DECH: Software Package for Astronomical Spectral Data Processing and Analysis

TL;DR

DECH is a comprehensive software package designed for processing and analyzing astronomical spectral data, supporting various stages from preprocessing to high-precision radial velocity measurements, aiding astronomers worldwide.

Contribution

The paper introduces DECH, a versatile spectral data processing software with new utilities for high-resolution spectrograph data and high-precision radial velocity measurements.

Findings

Supports all spectral data processing stages

Includes utilities for high-resolution echelle spectra

Enables high-precision radial velocity measurements

Abstract

The article provides a brief description of the software package DECH for processing and analysis of astronomical spectra. DECH supports all stages of processing and analysis of spectral data, including image preprocessing, spectra extraction (including those with a variable tilted slit), wavelength calibration by a two-dimensional polynomial, continuum normalization (manual or automatic), measurement of equivalent widths and radial velocities in various ways, cross-correlation analysis, etc. The DECH software package is actively used by astronomers from different countries and continues to be improved. In particular, utilities for processing and analysis of data from the high-resolution fiber-feed echelle spectrograph installed at 6-m telescope of Special Astrophysical Observatory of Russian Academy of Sciences were added in the latest version. Software provides high-precision measurements of radial velocities, including those for detection of extraterrestrial planets.