Detailed description of how the MIPS instrument works, how data are processed and calibrated, and what the main data features and their mitigation strategies are. Also, provides information about how to analyze and work with MIPS data.
Document Change Record:
May 2009 Version 0.5 Initial Internal draft done for comments
Feb 2010 Version 1.0 First public draft
Sept 2010 Version 2.0 Revised draft including improved data product lists and descriptions, history of conversion factors, update/corrections to bit mask tables, additional keyword description, and inclusion of new version log, table of figures, and list of tables.
March 2011 Version 3.0 Minor updates and changes, mostly for clarity and readability. Small change to listed zero points.
The MIPS Instrument Handbook is based on the following documents:
• Spitzer Observer’s Manual (Version 8.0, August 2007), produced by the Spitzer Science Center.
• MIPS Data Handbook (Version 3.0, January 2006), by MIPS Instrument Support Team, the MIPS Instrument Team, Science User Support Team.
For the calibration and analysis files for MIPS, please see the calibration files webpage