1.2 Layout
NICMOS provides direct imaging in broad, medium, and narrow-band filters at a range of spatial resolutions in the near infrared from 0.8 to 2.5 microns, together with broad-band imaging polarimetry, coronagraphic imaging and slitless grism spectroscopy. To guide the proposer through NICMOS's capabilities and help optimize the scientific use of the instrument we have divided this Handbook into five parts: Part I:Introduction; Part II:User's Guide; Part III:How to Plan an Observation; Part IV:Calibration Overview; and Part V:Appendices. Figure 1.1 provides a road map to navigating the document.
The chapters of this Handbook are as follows:
Part I:Introduction
- Chapter 1:Introduction and General Considerations, describes the Handbook layout, where to find help and additional documentation, and important advice for preparing NICMOS proposals.
- Chapter 2:Overview of NICMOS, provides an introduction to the capabilities of NICMOS under NCS operations, the basic physical and imaging layout, a description of the NCS, and a summary of the detectors' operations.
- Chapter 3:Designing NICMOS Observations, shows in tabular form the required steps for designing a NICMOS observing program, guides users through some of the technical details for choosing the optimal configuration for a given observation, and provides the reader with a "map" for the subsequent chapters.
Part II:User's Guide
- Chapter 4:Imaging, provides a description of NICMOS's imaging capabilities including camera resolutions and throughputs, image quality and effects of cosmic rays. The infrared background seen by NICMOS is also described here.
- Chapter 5:Coronagraphy, Polarimetry and Grism Spectroscopy, provides detailed information on coronagraphic imaging, grism spectroscopy, and polarimetry.
- Chapter 6:NICMOS Apertures and Orientation, describes the aperture definitions and the sky-projected orientation of the instrument.
- Chapter 7:NICMOS Detectors, describes the basic properties of the detectors used in the three cameras including their physical characteristics, capabilities and limitations. Performance descriptions are based on calibrations under NCS operations.
- Chapter 8:Detector Readout Modes, explains the data taking modes which take advantage of the non-destructive readout capabilities of the NICMOS arrays. While nearly all observers will choose to use
MULTIACCUM
mode, we give descriptions of other modes to help proposers/users choose the most appropriate ones for their observations.
Part III:How to Plan an Observation
Part IV:Calibration Overview
Part V:Appendices
Figure 1.1: Roadmap for Using the NICMOS Instrument Handbook