About RHESSI time parameters in the data analysis software

This memo explains the meaning of parameters defining time intervals needed in the RHESSI data analysis software. As the number of time parameters is quite high, we hope that this description will allow users getting a better overview about the system.

The time intervals appear in several resolutions: overall analysis time ranges, data product time ranges, and resolution time ranges.

Overall analysis time ranges:

• im_time_range: the analysis time ranges for an image cube. im_time_range can take several forms. Typically im_time_range will be divided into several time intervals, one for each
  
• aspect_time_range: the entire time range used to calculate the aspect solution. Usually set automatically.

Data product time ranges

• time_range: the time range for a single image. It can be set either to a UT time in anytim format, or to a time range in seconds relative to the start of obs_time_interval.
• absolute_time_range: the UT time range used by the sofware to generate the image (info parameter only)
  
• im_time_interval: the time interval betwen individual images in an image cube.
• ltc_time_range: the time range of a rhessi light curve, i.e.
  
• sp_time_range: the time range of a rhessi spectrum

Data product time resolutions

• ltc_time_resolution: the time resolution of a rhessi light curve. Used in hsi_lightcurve()
• sp_time_resolution: the time resolution of a rhessi spectrum. Used in hsi_spectrum().
• time_bin_min the minimum time binnning, in binary microseconds, usually set automatically.
• time_bin_def: the factor appled to time_bin_min for each detector, usually set automatically.

Graphical representation of the parameters

Representation of imaging parameters and general parameters

Representation of lightcurve-related time parameters

Representation of spectrum-related parameters: