Data with no wavelength calibration :
Spectra taken prior to 24 August 2006 do not have a wavelength calibration solution. They should not be listed in the Archive.
SOPHIE data in the VO ?
The SOPHIE archive is presently not referenced in the VO as a SSAP service. We should include it.
Cross-identification problems :
If an object name is not recognized, once the information has been retreived from Simbad (which takes quite some time), we should go directly to the list of available SOPHIE spectra. We now get a blank page and have to copy and paste the given Simbad designation in the search box. This is poor workflow.
Querying by spectral type and magnitude :
As a given object's spectral type and magnitude are usually entered in the STS catalog, it should be possible to select stars using these parameters (V in 'target_mv' and Sp_Type is embedded in 'dprtype'). At present this is only possible by a privileged user using SQL commands.
This is a special case of querying by fundamental parameters (Teff, log_g, [Fe/H], B-V, etc.) which could be possible by refering to an external homogeneized master list.
Target_Name vs. Object_name :
It should be possible to query the Archive by 'target name,' the particular name given by the observer, as well as by 'object name,' the name we have finally adopted from one of the Simbad catalogs available through
Aladin.
Related to this, for objects whose corrected 'objname' is taken from the 'design.txt' file, other identification aliases (given starting in column 60) should be read also and treated as valid identifiers.
Asterosismology observations :
For a number of objects (eg. Procyon) many consecutive exposure are obtained in a single night, usually by multiples of 10 (frequently 100). The FITS keywords NEXP (number of exposures in a template) and EXPNO (exposure number in a template) could be used to display just one exposure (EXPNO=1) if NEXP > 5 and should indicate how many are in that template. Clicking on the value of NEXP should then display the other exposures in that template.
A possible unique SOPHIE/ELODIE Archive interface ?
It has been suggested that a single web page should give a unified access to the both the ELODIE and SOPHIE databases. This page would allow (1) selection of the desired database, and/or (2) querying by object name or sky coordinates with a subsequent results page with separate entries giving available spectra per instrument. At some point the querying parameters may vary depending on the instrument.
Continuum normalization problems :
Currently SOPHIE spectra are normalized to the tungsten lamp spectrum, but this does not yield a satisfactory reconnected 's1d' spectrum. First there is a residual "échelle ripple", amounting to 5% in the HE mode, corresponding to an undercorrected blaze function. Second there is an over-all instrumental flux modulation which retains the characteristics of the uncorrected spectrum. Until these problems are solved we cannot offer spectra fully normalized to the continuum.
Radial Velocities :
We should include measured radial velocities for spectra that are fully public.