Chapter 5:
ACS Error Sources
5.1 Readout Noise and A-to-D Conversion
5.1.1 Readout Noise
5.1.2 A-to-D Conversion
5.2 Bias Subtraction
5.2.1 Bias Calibration Issues
5.2.2 Bias Jump
5.2.3 Bias Subarrays for the WFC and HRC
5.3 Dark Current, Hot Pixels, and Cosmic Rays
5.3.1 Dark Current
5.3.2 Hot Pixels
5.3.3 Cosmic Rays
5.4 Flat Fields
5.4.1 Ground Flats (P-flats)
5.4.2 Inflight L-flat Correction
5.4.3 Pipeline Flats
5.4.4 Earth Flat Verification
5.4.5 Sky Flats
5.5 Image Anomalies
5.5.1 Dust Motes
5.5.2 Optical Ghosts and Scattered Light
5.5.3 Cross Talk
5.5.4 Scattered Earth Light
5.6 Generic Detector and Camera Properties
5.6.1 Gain Calibration
5.6.2 Full Well Depth
5.6.3 Linearity at Low to Moderate Intensity
5.6.4 Linearity Beyond Saturation
5.6.5 Shutter Stability
This chapter describes the sources of uncertainty in ACS data, and provides pointers to resources beyond this manual for the latest descriptions of our evolving understanding of these issues.
