FOS IDT Report RSDP/FOS-008

Special Oase Reductions - Polarimetry

R. Allen

1988 January 24


Abstract

Results of the FOS IDT tests of the RSDP POLARIMETRY reductions are
presented here. Although there was little documentation describing the
format of the spectropola.rimetric data files, it was eventually
determined that the RSDP software expected a group image file with 18
elements. The software processed tbe group image by assuming that the
element number corresponded directly to the rotationa.l position index
of the wavepla.te used in making the observation. Three problems were
discovered in the tests. The first two problems have been identified
nnd require only minor modifications to the software. The third
problem ja under investigation a.nd is caused by a call to a matrix
inversion routine when the retardation ja exactly 180.0
degrees. Fortunately, none of these problems made it impossible to
proceed with the tests. The results indica.te tha.t the basic
implementation meets tbe specifications in SE-06. The indicated
changes in the code must be implemeted and4 tested, however, before
the POLARIMETRY mode reductions cnn be considered as tested and
approved.