Configuration file

The parameters in the configuration file are explained below. An example named psms.yaml is also provided in the package.

Observation:

  • Duration :  Simulation duration [days]
  • MasterSeed :  Master seed of the pseudo-random number generator (integer number)

Instrument:

  • Sampling :  Sampling cadence [s] (nominal value: 25s)
  • IntegrationTime : Integration time [s] (nominal value: 21s)
  • NGroup :  Number of camera groups (1 -> 4)
  • NCamera : Number of cameras per group (1 -> 6)
  • TimeShift : Time shift between camera groups [s] (nominal value: 6.25s)
  • RandomNoise:
    • Enable:  active [1] or dis-activate [0]  the random noise
    • Type:  type of random noise, either ‘User’ or ‘PLATO_SCALING’ or ‘PLATO_SIMU’.
      • ‘User’: the NSR value is specified by the user (see below)
      • ‘PLATO_SCALING’: the NSR value is obtained by interpolating, at the given magnitude, the NSR scaling relation expected for PLATO
      • ‘PLATO_SIMU’: the NSR is taken from realistic simulated ligth-curves (stored in the systematics error table, see below) and vary with the mask shapes and thus then the latter are updated
    • NSR : User-specified Noise to Signal Ratio [ppm in one hour] for a single camera. This value takes into account all random noises but does not include systematic errors.
    • Systematics:
      • Enable : active [1] or dis-activate [0]  the  systematic errors
      • Table: name of the binary file containing the parameters for the systematic errors
      • Version: table version  (the latest version is recommended2)
      • DriftLevel:  Amplitude of the drift. Can be either  ‘min’, ‘low’, ‘medium’, ‘high’, ‘max’ or ‘any’. Applicable only for Version>0
      • Note: When systematic errors are enabled, PSLS picks from the systematic error table the target with magnitude close to the magnitude specified by the user (within a +/- 0.25 around the magnitude specified below by the user) and with a drift amplitude in a given range of amplitude (low: 0-0.4 px/90days, medium: 0.4-0.8 px/90days, and high: >0.8 pix/90days). When several targets fulfil the criteria (magnitude and drift level), PSLS randomly selects one of those.

Star:

  • Mag : V magnitude (John V magnitude). The V magnitude is converted into the PLATO P magnitude using the star effective temperature following Marchiori et al (2019, A&A)’s Teff-magnitude relation.
  • ID : star ID (an arbitrary integer number)
  • ModelDir: Directory containing the pulsation models (a single ADIPLS file, a grid of ADIPLS files, or a simple TEXT file, see below)
  • ModelType:  Type of pulsation model, can be either ‘UP’, ‘grid’, ‘grid-old’ ‘single’, or ‘text’.  The option ‘grid-old’ is to be used with the old type of grid, the new one being stored in HDF5 files model.
  • ModelName:  Name of the input pulsation model, to be specified when ModelType = ‘single’ or ‘text’.  The input pulsation model can be either a .gsm file (generated by ADIPLS),  a simple TEXT file,   or an HDF5 file storing a grid of CESAM2K models. In the cas of a TEXT file, the latter shall provide the mode properties (in 3 columns: frequency, width and height). Mode frequencies and mode widths are in muHz and mode heights are in ppm^2/muHz. For the mode heights a “single-sided” spectrum is assumed.
  • ES :  Evolutionary status,  ‘ms’ for the main-sequence phase, ‘sg’ for the sub-giant phase, ‘rg’ for redgiants (Red Giant Branch or clump stars)
  • Teff :  Star effective temperature [K]
  • Logg :  Surface gravity, ignored when ModelType = ‘UP’
  • SurfaceRotationPeriod : Surface rotation period [days], not used when ModelType = ‘UP’
  • CoreRotationFreq :   Core rotation frequency [muHz], this is by definition Omega/2pi*1e6 where Omega is the angular rate [rad/s], used only when ModelType = ‘UP’
  • Inclination :  Inclination angle [deg.]
  • Seed:  Seed of the pseudo-random number generator used to stellar signal (activity, granulation, and oscillations ; spot excluded). Negative value if controlled by MasterSeed

Oscillations:

  • Enable: include  [1] or not [0]  the solar-like oscillations
  • numax : frequency at maximum power [muHZ], used only when ModelType = ‘UP’
  • delta_nu :   Mean large separation [muHz], used only when ModelType = ‘UP’ , -1 if you want this parameter to be derived from a scaling relation
  • DPI : Asymptotic values of the gravity mode period spacing [s], used only when ModelType = ‘UP’, -1 if you don’t want mixed modes to be included
  • q :  Mixed mode coupling factor, used only when ModelType = ‘UP’
  • SurfaceEffects: 1 Include near-surface effects in mode frequencies, not implemented when ModelType = ‘UP’

Activity :

  • Enable: include  [1] or not [0] stellar activity
  • Sigma :  Amplitude of the activity component [ppm]
  • Tau : Time-scale of the activity component [days]
  • Spot:
    • Enable: include  [1] or not [0] stellar spots
    • dOmega:  Differential rotation, dimensionless
    • MuStar:  Limb darkening coefficient of the star (a linear limb darkening law is assumed)
      MuSpot:  Limb darkening coefficient of the spot
      Radius:  Spots radii, in degrees, as many values as spots modelled
      Latitude: Spots latitudes, in degrees
      Longitude:  Spots latitudes, in degrees
      Lifetime: lifetime of the spot in days
      TimeMax: The time of maximum spot contrast, in days. Negative value if you want to be drawn randomly
      Contrast: Maximum contrast of the spot (flux of the spot in units of unspotted stellar flux), dimensionless
      Seed:  Seed of the pseudo-random number generator used to generate TimeMax. Negative value if controlled by MasterSeed

Granulation :

  • Enable: include  [1] or not [0] stellar granulation
  • Type:  Model type. 0-> single Lorentzian component ; 1-> Kallinger et al(2014)’s empirical model

Transit :

  • Enable: include  [1] or not [0] planetary transits
  • PlanetRadius : planet raidus [jupiter radii]
  • OrbitalPeriod : orbilat period [days]
  • PlanetSemiMajorAxis : semi major axis [A.U.]
  • OrbitalAngle : orbital angle [deg]
  • LimbDarkeningCoefficients: limb darkening coefficients (2 or 4 coefficients). 2 for quadratic law and 4 for a non-linear low

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