The Software Package for Astronomical Reductions with KMOS: SPARK

¹ Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, Postfach 1312, 85741 Garching, Germany
e-mail: davies@mpe.mpg.de
² Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ, UK
³ Universitäts-Sternwarte München, Scheinerstr. 1, 81679 München, Germany
⁴ European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschildstr. 2, 85748 Garching, Germany
⁵ Department of Physics, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK

Received: 15 July 2013
Accepted: 26 August 2013

Abstract

The K-band Multi Object Spectrograph (KMOS) is a multi-object near-infrared integral field spectrometer with 24 deployable cryogenic pick-off arms. Inevitably, data processing is a complex task that requires careful calibration and quality control. In this paper we describe all the steps involved in producing science-quality data products from the raw observations. In particular, we focus on the following issues: (i) the calibration scheme which produces maps of the spatial and spectral locations of all illuminated pixels on the detectors; (ii) our concept of minimising the number of interpolations, to the limiting case of a single reconstruction that simultaneously uses raw data from multiple exposures; (iii) a comparison of the various interpolation methods implemented, and an assessment of the performance of true 3D interpolation schemes; (iv) the way in which instrumental flexure is measured and compensated. We finish by presenting some examples of data processed using the pipeline.