1. What data files are required to run MAKEE?
2. How closely do the spectrograph setup parameters have to match?
3. How are the spectra stored?
4. What does 'relative flux' mean in extracted spectra?
5. How are the spectra produced?
6. What products are available?
7. What are ideal input data for MAKEE?

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1. What data files are required to run MAKEE?
   The absolute minimum are an HIRES object observation data file and a flat field (quartz) observation data file. But if you want a wavelength scale, you will also need an arclamp (ThAr) observation. If the object image does not adequately define the position of echelle trace on the CCD (too faint or too much absorption), you may also need a star or "trace" observation. This is usually a bright standard star or other bright point source which illuminates all orders with no wide absorption troughs. It is also possible to use a quartz lamp exposure with the pinhole decker (D5 for HIRES), although an astronomical source is preferred. The "short dark" or "bias" exposure is optional may be specified.

   See description of MAKEE command line syntax .
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2. How closely do the spectrograph setup parameters have to match?
   The binning should match-- the images must be all the same size. It is recommended but not required that the decker and filters match. The echelle and cross disperser angles should match within 0.02 units (see tolerances ).

   See description of MAKEE command line syntax .
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3. How are the spectra stored?
   In 2-dimensional FITS images where each row of the image is a separate echelle order. The number of columns is equal to the dimension (in pixels) of the (trimmed) HIRES CCD image along the dispersion direction.

   MAKEE will also produced ASCII table files if the '-koa' option is used when running MAKEE. In this case, a separate ASCII table is produced for each order containing wavelength and relative flux. See KOA table description .

   See description of input files and output files .
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4. What does 'relative flux' mean in extracted spectra?
   The relative flux given in the extracted spectra output is in counts (digital number) after division by the (normalized) flat field image. It is NOT divided by exposure time. This generally produces a reasonable result since the flat field takes out the response across each order, but the flux level between orders generally does not match.

   This software is not designed to produce flux calibrated spectra, which is generally difficult with an echelle spectrograph. In fact with the Keck HIRES instrument there appears to be an altitude/azimuth dependence on the instrument response, although this has never (to my knowledge) been fully investigated.
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5. How are the spectra produced?
   ...
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6. What products are available?
   A variety of output products are produced to show the extracted data and assess the quality of the data. See description of the standard (default) data products: output files . There is also an optional set of 'KOA' ASCII output tables described here .
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7. What are ideal input data for MAKEE?
   Here is a description of the ideal set of input files for MAKEE (ideal inputs) .
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(June 2008)