Reference Files

Many pipeline steps rely on the use of reference files that contain different types of calibration data or information necessary for processing the data. The reference files are instrument-specific and are periodically updated as the data processing evolves and the understanding of the instruments improves. They are created, tested, and validated by the Roman Instrument Teams. They ensure all the files are in the correct format and have all required attributes. The files are then delivered to the Reference Data for Calibration and Tools (ReDCaT) Management Team. The result of this process is the files being ingested into the Roman Calibration Reference Data System (CRDS), and made available to the pipeline team and any other ground subsystem that needs access to them.

Information about all the reference files used by the Calibration Pipeline can be found at Reference File Information, as well as in the documentation for each Calibration Step that uses a reference file.

CRDS

CRDS reference file mappings are usually set by default to always give access to the most recent reference file deliveries and selection rules. On occasion it might be necessary or desirable to use one of the non-default mappings in order to, for example, run different versions of the pipeline software or use older versions of the reference files. This can be accomplished by setting the environment variable CRDS_CONTEXT to the desired project mapping version, e.g.

$ export CRDS_CONTEXT='roman_0017.pmap'

Within STScI, the current storage location for all Roman CRDS reference files is:

/grp/crds/roman/references/roman/