An Example of a Simple PIMMS Session

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To run PIMMS, one executes a number of commands to set up the desired parameters for the run, and then the 'go' command. The basic PIMMS commands are:

• PRODUCT defines the data product (count or image) to predict.
• MODEL defines the spectral model parameters.
• INSTRUMENT defines the instrument in which the product is to be predicted.
• FROM defines the instrument (or flux) from which to obtain the normalization for the spectrum.

In the following example, PIMMS is used to predict the count rate in the XSPECT LEPC detector for a source with a thermal Bremsstrahlung spectrum with kT = 1 keV and NH = 1.0e21, and a rate in the ASCA SIS of 1 cps.

> pimms
  *** PIMMS Version 1.2 (1993 May 26 release) ***
      Reading mission directory, please wait
  * PIMMS simulation product is COUNT
     count rates for various instruments or intrinsic fluxes can be estimated
     <--- Use 'PRODUCT' to simulate images
  * Current model is BREMSSTRAHLUNG, kT=  10.0000 keV; NH =  1.000E+21
     <--- Use 'MODEL' command to change
  * By default, input rate is taken to be
   Flux (  2.000- 10.000 keV) in ergs/cm/cm/s
     <--- Use 'FROM' command to change the default
  * Simulation product will be
   Count rate in ASCA SIS
     <--- Use 'INSTRUMENT' command to switch to another instrument

 PIMMS-12> product count		# Specify Count Rate product
 PIMMS-12> instrument sxg lepc		# Desired instrument is SXG LEPC
 PIMMS-12> from asca sis		# Normalization obtained from ASCA SIS
 PIMMS-12> model tb 1.0 1.0e21		# Thermal Bremsstrahlung, kT = 1.0 keV,
					# NH = 1.0e21 cm**-2
 PIMMS-12> go 1.0			# Execute, with a normalization of 
					# 1 ASCA SIS cps

  * For thermal Bremsstrahlung model with kT=  1.0000 keV; NH =  1.000E+21
    and  1.000E+00 cps in ASCA SIS
    (Model normalization =  2.894E-02)
  * PIMMS predicts  9.841E+00 cps with SXG LEPC
 PIMMS-12> quit
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For additional examples and a fuller description of the above and other PIMMS commands, click here (external postscript viewer required, ~100 kbytes).