On Dec 3, 2024, version 1.16.1 of the JWST Science Calibration Pipeline was made operational as a part of Build 11.1. This build will be used to process all of the new data obtained by the observatory and to reprocess all existing archival data, which takes about 6 weeks. Users can also reprocess their own data immediately using the latest pipeline software and reference files. Please use the MAST subscription service to receive notifications when the data has been reprocessed. 

Build 11.1 provides major improvements for multiple observing modes. Some highlights include:

• Introduction of a new step clean_flicker_noise into the calwebb_detector1 pipeline to correct for 1/f noise in all NIR data. This optional step is off by default, but can be used for offline reprocessing. For further details see the 1/f noise page on JDox.
• Runtime improvements for NIRISS ramp fitting and for multiple parts of the NIRSpec pipeline, affecting IFU, MOS, and BOTS mode data.
• Improved performance for NIRISS SOSS spectral extraction by incorporating the previously standalone PASTASOSS package into the default pipeline.
• Fixed issues with flux conservation during resampling for some spectroscopic modes (particularly NIRSpec MOS and FS), resulting in reduced noise for extracted spectra.
• Improvements to memory management to reduce memory pressure for some of the steps with the largest requirements (e.g., mosaic resampling), and fixed a memory leak in the C-based ramp fitting introduced in build 11.0.

Build 11.1 contains only one new set of calibration reference files compared to Build 11.0 (due to the timing of the recent pipeline migration to quarterly calibration updates). The NIRSpec MOS and FS outlier detection parameter reference files have been updated to mitigate erroneously flagging bright sources due to sampling effects after the improvement to the SNR of individual exposures. Additional revisions to these reference files and the corresponding outlier detection code are planned for Build 11.2 (expected March 2025). 

A list of detailed release notes for this build can be found in JDox on the Operations Pipeline Build pages, along with a description of new known issues (including multiprocessing, NIR cosmic ray snowballs, and NIRSpec MOS/FS outlier detection) and ongoing pipeline development work. For further questions, support, or to provide input on pressing pipeline issues, observers are invited to contact the JWST Help Desk.