the configuration. Fine-tuning and additional (pre)processing may be required to extend the reduction to systems with more complex setups. It is important to emphasize that although only a few parameters need updating, ensuring their correctness and suitability for generalization to the instrument can take time due to factors such as instrument stability. We compare some example spectra reduced with ASPIRED to published data processed with iraf-based and STARLINK-based pipelines, and find no loss in the quality of the final product. The Python-based, iraf-free ASPIRED can significantly ease the effort of an astronomer in constructing their own data-reduction workflow, enabling simpler solutions to data-reduction automation. This availability of near-real-time science-ready data will allow adaptive observing strategies, particularly important in, but not limited to, time-domain astronomy.

arXiv comment23 pages, 10 figures, 1 table, 1 appendix

References in corpus (22)

• SciPy 1.0--Fundamental Algorithms for Scientific Computing in Python
• Array Programming with NumPy
• Astropy: A Community Python Package for Astronomy
• The Astropy Project: Building an inclusive, open-science project and status of the v2.0 core package
• Cosmic-Ray Rejection by Laplacian Edge Detection
• Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network
• Molecfit: A general tool for telluric absorption correction. I. Method and application to ESO instruments
• Molecfit: A general tool for telluric absorption correction II. Quantitative evaluation on ESO-VLT X-Shooter spectra
• The Rapid Reddening and Featureless Optical Spectra of the optical counterpart of GW170817, AT 2017gfo, During the First Four Days
• Energetic eruptions leading to a peculiar hydrogen-rich explosion of a massive star
• Flat-relative optimal extraction. A quick and efficient algorithm for stabilised spectrographs
• Optical atmospheric extinction over Cerro Paranal
• Atmospheric extinction properties above Mauna Kea from the Nearby Supernova Factory spectro-photometric data set
• Flux calibration of medium-resolution spectra from 300 nm to 2500 nm: Model reference spectra and telluric correction
• SpectRes: A Fast Spectral Resampling Tool in Python
• Skycorr: A general tool for spectroscopic sky subtraction
• Spectroscopic and Photometric Periods of Six Ultracompact Accreting Binaries
• Optimal extraction of echelle spectra: getting the most from observations
• Eclipsing White Dwarf Binaries in Gaia and the Zwicky Transient Facility
• Identifying Blue Large Amplitude Pulsators from Gaia DR2 & ZTF DR3
• Two New Nova Shells associated with V4362 Sagittarii and DO Aquilae
• First discovery of an ultra-cool white dwarf benchmark in common proper motion with an M dwarf

Cited by in corpus (6)

• AT 2021loi: A Bowen Fluorescence Flare with a Rebrightening Episode, Occurring in a Previously-Known AGN
• Cyclotron emitting magnetic white dwarfs in post common envelope binaries discovered with the Zwicky Transient Facility
• An upper limit on the frequency of short-period black hole companions to Sun-like stars
• A low mass, binary-stripped envelope for the Type IIb SN 2024abfo
• An update on the development of ASPIRED
• SPAN: A cross-platform Python GUI software for optical and near-infrared spectral analysis