Multi-Object Spectroscopy: Automatic Extraction and Previewing of Spectra

Abstract.

With multi-object spectroscopy becoming an integral part of modern astronomical instrumentation, the amount of such data in archives is bound to increase manyfold in the very near future. One challenge is to make individual spectra easily accessible for preview by the archive users. We have used aXe, a software package developed to perform slitless spectral extraction for the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the HST, to extract spectra from FORS MXU data. One key element of routine spectral extraction is that the extraction process must be robust, take place in a reasonable amount of time, and be general enough so that it works equally well independently of the type of spectrum. We believe that the current approach to the extraction of spectra from FORS MXU satisfy these conditions while being more sophisticated than a simple quick and dirty box extraction method. The extraction process follows the general principle of ACS spectral extraction which is outlined in [1] and [2]. This allows us to perform tilted spectral extraction and to produce wavelength calibrated spectra which can be readily examined using current spectral analysis tools which are part of IRAF.

For the future we foresee the possibility to add further functionality facilitating scientific research in an AVO context. For a rough classification of the objects the extracted spectra could be cross-correlated with templates from a library of digital spectra helping the archive user to judge the relevance of the spectra for his research interest.