JWST JDox Latest Updates

Lists of recently updated articles in the JWST User Documentation (JDox) website are provided in this page.

On this page

All articles related to the Cycle 5 Call for Proposals have been reviewed and updated with the latest information. Only major updates are mentioned below.

New JDox articles since January 1, 2025

Updated  



Notable updates to JDox articles since Jan 1, 2025

Updated  

ArticleUpdated onUpdate description
Observatory
JWST Guide Stars

 

Added information on identifying guide stars & reference stars
JWST Fine Guide Stability

 

Added info on GS data products, jitter products, measuring jitter, and jitter tools
Instruments → MIRI
MIRI Wide Field Slitless Spectroscopy

 

Added section on variations along the field of view
MIRI Imaging Dithering

 

Refined the recommended dither pattern to be the Cycling-Large pattern.

 

Refined the recommended dither pattern to be the 4-point Cycling-Large pattern
MIRI Bright Source Limits

 

Updated figure on MIRI bright source limits for point sources to include WFSS mode
MIRI Sensitivity

 

Added additional text about MRS sensitivity evolution and discrepancies with ETC 5.0 and updated the figure to include WFSS
MIRI Medium Resolution Spectroscopy

 

Figure 3 (Resolving power as a function of wavelength for MIRI MRS) updated
MIRI Detector Subarrays

 

  • Added reference to the WFSS mode for Cycle 5
  • Clarified description of subarray readout and burst mode
MIRI TSO Recommended Strategies

 

Wording adjusted for clarification, and more details about saturation added
MIRI LRS Slit Target Acquisition

 

Figure 1 updated to indicate that the verification image no longer needs to use the TA filter
MIRI Coronagraphic Imaging APT Template

 

Updated section about "Additional Justification" checkbox to clarify its use, and the requirement that the Phase I proposal must have provided detailed justification for not specifying a dedicated PSF reference

MIRI Imaging Recommended Strategies

 

Updated guidance to match current MIRI best practices

MIRI Imaging Mosaics

 

Changed the section on subarrays to reflect the new default overlap of 10%

Instruments → NIRCam
NIRCam Wide Field Slitless Spectroscopy APT Template

 

Added updated Target Placement options

 

Updated parallel section with pure parallel information
NIRCam Imaging APT Template

 

Added updated Target Placement options
NIRCam Imaging Recommended Strategies

 

Updated the "Mind the Gap" section to reflect updated Target Placement options in APT

 

Updated recommendation for compact target placement on the detector
NIRCam Primary Dithers

 

Added 8NIRSPECTIGHT dither pattern info to the NIRCamDitherPatterns.zip file, Figure 3, and the text.
NIRCam WFSS Backgrounds

 

Updated page to include information about new WFSS backgrounds
NIRCam Point Spread Functions

 

Added plots and values for resampled EE measurements
NIRCam Coronagraphic Target Acquisition

 

Added an information block describing automated and recommended application of TA offsets
NIRCam Short Wavelength Grism Time Series Observing Strategies

 

Updates for APT 2025.3, specifically availability of new DHSn readout patterns, updated subarray dimensions, and syncing of APT and ETC subarray names in those GUIs.
NIRCam Rogue Path Planning Tool for Avoiding 'Claws' Artifacts

 

Added output_directory argument to create_v3_vs_flux_plot() for compatibility across python environments.
NIRCam Multistripe Subarrays for Grism Time Series Spectroscopy

 

Added Figure 2
APT Export Files

 

Added information about the new records file
NIRCam Detector Readout Patterns

 

Added note about new DHS-specific readout patterns
NIRCam Grism Time-Series APT Template

 

Added note about new DHS-specific readout patterns

NIRCam Short Wavelength Grism Time Series

 

Added note about new DHS-specific readout patterns

NIRCam Filters

 

Updated throughput curves, figures, and table values with V7 values

Instruments → NIRISS
NIRISS AMI Recommended Strategies

 

Updated charge migration signal limit to 23,300e- based on measurements from recent in-flight data in the F480M filter. Also included emphasized suggestion to stay below this limit in every integration.

NIRISS Aperture Masking Interferometry

 

Replaced the AMI flat field errors section with a section that discusses AMI systematics and contrast limits

NIRISS Point Spread Functions

 

Simplified text for STPSF and re-made Figures 1, 2 using STPSF 2.0.

Instruments → NIRSpec
NIRSpec MOS Operations - Pre-Imaging Using NIRCam

 

Updated text and Table 1 to include new dither pattern 8NIRSPECTIGHT

 

Updated the discussion of pre-imaging and archiving of those images.

 

Updated the pre-imaging selections and discussion.

 

IFU, MOS, and FS limiting sensitivity figures replaced for ETC v5.0

 

Replaced figures 3 and 5 due to changes in APT template

 

Updated several places for clarity and a revision to the roll angle errors

 

Updated text to clarify FS nodding and pipeline reduction

 

Removed redundant section and added blind pointing capability for target acquisition.

 

Re-organized sections to reflect recent changes to the Planner with the addition of Pointing Mode options and other changes made in APT 2024.7 and APT 2025.1.  Added new figures 1, 5, 6, and 7
Proposal Preparation → Methods and Roadmaps
JWST Parallel Observations

 

Extended the table of previous pure parallel programs in FAQ #10. Clarified the purpose of the jwst-pure-parallel package in the final sentence of FAQ #9.

 

Added new 5 GB limit on data excess after attachment. Revamped FAQ #8 and #9, linking to the new jwst-pure-parallel package. Added new FAQ #13 about the cost of pure parallels.
JWST Time-Series Observations Roadmap

 

New information added about NIRISS multistripe subarrays to Table 2
JWST Time-Series Observations TSO Saturation

 

Updated to include reference for multistripe SOSS subarrays
JWST Time-Series Observations Noise Sources

 

Added context on NIRISS SOSS backgrounds
Moving Target Scattered Light Considerations

 

Added a Jupyter notebook for checking giant planet satellite observations with the NIRSpec IFU. Removed the discussion of extended PSFs
Moving Target Acquisition and Tracking

 

Added information about shadow observations for Cycle 5
HCI Coronagraphic Sequences

 

Changed recommendations from pre-launch to post-launch, now that PSF stability is known
Proposing Tools
Proposal Planning Video Tutorials

 

  • Added two NIRSpec MOS planning with MPT videos from JWebbinar 30
  • Added the NIRcam Rogue Path Tool to predict scattered light "claws" artifacts

Proposing Tools → Exposure Time Calculator 
JWST ETC Saturation

 

Updated NIRISS AMI/WFSS/Imaging saturation values for ETC 5.0
Proposing Tools → Astronomer's Proposal Tool
APT Coordinated Parallel Observations

 

Updated to include the NIRSpec IFU + NIRCam Imaging combination which is new for Cycle 5.
Proposing Tools → JWST Other Tools
JWST Moving Target Visibility Tool Help

 

Updated for JWST General Target Visibility Tool (GTVT) version 1.1.1.
JWST General Target Visibility Tool Help

 

Updated for JWST General Target Visibility Tool (GTVT) version 1.1.1.
Data → Accessing JWST Data
Accessing JWST Data

 

Added information about calibration software versions
JWST Time Definitions

 

Provided clarification for Level 3 FITS header values

Data → Science Calibration Pipeline

 

Added NIRISS SOSS notebook

 

Updated list of notebooks in JWST pipeline notebooks repository

 

Added information about customizing logging

 

Updated for build 12.0

 

Updated examples, and noted deprecation of not specifying either .call() or .run()

Data → JWST Calibration Status

 

Updated list of recent calibration updates, description of astrometric calibration, references.

 

Updated information on the imager count rate loss for Cycle 5.

Data → Known issues with JWST data

 

Updated section "Useable wavelength range, spectral fold over and leak in LRS slitless"

 

Problems with blind pointing with LRS slit has been solved

 

Added section on FGS-MIRI alignment issue

 

  • Updated pathloss correction section, pointing to new results published in an Observer News article. 
  • Updated issue NS-MOS04 workaround and mitigation plan text. 

 

Updated issue NS-MOS05 to point to improvements gained with the new MOS S-flats and refer to statistics from preliminary results evaluating the state of remaining MOS field dependent variations

 

  • Added issue NS-G10 on picture frame effect.
  • Updated the mitigation plan and workaround for issue NS-G03 and the mitigation plan for issue NS-G06.

 

Added the section describing the picture frame effect

 

  • Revised cube building section to describe pipeline option to build PRISM cubes with a non-linear wavelength solution.
  • Updated status of mitigation plans for issues NS-IFU05, NS-IFU06, and NS-IFU07.

 

  • New section"Outliers in background and leakcal subtracted data."
  • Moved issue NS-IFU08 to the list of retired issues.
  • Updated issues NS-IFU06 and NS-IFU07

 

Updated issues NS-BOTS03 and NS-BOTS04 language to be consistent with other NIRSpec issues. 

 

  • Added text about systematic slopes investigations currently underway.
  • Added section on detector timestamp differences.
  • Moved issues NS-BOTS02 and NS-BOTS06 to the list of retired issues.

 

Updated section on 1/f noise

 

  • Resolved issue NR-WFSS01: the field dependence of the spectral trace shape is now calibrated for all grism/filter combinations.
  • Introduced issue NR-WFSS05: small wavelength offsets between observations in different blocking filters.

 

Added a pipeline note on how to diagnose  and treat overflagging in outlier_detection.

 

Added note on FGS-MIRI alignment calibration

NIRCam Scattered Light Artifacts

 

Added new section on bubbles artifact and added example of smaller primary mirror artifacts

 

Article rewritten for build 11.3, added new information about corrections for MIRI MRS

 

Updated for build 11.3, revised discussion of cosmic ray showers

 

Added note about limiting performance for large numbers of groups

 

Moved retired issues NS-G01, NS-G04, NS-G05, NS-G07, NS-G08 to a separate expandable table.

 

  • Moved retired issues NS-FS01, NS-FS02, NS-FS03, NS-FS04, NS-FS06, NS-FS07, NS-FS10 to a separate expandable table. 
  • Updated issue NS-FS08 mitigation plan. 
  • Resolved issues NS-FS05, NS-FS11 with final mitigation plan.

 

  • Moved retired issues NS-MOS02, NS-MOS03, NS-MOS06, NS-MOS07, NS-MOS08, NS-MOS09 to a separate expandable table.
  • Updated issue NS-MOS05 for analysis progress.
  • Resolved issues NS-MOS01, NS-MOS11.

 

  • Moved retired issue NS-BOTS01 to a separate expandable table.
  • Updated issue NS-BOTS06 mitigation plan.

 

  • Moved retired issues NS-IFU01, NS-IFU02, NS-IFU03, NS-IFU04 to a separate expandable table.
  • Created known issue NS-IFU08: Leakcals are not properly associated in pipeline processing when there are separate leakcals for science and background exposures.
Data → Post-Pipeline Data Analysis

 

Included JDAT ecosystem explanation at the top of the article



Articles updated prior to Jan 1, 2025

Articles updated between Jan 1 and December 31, 2024 are listed at JDox Updates from 1 Jan - 31 Dec 24

Articles updated between June 1 and December 31, 2023 are listed at JDox Updates 1 June - 31 December 2023

Articles updated between January 28 and May 31, 2023 are listed at JDox Updates 28 Jan - May 31 2023.

Articles updated prior to January 27 2023 are listed at JDox Updates 12 July - 6 December 2022.




Notable updatesSee the tables above
Originally published