Previous: Bias
Up: \title
Next: Flat field
Previous Page: Bias
Next Page: Flat field

Preflash

If the chip used needed preflash, you would have obtained some preflash frames at the beginning and end of the night, plus one or two flash maps (see Chapter 4).

1. Average the flash maps.

2. Check for -- and eliminate -- hot spots. Smooth the frame.

3. Trim the edges to the same size of the bias frame.

4. Obtain the mean value of the dark current from the underscan columns (now 1-4, for example) and add that number to the bias frame.

5. Subtract the resulting frame from the one obtained after step 3.

Proceed likewise with the preflash frames. The ratio of mean values of these two frames should be similar to the ratio of flash units used. You can divide the flash map by this ratio and use this ``scaled'' preflash as the one to subtract from the data frames. Use the preflash frames to check for consistency.