NIRSpec MOS Dither and Nod Patterns
JWST NIRSpec has several dither and nod patterns for the MOS observing mode to mitigate detector effects, help remove cosmic rays, improve flux accuracy, and improve spatial and spectral sampling.
See also: NIRSpec MOS Recommended Strategies, NIRSpec Dithering Recommended Strategies, NIRSpec MSA Leakage Correction for IFU Observations, NIRSpec MSA Leakage Subtraction Recommended Strategies
The NIRSpec multi-object spectroscopy (MOS) mode has several dither and nod options available. In MOS mode, these offsets can be used in data processing to mitigate detector effects, help remove cosmic rays, improve spatial or spectral sampling, and improve flux accuracy. Additionally dithers and nods can help mitigate the effects of light leakage through the MSA.
Micro-shutter assembly (MSA) slitlets are 2 or more open shutters, adjacent in the cross-dispersion (spatial) direction, that form a longer "slitlet," as described in the NIRSpec Multi-Object Spectroscopy article (see Figure 1).
In NIRSpec MOS mode, nods are defined as offsets of the telescope that move each science source into a new shutter of the same MSA configuration (the same open shutter pattern of slitlets). This generates a set of nodded exposures, 3 in the case of the 3-shutter slitlet. These images will be subtracted in data processing to remove in-field background flux (see Figure 1 and Table 2). Nods are typically recommended for point-like targets.
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The Fixed Dither option in the MPT Planner (see Figures 2 and 3) can be used to observe science sources of interest at different positions and through different MSA open-shutter configurations. Using a Fixed Dither, sources will be moved to new locations on the MSA, so that spectral traces fall on a different region of the detectors. This option can be combined with nods. Nods are selected by clicking the Nod in slitlet checkbox in the MPT Planner pane. If dithers and nods are both selected, nods will occur at each of the defined dither positions.
Table 1. NIRSpec MOS dither and nod options in MPT
Offset option | APT parameter | Description |
|---|---|---|
Nodding | Nod in slitlet (checkbox) | The telescope is repositioned slightly between exposures to place the targets in different open shutters within their respective slitlets using a single MSA configuration. This is called nodding. Table 2 presents the possible configurations for nodding patterns using the NIRSpec MOS observing mode. Figure 1 presents the strategy for MSA nods in a 3-shutter slitlet configuration. These offsets are executed within the same MSA configuration. Standard pipeline processing subtracts consecutive nodded exposures to remove the background, before coadding the data into a single calibrated spectrum. Nods can also be used, as with dithers, to mitigate detector effects and help remove cosmic rays. Some users may wish to only nod their MOS observations, and not include fixed dithers, because observing with fewer configurations improves multiplexing and saves a small amount of overhead. For extended sources, where subtraction of the nod positions in the standard pipeline processing would be inappropriate, users should plan to reprocess their data. Additionally, in this scenario, the MSA configuration should include background slits to obtain a master background. |
Fixed dither option | Fixed Dithers | This option can be used to translate a planned MSA slitlet configuration to a new location within the MSA field of view, so that spectra move to a different part of the detector. These are larger dithers (outside a slitlet) that require a reconfiguration of the MSA in order to re-observe the same targets. Users can request a dither in units of shutters in X (positive offset moves the MSA to the right along dispersion axis) and Y (positive offset moves the MSA upward in the cross-dispersion (spatial) direction). These fixed dithers can be used in conjunction with slitlet nods to increase the number of exposures acquired with offsets. Unless the user specifically allows partially observed sources in the MPT Planner, MSA science sources will only be included and considered complete if they fall into operable and available shutters at all dither positions. Due to distortions, different sources at the MSA plane will move by slightly different distances between dither points. (Hence, "fixed dithers" is a bit of a misnomer.) |
See the MSA Planning Tool Planner description and tutorials for expanded information on MOS mode dither and nod options. There are considerations to take into account when deciding whether to nod and dither. For example, nodding is useful for point-like targets and costs little in overheads. Dithering provides a means to sample areas of the detectors with different quantum efficiency and to be able to fill in the wavelength gap in MOS spectra, but requires more overheads to re-configure the MSA. The article NIRSpec Dithering Recommended Strategies will help the user make a more informed decision about when to use each.
Table 2. NIRSpec MSA slitlet nods in MPT
MSA SLITLET NODS | Position index | Y (spatial) arcseconds | OFFSET meaning |
NONE | 1 | 0.000 | No offset |
2-Shutter Nod † | 1 | 0.000 | Initial position |
2 | -0.529 | Offset from initial position | |
3-Shutter Nod ‡ | 1 | 0.000 | Initial position |
2 | 0.529 | Offset from initial position | |
3 | -0.529 | Offset from initial position | |
5-Shutter Nod ‡ | 1 | 0.000 | Initial position |
2 | 0.529 | Offset from initial position | |
3 | 1.058 | Offset from initial position | |
4 | -0.529 | Offset from initial position | |
5 | -1.058 | Offset from initial position | |
5-Shutter Nod ‡ | 1 | 0.000 | Initial position |
2 | 1.058 | Offset from initial position | |
3 | -1.058 | Offset from initial position |
Table note: Nods are offsets along the cross-dispersion (Y) axis only. MSA slitlet nods will be generated automatically in MPT when the Nod in slitlet box is checked. The number of nod positions will equal the number of open shutters in the Slitlet that was chosen. When the 5 Shutter Slitlet is selected, an additional option is provided to select either 3 or 5 exposures per configuration.
† A 2-shutter nod is obtained when the 2 Shutter Slitlet option and the Nod in slitlet checkbox are selected. It starts with science sources in the upper shutter of the 2-shutter slitlet, and then offsets the sources to the lower shutter.
‡ The 3-shutter nod and both 5-shutter nod patterns start with the target in the central shutter of the 3 Shutter Slitlet, or the 5 Shutter Slitlet.
Table values determined from JWST on-orbit data collection.
Compromise dithers for NIRSpec MOS observations with NIRCam coordinated parallel imaging
When NIRSpec MOS observations are planned with NIRCam coordinated parallel imaging, there is the option to include additional sub-shutter dithers in NIRSpec's cross-dispersion direction. These "compromise dithers," listed in Table 3, are small enough that they do not move objects substantially from their optimal positions in the NIRSpec shutters. Including these dithers improves sampling of the point spread function in NIRCam parallel imaging, which is particularly important at short wavelengths.
Table 3. Dithering options for NIRSpec observations that have NIRCam parallel imaging
| Dithers | Index | X (arcsec) | Y (arcsec) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-POINT-WITH-NIRCam-SIZE1 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 0.000 | 0.010 | |
| 2-POINT-WITH-NIRCam-SIZE2 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 0.000 | 0.015 | |
| 2-POINT-WITH-NIRCam-SIZE3 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 0.000 | 0.020 | |
| 3-POINT-WITH-NIRCam-SIZE1 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 0.000 | 0.010 | |
| 3 | 0.000 | −0.010 | |
| 3-POINT-WITH-NIRCam-SIZE2 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 0.000 | 0.015 | |
| 3 | 0.000 | −0.015 | |
| 3-POINT-WITH-NIRCam-SIZE3 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| 2 | 0.000 | 0.020 | |
| 3 | 0.000 | −0.020 |