ACDS V10.0 - Detailed Description of V/114

ACDS V10.0 - Sun Jan 19 14:24:50 CET 2025

| # Detailed Description of V/114 : MSX6C Infrared Point Source Catalog (Egan+ 2003) |

Note : this is the description file of the original catalog. This HTML page corresponds well to the original description, but some minor changes in the format may have been introduced in the FITS output files in order to allow for arithmetic operations on quantities such as coordinates and times. h:m:s and d:m:s units are normally converted into degrees, and YYYY-MM-DD into julian days.
Similarly, some slight changes may have been introduced in the units; the value given in the HTML files supersedes the value indicated in the ReadMe file for this catalogue.

    V/114               MSX6C Infrared Point Source Catalog     (Egan+ 2003)
    ================================================================================
    The Midcourse Space Experiment Point Source Catalog Version 2.3 (October 2003)
         Egan M.P., Price S.D., Kraemer K.E., Mizuno D.R., Carey S.J., Wright C.O.,
         Engelke C.W., Cohen M., Gugliotti G. M.
        <Air Force Research Laboratory Technical Report AFRL-VS-TR-2003-1589 (2003)>
        =2003yCat.5114....0E
    ================================================================================
    ADC_Keywords: Infrared sources; Photometry, infrared; Surveys

    Mission_Name: MSX

    Description:
        Version 2.3 of the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) Point Source
        Catalog (PSC), which supersedes the version (1.2) that was released
        in 1999 (Cat. V/107), contains over 100,000 more sources than the
        previous version. The photometry is based on co-added image plates, as
        opposed to single-scan data, which results in improved sensitivity and
        hence reliability in the fluxes. Comparison with Tycho-2 positions
        indicates that the astrometric accuracy of the new catalog is more
        than 1'' better than that in Version 1.2. In addition to the Galactic
        plane, Areas Missed by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), and
        the Large Magellanic Cloud, which were included in the previous
        catalog, Version 2.3 includes data from the Small Magellanic Cloud,
        eight nearby galaxies, and several molecular clouds and star forming
        regions.

        The infrared instrument on MSX was named SPIRIT III; it was a 35cm
        clear aperture off-axis telescope with five line scanned infrared
        focal plane arrays of 18.3arcsec square pixels, with a high
        sensitivity (0.1Jy at 8.3micron). The 6 bands are B1 (4.29micron, FWHM
        4.22-4.36micron), B2 (4.25micron, 4.24-4.45micron), A (8.28micron,
        6.8-10.8micron), C (12.13micron, 11.1-13.2micron), D (14.65micron,
        13.5-15.9micron), and E (21.34micron, 18.2-25.1micron).

        The MSX catalog names of the sources have been defined according to
        International Astronomical Union (IAU) conventions with a unique
        identifier combined with the position of the source. In this case,
        the MSX PSC V2.3 sources are named using the convention
           MSX6C GLLL.llll±BB.bbbb,
        where MSX6C denotes that this is MSX data run using Version 6.0 of
        the CONVERT software, and GLLL.llll±BB.bbbb gives the Galactic
        coordinates of the source. (Names in the minicatalogs may differ
        slightly from those given in Kraemer et al. 2002AJ....124.2990K,
        2003AJ....126.1423K)

        For ease of handling, the main catalog is broken into six files: five
        for the Galactic plane survey, plus the primary high latitude regions
        (the IRAS gaps and the LMC). The supplementary catalogs are the
        singleton catalog, the low-reliability catalog, and minicatalogs for
        19 selected regions. All catalogs have the same format. However, the
        minicatalogs for the galaxies (except the SMC) and Orion do not have
        all the fields filled in because they were solely created from the
        images, not from the Point Source Extractor; there are no singleton
        files for these regions. Also, the minicatalogs may not have singleton
        or low-reliability counterparts if no sources met the inclusion
        criteria. All told, there are a total of 45 data files.

    File Summary:

           FileName      Lrecl  Records   Explanations

    ×                   80        .   This file
    × ReadMe            80        .   This file
    × guide.ps         120    96061   Explanatory Guide
    × gp_m2m6.dat      354    76926   Galactic plane, -6. <= b < -2
    × gp_m05m2.dat     354    92116   Galactic plane, -2. <= b < -0.5
    × gp_pm05.dat      354   107309   Galactic plane,       |b|<= 0.5
    × gp_p05p2.dat     354    86579   Galactic plane,  0.5<  b <= 2
    × gp_p2p6.dat      354    68781   Galactic plane,  2. <  b <= 6
    × gb_gt6.dat       354     8776   High latitude, |b|> 6
    × mainl.dat        354    75644   Main low reliability sources (1)
    × mains.dat        354    12179   Sources with only 1 sighting (2)
    × g159-18.dat      354      133   G159.6-18.5
    × g159-18l.dat     354       20   G159.6-18.5 low reliability sources (1)
    × g159-18s.dat     354       19   G159.6-18.5 singletons (2)
    × g300-16.dat      354       99   G300.2-16.80
    × g300-16l.dat     354       89   G300.2-16.80 low reliability sources (1)
    × m101.dat         354        9   M101
    × m101l.dat        354        6   M101 low reliability sources (1)
    × m31.dat          354       84   M31
    × m31l.dat         354       15   M31 low reliability sources (1)
    × m33.dat          354       51   M33
    × m33l.dat         354        1   M33 low reliability sources (1)
    × m83.dat          354       40   M83
    × m83l.dat         354       12   M83 low reliability sources (1)
    × bg160.dat        354       44   MSXBG160 and MSXBG161
    × bg160l.dat       354        7   MSXBG160 and MSXBG161 low reliability sources (1)
    × bg160s.dat       354        5   MSXBG160 and MSXBG161 singletons (2)
    × bg239.dat        354       35   MSXBG239
    × bg239s.dat       354        4   MSXBG239 singletons (2)
    × ngc253.dat       354       36   NGC253
    × ngc4631.dat      354        3   NGC4631
    × ngc4631l.dat     354        2   NGC4631 low reliability sources (1)
    × ngc4945.dat      354       43   NGC4945
    × ngc4945l.dat     354       13   NGC4945 low reliability sources (1)
    × ngc5055.dat      354        2   NGC5055
    × ngc5055l.dat     354        2   NGC5055 low reliability sources (1)
    × orion.dat        354      426   Orion
    × orionl.dat       354       31   Orion low reliability sources (1)
    × pleiade.dat      354       71   the Pleiades
    × pleiadel.dat     354       34   the Pleiades low reliability sources (1)
    × pleiades.dat     354        2   the Pleiades singletons (2)
    × s263.dat         354       65   S263
    × s263l.dat        354       33   S263 low reliability sources (1)
    × s263s.dat        354        3   S263 singletons (2)
    × smc.dat          354      243   the SMC
    × smcl.dat         354       64   the SMC low reliability sources (1)
    × tau.dat          354        8   Taurus (2)
    × taul.dat         354       20   Taurus low reliability sources (1)

    Note (1): Low reliability sources have an image-based signal to noise
               ratio between 3 and 5.
    Note (2): Singleton sources were extracted from a single scan, but satisfied the
               flux quality criteria required for catalog acceptance.

    Remarks about the data files:
        The catalog files are in ASCII format with entries as given in Table
        11 of the Explanatory Guide. The columns are space delimited (except
        for the variability, confusion, and measurement reliability flags,
        which are each given as a block), and were written out using the
        following FORTRAN format statement:

     2002 format(a23,1x,f9.4,1x,f9.4,2(1x,f4.1),1x,f5.1,1x,i3,
          6(1x,1pe12.4,i2,1x,0pf5.1,1x,f6.1,1x,f6.1,1x,i3,1x,f5.1),
          1x,6i1,1x,6i1,1x,6i1)

    Byte-by-byte Description of file:  *.dat

       Bytes Format  Units   Label   Explanations

       1-  5  A5     ---     ---     [MSX6C]
       7- 23  A17    ---     MSX6C   Name (based on galactic position)
      26- 33  F8.4   deg     RAdeg   Right Ascension J2000
      36- 43  F8.4   deg     DEdeg   Declination J2000
      45- 48  F4.1   arcsec  ePos    1-sigma in-scan position uncertainty
      50- 53  F4.1   arcsec  xPos    1-sigma cross-scan position uncertainty
      55- 59  F5.1   deg     posPA   in-scan position angle East of North
      61- 63  I3     ---     Nscan   Number of total scan sightings
      65- 76  E12.4  Jy      B1      Flux density in B1 (4.29um) band (1)
          78  I1     ---     q_B1    [0,4] Band B1 quality (2)
      80- 84  F5.1   %       e_B1    ?=-99.0 flux uncertainty 1-sigma
      86- 91  F6.1   ---     B1SNim  Band B1 image extraction SNR (3)
      93- 98  F6.1   ---    B1SNpsx  Band B1 point source extractor SNR
     100-102  I3     ---     o_B1    ?=-1 Number of sightings in Band B1
     104-108  F5.1   ---     B1var   Variation in Band B1 measurements
     110-121  E12.4  Jy      B2      Flux density in B2 (4.35um) band (1)
         123  I1     ---     q_B2    [0,4] Band B2 quality (2)
     125-129  F5.1   %       e_B2    ?=-99.0 flux uncertainty 1-sigma
     131-136  F6.1   ---     B2SNim  Band B2 image extraction SNR (3)
     138-143  F6.1   ---    B2SNpsx  Band B2 point source extractor SNR
     145-147  I3     ---     o_B2    ?=-1 Number of sightings in Band B2
     149-153  F5.1   ---     B2var   Variation in Band B2 measurements
     155-166  E12.4  Jy      A       Flux density in A (8.28um) band (1)
         168  I1     ---     q_A     [0,4] Band A quality (2)
     170-174  F5.1   %       e_A     ?=-99.0 flux uncertainty 1-sigma
     176-181  F6.1   ---     ASNim   Band A image extraction SNR (3)
     183-188  F6.1   ---     ASNpsx  Band A point source extractor SNR
     190-192  I3     ---     o_A     ?=-1 Number of sightings in Band A
     194-198  F5.1   ---     Avar    Variation in Band A measurements
     200-211  E12.4  Jy      C       Flux density in C (12.13um) band (1)
         213  I1     ---     q_C     [0,4] Band C quality (2)
     215-219  F5.1   %       e_C     ?=-99.0 flux uncertainty 1-sigma
     221-226  F6.1   ---     CSNim   Band C image extraction SNR (3)
     228-233  F6.1   ---     CSNpsx  Band C point source extractor SNR
     235-237  I3     ---     o_C     ?=-1 Number of sightings in Band C
     239-243  F5.1   ---     Cvar    Variation in Band C measurements
     245-256  E12.4  Jy      D       Flux density in D (14.65um) band (1)
         258  I1     ---     q_D     [0,4] Band D quality (2)
     260-264  F5.1   %       e_D     ?=-99.0 flux uncertainty 1-sigma
     266-271  F6.1   ---     DSNim   Band D image extraction SNR (3)
     273-278  F6.1   ---     DSNpsx  Band D point source extractor SNR
     280-282  I3     ---     o_D     ?=-1 Number of sightings in Band D
     284-288  F5.1   ---     Dvar    Variation in Band D measurements
     290-301  E12.4  Jy      E       Flux density in E (21.34um) band (1)
         303  I1     ---     q_E     [0,4] Band E quality (2)
     305-309  F5.1   %       e_E     ?=-99.0 flux uncertainty 1-sigma
     311-316  F6.1   ---     ESNim   Band E image extraction SNR (3)
     318-323  F6.1   ---     ESNpsx  Band E point source extractor SNR
     325-327  I3     ---     o_E     ?=-1 Number of sightings in Band E
     329-333  F5.1   ---     Evar    Variation in Band E measurements
         335  I1     ---     varB1   [0,1] Band B1 variability flag (4)
         336  I1     ---     varB2   [0,1] Band B2 variability flag (4)
         337  I1     ---     varA    [0,1] Band A variability flag (4)
         338  I1     ---     varC    [0,1] Band C variability flag (4)
         339  I1     ---     varD    [0,1] Band D variability flag (4)
         340  I1     ---     varE    [0,1] Band E variability flag (4)
         342  I1     ---     confB1  [0,1] Band B1 confusion flag
         343  I1     ---     confB2  [0,1] Band B2 confusion flag
         344  I1     ---     confA   [0,1] Band A confusion flag
         345  I1     ---     confC   [0,1] Band C confusion flag
         346  I1     ---     confD   [0,1] Band D confusion flag
         347  I1     ---     confE   [0,1] Band E confusion flag
         349  I1     ---     relB1   Band B1 measurement reliability flag (5)
         350  I1     ---     relB2   Band B2 measurement reliability flag (5)
         351  I1     ---     relA    Band A measurement reliability flag (5)
         352  I1     ---     relC    Band C measurement reliability flag (5)
         353  I1     ---     relD    Band D measurement reliability flag (5)
         354  I1     ---     relE    Band E measurement reliability flag (5)

    Note (1): fluxes in the infrared bands:
         The filter characteristics are (wavelengths in µm):
             ----------------------------
             Band  Center   FWHM Points
             ----------------------------
             B1    4.29     4.22 - 4.36
             B2    4.35     4.24 - 4.45
             A     8.28     6.8  - 10.8
             C    12.13     11.1 - 13.2
             D    14.65     13.5 - 15.9
             E    21.34     18.2 - 25.1
             ----------------------------
         When the number of sightings is zero, the fluxes are set to the
         negative value of the sensitivity limit.
    Note (2): The Quality flags in each band are:
         4 = excellent, SNim >= 10.0
         3 = good,      7.0  <= SNim < 10.0
                     or SNim  = -800 and SNpsx >= 10.0
         2 = fair,      5.0  <= SNim < 7.0
                     or SNim  = -800 and 5.0 <= SNpsx < 10.0
         1 = limit,     SNim < 5.0
         0 = not detected
    Note (3): SNim can take on a value of -800 if no image plate exists at the
         source location and -999 if the image-based PRF fitting was unable to
         extract a positive irradiance value. In these cases, we default to the
         SNpsx to set the flux quality flag.
    Note (4): the variability flag is set to 1 when the variation of the
        measurements over the mission exceeds the 3{sigma} limit. The confusion
        flag is set to 1 if there is a potential confusion issue.
    Note (5): a value of 0 means that the measurements fit the point source
       function and that all measurements were of adequate signal-to-noise.
       A value of R=9 is assigned when the source is not detected in the band.

    History:
       The files, were kindy supplied by Dr Kathleen Kraemer in November 2003
    ================================================================================
    (End)                                   Francois Ochsenbein [CDS]    11-Dec-2003