[Spice_announce] N56
Lee Elson
lee.elson at jpl.nasa.gov
Fri Aug 1 14:28:46 PDT 2003
Version N56 of the toolkit is now available at
ftp://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/toolkit. Attached
is the what's new file.
Lee Elson
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Introduction
===========================================================================
This document describes new and extended capabilities of the SPICE
Toolkit. It also notes bug fixes. Each new version of the Toolkit is
documented in a separate chapter that is titled with a version of the
Toolkit. The most recent version of the Toolkit is documented first.
The next most recent version is documented next, and so on.
Those versions of the Toolkit described in this document are
Version 56
Version 55
Version 54
Version 53
Version 52
Version 51
Version 50
Version 49
Version 48
Version 47
Version 46
Version 45
Version 44
Version 43
Version 42
Version 41
Version 56 --- August 2003
===========================================================================
Environments
--------------------------------------------------------
The N0056 version of the SPICE Toolkit is supported on the same
environments as version N0055 except the following ``Classic'' Mac
environments:
Macintosh MacOS9 Absoft FORTRAN
Macintosh MacOS9 Metrowerks Codewarrior C
Contact NAIF if you wish to obtain the Toolkit for these two
deprecated environments.
SPICELIB/CSPICE
--------------------------------------------------------
Documentation
The headers of 20+ of the most often used routines have been revised
for one or more of the following reasons:
-- to correct technical errors,
-- to add pertinent new information,
-- to improve clarity,
-- to correct grammar and/or spelling,
-- to improve examples.
Built-in NAIF ID Code/Name Definitions
The following new built-in NAIF ID code/name definitions have been
added to the Toolkit:
Spacecraft:
-74 MRO
-74 MARS RECON ORBITER
-130 MUSES-C
-142 TERRA
-154 AQUA
-159 EUROPA ORBITER
-172 SPACETECH-3 COMBINER
-188 MUSES-B
-190 SIM
-198 INTEGRAL
-205 SPACETECH-3 COLLECTOR
-234 STEREO AHEAD
-235 STEREO BEHIND
-253 OPPORTUNITY
-254 SPIRIT
Tracking Stations:
398990 NEW NORCIA
Jovian satellites:
528 AUTONOE
529 THYONE
530 HERMIPPE
531 AITNE
532 EURYDOME
533 EUANTHE
534 EUPORIE
535 ORTHOSIE
536 SPONDE
537 KALE
538 PASITHEE
Saturnian satellites:
619 YMIR
620 PAALIAQ
621 TARVOS
622 IJIRAQ
623 SUTTUNG
624 KIVIUQ
625 MUNDILFARI
626 ALBIORIX
627 SKADI
628 ERRIAPO
629 SIARNAQ
630 THRYM
Uranian satellites:
718 PROSPERO
719 SETEBOS
720 STEPHANO
721 TRINCULO
CHRONOS
--------------------------------------------------------
CHRONOS utility program has been modified to allow loading kernel
files using FURNSH kernel pool keywords and to accept all setup
information from the command line.
Bug Fixes
--------------------------------------------------------
Reading Files with MAC-OSX Absoft FORTRAN Toolkit
Low level read routines were fixed to make sure that the OSX Absoft
FORTRAN SPICE toolkit can read files not owned by the user.
DAS Scratch Files
DASCLS routine has been modified to call the routine flushing DAS
buffers before closing scratch DAS files. Failing to free the buffers
caused write errors on HP/FORTRAN systems.
Argument Checking in CSPICE Error Handling Functions
The errprt_c, errdev_c, and erract_c functions were updated to
diagnose invalid operation keyword input.
Version 55 --- March 2003
===========================================================================
Environments
--------------------------------------------------------
The N0055 version of the SPICE Toolkit is supported on the same
environments as version N0054.
SPICELIB
--------------------------------------------------------
SPKW01
SPK type 1 writer routine has been added.
DASCLS
Scratch files no longer have their buffered portions flushed and are
no longer segregated before before being closed. This change speeds up
the close operation.
SPKBSR
Segment buffer size was increased from 2000 to 10000 to improve
efficiency when handling SPK files with large number of segments.
Kernel POOL
The buffer that stores distinct numeric data items from the text
kernel files was increased. The new buffer size is 20000, which is the
maximum total number of values for all numeric scalar and array pool
variables together.
Type 1 SCLK
The buffer that stores Type 1 SCLK coefficients was increased. The new
buffer size is 10000.
CSPICE
--------------------------------------------------------
New CSPICE wrappers
Wrappers dasac_c and dasec_c have been added to CSPICE. These support
DAS file comment area access.
Bug Fixes
--------------------------------------------------------
Built-in NAIF ID Code/Name Definitions
The following built-in NAIF ID code/name definitions have been
corrected to match official MER name-ID mapping:
-253 was MER-A, now MER-1
-254 was MER-B, now MER-2
MER-A and MER-B names are no longer supported by the Toolkit.
DASCUD
DASCUD has been fixed so that it writes a new, empty cluster directory
record at the correct location. This corrects an error introduced by a
bug fix in N0054.
OSCELT
OSCELT has been fixed so that it computes the argument of periapse
correctly when the inclination is zero or 180 degrees. The mean
anomaly computation has been corrected so that it works for circular
and near-circular orbits. The computation of inclination has been
changed to use ATAN2 for improved accuracy. Code that could generate
arithmetic exceptions was corrected. Several new error checks have
been added.
CKE05
Angular velocity computations for subtypes 0 and 1 have been changed
to make them compatible with those used by the MEX/Rosetta attitude
file interpolation algorithms.
CKBRIEF
CKBRIEF has been updated to retrieve and display interpolation
interval information from Type 2 CK files correctly in all cases.
Version 54 --- December 2002
===========================================================================
Mailing Lists
--------------------------------------------------------
NAIF has created 2 mailing lists, ``Spice_announce''
http://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/mailman/listinfo/spice_announce
and ``Spice_discussion''
http://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/mailman/listinfo/spice_discussion
``Spice_announce'' is intended to provide notification of important
developments such as a new toolkit release. Posting will generally be
limited to members of the NAIF team. If you feel you have an important
announcement that would be suitable for this list, you may send email
to the list, but it will be reviewed by the NAIF team before
dissemination.
``Spice_discussion'' is meant to provide a forum for discussion among
SPICE users. Posting on this list is encouraged, however we also
encourage you to limit mail traffic to the entire list. Extended
discussions are often best carried out with a limited distribution
list.
Both lists require registration, allow access to an archive of prior
postings and allow the user to choose whether to receive individual
postings or a daily digest.
Environments
--------------------------------------------------------
The N0054 version of the SPICE Toolkit is supported on the same
environments as version N0053.
COOKBOOK Programs
--------------------------------------------------------
FORTRAN and C versions of the COOKBOOK programs have been made more
consistent in implementation and behavior. User's Guide documents for
COOKBOOK programs have been updated and are now delivered with both
FORTRAN and C toolkits. The FSTSPK COOKBOOK program has been
deprecated and is no longer delivered.
New Built-in NAIF ID Code/Name Definitions
--------------------------------------------------------
The following new built-in NAIF ID code/name definitions have been
added to the toolkit:
Spacecraft:
-226 ROSETTA
Jovian satellites:
517 CALLIRRHOE
518 THEMISTO
519 MAGACLITE
520 TAYGETE
521 CHALDENE
522 HARPALYKE
523 KALYKE
524 IOCASTE
525 ERINOME
526 ISONOE
527 PRAXIDIKE
Documentation
--------------------------------------------------------
User's Guide documents for TOBIN, TOXFR and VERSION utility programs
have been added to the toolkit documentation.
Bug Fixes
--------------------------------------------------------
Built-in Body-Fixed Frame for Pan
Definition of the built-in body-fixed frame for PAN (IAU_PAN) has been
updated to point to the correct PCK values used to compute its
rotation. In the previous version of the toolkit it was pointing to
PANDORA's rotation constants.
Surface Intercept Routine
The surface intercept routine SURFPT/surfpt_c has been re-implemented
to reduce loss of precision.
DAS Writer Routines
DAS utility routine DASCUD has been fixed to ensure that DAS file
structure is correct when files are closed without data segregation.
Previously it was possible for unsegregated files to have an invalid
final forward directory pointer. Note: this problem could not occur in
E-kernels created by SPICE utility programs or using the SPICE EK API
routines.
CSPICE Cell Implementation
The CELLINIT macro has been updated so that it doesn't modify data
added to character cells prior to cell initialization. This enables
population of uninitialized character cells via macro calls.
Body Name to Associated Frame Conversion Routine
The routine CNMFRM retrieving the reference frame name for a specified
body name has been fixed so a TK frame specified by name and
designated as an object's preferred frame via kernel pool assignments
is found, and so that the correct name of this frame is returned.
CHRONOS
CHRONOS has been updated to make sure that the iterative search for
the nearest local midnight converges in all cases. It has also been
updated to use the maximum system allowed file name length on VAX and
DEC Alpha environments.
Version 53 --- September 2002
===========================================================================
Environments
--------------------------------------------------------
The N0053 version of the SPICE Toolkit is supported in the following
environments:
PC Linux g77
PC Windows Compaq Visual (Digital) FORTRAN
PC Windows Lahey FORTRAN 95
PC Linux gCC
PC Windows Microsoft Visual C++
Sun Solaris FORTRAN
Sun Solaris Native C
Sun Solaris gCC
HP UX HP FORTRAN
HP UX HP C
Macintosh MacOS Absoft FORTRAN
Macintosh MacOS Metrowerks Codewarrior C
Macintosh OS-X g77
Macintosh OS-X Absoft FORTRAN
Macintosh OS-X Apple C
SGI IRIX N32/O32 FORTRAN
SGI IRIX MIPS C (N32/O32 ABIs)
DEC Alpha Digital Unix Digital FORTRAN
DEC Alpha Digital Unix Digital C
Vax VMS Digital FORTRAN
The PC/Linux/g77 version previously supported the alternative
``fort77'' compiler. This is no longer the case. Contact NAIF if you
need support for this compiler.
The Macintosh OS-X environments are new.
CSPICE
--------------------------------------------------------
New CSPICE wrappers for cell, set, and windows routines
The complete set of C wrappers duplicating cell, sets, and windows
capabilities existing in FORTRAN SPICE has been added to CSPICE.
New CSPICE wrappers for sorting and searching routines
The following new CSPICE wrappers implementing sorting and searching
capabilities have been added:
bscho*_c.c
bsrch*_c.c
esrchc_c.c
isordv_c.c
isrch*_c.c
lstle*_c.c
lstlt*_c.c
order*_c.c
reord*_c.c
shell*_c.c
New CSPICE wrappers for string manipulation and parsing routines
The following new CSPICE wrappers for string manipulation and parsing
capabilities have been added:
cpos*_c.c
pos*_c.c
ncpos*_c.c
kxtrct_c.c
lpars*_c.c
lx4*_c.c
lxqstr_c.c
repm*_c.c
SPICELIB
--------------------------------------------------------
SPK Type 18
A new SPK type (Type 18) has been added. This incorporates ESA/ESOC
model for a spacecraft ephemeris.
CK Type 5
A new CK type (Type 5) has been added. This incorporates ESA/ESOC
model for a spacecraft attitude data.
BRIEF
--------------------------------------------------------
BRIEF utility has been updated to allow summarizing SPKs containing
ephemerides for up to 20,000 distinct bodies.
COOKBOOK
--------------------------------------------------------
COOKBOOK programs have been updated to use the highest level routines
currently available in SPICE -- FURNSH, SUBPT, etc.
Bug Fixes
--------------------------------------------------------
ID-to-name Translation
SPICE's ID-to-name mapping subsystem has been updated to provide
consistent behavior across all of its interfaces. It now correctly
processes duplicate ID-to-name mapping assignments provided via text
kernel files. Refer to the NAIF_IDS Required Reading for more details.
Built-in Body-Fixed Frames
Missing body-fixed frames -- IAU_PAN, IAU_GASPRA, IAU_IDA, and
IAU_EROS -- have been added to the built-in frame set.
Binary architecture consistency check at run-time
Binary file format consistency check has been implemented at run time
to verify that the toolkit prepared specifically for a platform with
one binary file format has not been compiled/used on a platform with
another binary file format.
Long/truncated lines in text kernel files
The text kernel file reader has been modified to correctly process
truncated string value assignments.
VMS Read-Only Access File Open Failure
A bug in the DAF system preventing users on VMS systems from loading
SPK, CK and binary PCK files with the read-only attribute(*) has been
fixed.
Version 52 --- January 2002
===========================================================================
Environments
--------------------------------------------------------
The N0052 version of the SPICE Toolkit is supported on the following
environments:
PC Linux G77
PC Windows Compaq Visual (Digital) Fortran
PC Windows Lahey Fortran 95
PC Linux GCC
PC Windows Microsoft Visual C++
Sun Solaris Fortran
Sun Solaris Native C
Sun Solaris GCC
HP UX HP Fortran
HP UX HP C
Macintosh MacOS Absoft Fortran
Macintosh MacOS Metrowerks Codewarrior C
SGI IRIX N32/O32 Fortran
SGI IRIX MIPS C (N32/O32 ABIs)
DEC Alpha Digital Unix Digital Fortran
DEC Alpha Digital Unix Digital C
Vax VMS Digital Fortran
The N0052 version of the SPICE Toolkit is no longer supported on the
following environments:
PC Windows Lahey F77L3
PC Windows Microsoft Powerstation Fortran 1.x
PC Windows Microsoft Powerstation Fortran 4.x
Sun SunOS Fortran
Macintosh MacOS Language Systems Fortran
Next Nextstep Absoft Fortran
Next Nextstep GCC
Contact NAIF if you wish to obtain the Toolkit for one or more of
these deprecated environments.
SPICELIB
--------------------------------------------------------
Run-Time Binary File Format Translation
The most popular supported systems (including Macintosh, PC, and UNIX
platforms) are now capable of accessing data in binary SPICE kernel
files from other platforms directly without using transfer format. But
note that binary files from other platforms are only available for
read access. See the Convert User's Guide for specifics and details.
Open File Limit Increase
The sum of loaded SPK, CK, and binary PCK files, all of which are
implemented using the DAF file architecture, may now reach 1000.
Previous versions of the toolkit restricted the number of loaded DAFs
to 20. But caution: loading large numbers of files may impact system
performance.
SPK aberration corrections
SPK readers can now perform aberration corrections for transmitted, as
well as received, radiation. This feature makes it simple to compute
the direction in which radiation must be emitted in order to reach a
specified target.
The headers of the SPK readers have been expanded to explain
aberration corrections in greater detail.
Instrument Kernel Support
GETFOV was extended to compute boundary corners from FOV definitions
in the kernel pool utilizing the new ANGLES specification. See
GETFOV's or getfov_c's header for details.
Kernel POOL
The buffers that store text kernel data were increased. The new
maximums are:
Maximum Number of Variables 5003
Maximum Number of Distinct Numeric Data Items 10000 (*)
Maximum Number of Character Strings 4000 (**)
(*) This is the maximum total number of values for all numeric scalar
and array pool variables together. (**) This is the maximum total
number of values for all character scalar and array pool variables
together.
These changes allow the kernel pool to hold substantially more data
than previous versions of the SPICE toolkit, which became necessary
due to the increasing use of such SPICE components as IK and FK
utilizing the POOL as the data repository and access mechanism.
Jacobian routines
Routines have been added for computing the Jacobians of the
transformations between rectangular and the following coordinate
systems:
cylindrical
geodetic
latitudinal
spherical
The Jacobian routines support transformation of velocities between
these coordinate systems. See the headers of the following SPICELIB
routines/CSPICE functions for more information:
DCYLDR/dcyldr_c
DGEODR/dgeodr_c
DLATDR/dlatdr_c
DSPHDR/dsphdr_c
DRDCYL/drdcyl_c
DRDGEO/drdgeo_c
DRDLAT/drdlat_c
DRDSPH/drdsph_c
NAIF ID to Object Name Mapping
The NAIF IDs for the following missions has been added to the set of
IDs built into SPICE:
CONTOUR
LUNAR-A
DRTS-WC
MARS EXPRESS
DEEP IMPACT
STARLIGHT
MER
Documentation
DAS and EK Required Reading documents have been added to the SPICE
Toolkit.
The CONVERT User's Guide has been updated to reflect new run-time
binary file format translation capability.
The FRAMES Required Reading has been updated to include inertial frame
information formerly contained in the NAIF_IDS Required Reading.
The NAIF_IDS Required Reading has been updated to reflect new Toolkit
capability, through which the NAIF ID to name mappings can be defined
using text kernel files.
The MKSPK User's Guide has been updated to add clarity throughout.
The ERROR, PCK, ROTATIONS, SPK, and TIME Required Reading documents
have all been improved.
CSPICE
--------------------------------------------------------
New CSPICE wrappers for EK routines
CSPICE wrappers have been added to support record-oriented EK
manipulation, including record-oriented writing, updating, and
reading.
CSPICE wrappers have been added to provide summary capabilities for
loaded EK tables.
Miscellaneous new CSPICE wrappers
Some new CSPICE wrappers have been added:
frmnam_c
inelpl_c
namfrm_c
CKBRIEF
--------------------------------------------------------
A capability to display a separate record for each interpolation
interval in each segment of a Type 2 or Type 3 CK file has been added
to the program. This capability is implemented using the ``-dump''
command line option.
COMMNT
--------------------------------------------------------
An inconsistency between the program's functionality in interactive
and command line modes has been fixed. The maximum length of a comment
line that can be added to and extracted from the comments in either
mode is now the same and is equal to 1000 characters.
MKSPK
--------------------------------------------------------
The program was modified to allow appending new data segments to an
existing SPK file.
VERSION
--------------------------------------------------------
The interface of this utility program has been extended: a command
line parameter causing the program to display additional library
information has been added. See ``version -help'' for details.
Bug Fixes
--------------------------------------------------------
CK, PCK, and SPK segment buffering and selection
Several bugs have been corrected in the modules CKBSR, PCKBSR, and
SPKBSR. These bug fixes enable users to load more segments than can be
buffered at once by these modules. However, the best run-time speed is
still obtained when all segments of a given kernel type can be
buffered. The current segment buffer sizes are:
CK: 4000 segments
SPK: 2000 segments
PCK: 100 segments
Const-qualification for various CSPICE interfaces
A number of CSPICE function interfaces have been updated to add
const-qualification of input arrays. This fix enhances compatibility
with C++ applications.
CSPICE function gcpool_c fixed
This routine did not properly trim trailing blanks from values in its
output array.
MOVED fix for Fortran PC Linux platform
In some cases the routine MOVED incorrectly copied double precision
numbers whose values were assigned via EQUIVALENCE statements with
pairs of integers. This could happen when the integer bit patterns did
not correspond to valid double precision numbers. This problem
prevented correct manipulation of some DAF segment descriptors.
EK query processing using LIKE operator and null values
Null values could be returned in some rare circumstances when a query
employed the LIKE operator to compare scalar string column entries
against a specified string value, and a null column entry was
compared.
EK time conversion
The EK time parsing code handled SCLK values incorrectly when the
string ``SCLK'' appeared in the name of the clock.
EK documentation
Various headers have been updated to indicate that query-and-fetch
operations and EK fast writer operations may not be interleaved.
Source code clean-up
Miscellaneous problems triggering annoying but insignificant
compilation warnings have been fixed. Various files have had TAB
characters removed. Others have had final newline characters added.
Version 51 --- April 2000
===========================================================================
SPICELIB
--------------------------------------------------------
Instrument Kernel Support
The routine GETFOV was added to the Toolkit. It returns information
describing the shape, size, boresight, and orientation of the field of
view for traditional remote sensing instruments.
Binary Kernel Recognition
The routine GETFAT was upgraded to use a more robust algorithm for
identifying the type (SPK or CK) of inadequately labeled binary
kernels. This modification is critical for Mars project SPICE
customers who wish to use the SPICELIB utility FURNSH when loading
binary kernels.
CK
A new representation for the orientation of spacecraft structures has
been added to the C-kernel system. C-kernel data type 04 provides a
flexible and compact method for representing the attitude of
structures by using Chebyshev polynomials to fit orientation data or
models.
SPK
Two new representations for position and velocity of objects have been
added to the SPK system. Types 12 and 13 provide for the Hermite
interpolation of states from series of state vectors. See the SPK
Required Reading for further details.
Miscellaneous
The list of names recognized by BODTRN was enhanced to support the
identification of the "Cluster" spacecraft (1,2,3 and 4) as well as
the Pluto-Kuiper Express spacecraft and simulation.
MKSPK
--------------------------------------------------------
The utility program MKSPK has been added to the general release of the
SPICE Toolkit. This allows SPICE customers to more easily generate SPK
files from tabular ephemeris information. See the User's Guide
(mkspk.ug) for details on the use of MKSPK.
SPKMERGE
--------------------------------------------------------
The program was upgraded to correct an "infinite loop" that existed in
rare cases on some platforms.
Bug Fixes
Although it is unlikely that most users will notice any difference, a
number of minor bug corrections have been incorporated:
-- The kernel pool software was modified to detect and handle
string specifications that are too long to be stored in the
kernel pool.
-- The time parsing software (used by STR2ET) was enhanced so
that erroneous long strings will be diagnosed as erroneous
and no longer cause a run-time error.
Version 50 --- October 1999
===========================================================================
CSPICE
--------------------------------------------------------
Version 50 of the SPICE Toolkit includes a C language edition of the
Toolkit. This provides a C language interface to the Toolkit and
duplicates the FORTRAN capabilities. SPICE users interested in a C
version of the Toolkit should specifically request the CSPICE version.
Moreover, C users should read the document "CSPICE User's Guide" which
addresses issues regarding the translation of the FORTRAN Toolkit to
C.
Additions and Extensions to SPICE routines
--------------------------------------------------------
Loading Kernels
The new routine FURNSH provides a single uniform interface for loading
all SPICE kernels. In addition, the new interface allows you create a
"meta-kernel" listing which SPICE kernels should be loaded. When this
"meta-kernel" is supplied to FURNSH, all listed kernels will be loaded
into the appropriate SPICE subsystems. It is anticipated that this new
interface will substantially ease the problem of managing and loading
SPICE kernels.
In addition to the routine FURNSH several related routines are
provided to assist with the run-time management of kernels loaded
through the FURNSH interface.
KTOTAL returns the number of kernels that are currently
available to your program as a result of previous calls
to FURNSH and UNLOAD.
KDATA provides an interface for retrieving (in order of their
specification through FURNSH) kernels that are active
in your application.
KINFO allows you to retrieve information about a loaded
kernel using the name of that kernel.
UNLOAD provides an interface for unloading kernels that have
been loaded via the routine FURNSH.
FORTRAN users should consult the header for the routine KEEPER for
details on the use of these routines. C users should see the specific
files furnsh_c.c, ktotal_c.c, kdata_c.c, kinfo_c.c and unload_c.c
Position Only Interface.
The Frames and SPK subsystems have been extended to provide a
"position only" interface. The user level routines in the extension
are:
SPKPOS returns the 3-vector giving the location of one object
as seen from another corrected for light time and
stellar aberration (if requested by the user) in the
user specified reference frame.
PXFORM returns the 3x3 matrix that transforms positions from
one reference frame to another as a function of time.
These routines run slightly faster than their position and velocity
counter parts: SPKEZR and SXFORM. In addition they allow you to use
C-kernel based frames when the C-kernel does not contain angular
velocity data.
See the routines PXFORM and SPKPOS for details on their use.
ID-codes
The name/ID-code translation routines (BODN2C and BODC2N) have been
extended so that users may add missing name/ID-code mappings to SPICE
text kernels. Using this new capability, users can extend the built-in
name/ID-code mapping by simply loading an appropriate SPICE text
kernel with the interface FURNSH.
Kernel Pool Enhancements
Several new kernel pool interfaces have been provided
STPOOL Allows storage of long string valued variables through
use of a continuation character.
PCPOOL Allows the insertion of a character variable directly
into the kernel pool without supplying a text kernel.
PDPOOL Allows the insertion of a double precision variable
directly into the kernel pool without supplying a text
kernel.
PIPOOL Allows the insertion of an integer variable directly
into the kernel pool without supplying a text kernel.
LMPOOL Similar to LDPOOL, but the text kernel is stored in an
array of strings instead of an external file.
SZPOOL allows run time retrieval of kernel pool memory
parameters.
DVPOOL allows deletion of a specific variable from the kernel
pool.
GNPOOL assists in determining which variables are defined in
the kernel pool via variable name template matching.
Continuous Spacecraft Clocks
The Spacecraft Clock system has been extended so that "ticks" can be
modeled continuously instead of discretely. See the SCLK required
reading for more details.
Bad FTP File Transfer Detection
SPICE binary kernels have been enhanced so that Toolkit software can
detect whether a binary kernel has been transferred using ASCII
instead of BINARY transfer mode. Note that only SPICE binary kernels
produced with the N0050 (or later) version of the SPICE Toolkit will
have features required for this diagnosis.
CK Writer Enhancements
The SPICE C-kernel writers have been enhanced to check that
quaternions supplied to the writer are indeed nearly unit length. This
check allows detection of programming errors earlier in the kernel
production process.
Bugs
No bugs were identified between version N0049 and N0050 of the
Toolkit. However, users may notice that several routines have minor
changes. The main reasons for code changes are:
1. Extending the range of inputs that can be handled by SPICE
routines.
2. Balancing the use of the SPICE error handling
Check-in/Check-out tracing mechanism.
3. Removal of unused variables.
4. Corrections in grammar, spelling and other typographic errors
in the headers of SPICE routines.
SPICE Utility Programs
--------------------------------------------------------
TOBIN
The utility program TOBIN which converts transfer format kernels to
binary form, can now process transfer format kernels that have been
wrapped with SFDUs.
COMMNT
COMMNT now accepts command line arguments making it usable from user
scripts.
CKBRIEF
CKBRIEF is a new utility that allows you to quickly summarize a
C-kernel in a manner similar to the summary capabilities provided by
the SPK summary tool, BRIEF.
MKSPK
MKSPK is a utility program that allows users to generate SPK files
from appropriate and suitably tabularized position and velocity
information.
Documentation
--------------------------------------------------------
Many SPICE documents were edited and brought up to date. Most notable
of these is the document KERNEL.REQ which discusses SPICE text kernels
and the use of the kernel pool.
In addition a new document called "Common Problems" (problems.req) has
been included with the standard SPICE documentation. This document is
intended to help you in trouble shooting problems that may arise with
programming with the SPICE Toolkit.
Version 49 --- September 1998
===========================================================================
Version 49 of the SPICE Toolkit exists only to fix errors that were
identified in version 48 of the Toolkit. The routines in SPICELIB that
were corrected are:
DELTET --- obsolete routine maintained only for
backwards compatibility. A bug was
introduced in Version 48 that could
lead to 0.003 seconds of error in outputs.
DPFMT --- documentation corrections.
EKQMRT --- a boundary bug was corrected.
SPKW02 --- documentation correction
TIMDEF --- a bug was fixed that can only be manifested
when the default exception handling is modified.
TIMOUT --- correction of grammatical errors in header.
Version 48 --- May 1998
===========================================================================
Version 48 of the SPICE Toolkit extends the set of supported platforms
to include PCs running the LINUX operating system.
The time system was modified so that two digit years are interpreted
as belonging to the years 1969-2068 inclusive.
In addition a number of minor bugs have been fixed. The intended
functionality of the Toolkit has not changed. The most significant bug
fixes are listed here.
conics.for was updated.
There was a coding error in the computation of the mean
anomaly in the parabolic case. This problem has been
corrected.
et2lst.for was updated.
The integer variable SUN was never initialized in the
previous version of the routine. Now it is set to
the proper value of 10.
str2et.for was updated.
The previous versions of this routine did not correctly
convert day-of-year strings in the TDB or TDT systems.
They treated the day of year as year, month, day giving
spectacularly wrong answers.
In addition, comments concerning the default century for
abbreviated years were updated to reflect changes to TEXPYR
timout.for was updated.
The previous version of this routine did not output
fractional components for epochs prior to 1 A.D.
In addition, the default time system, calendar and time zone
are obtained from TIMDEF.
Version 47 --- July 1997
===========================================================================
This chapter describes the significant changes to version 47 of the
SPICE Toolkit.
Documentation
--------------------------------------------------------
There are two significant documentation changes to version 47 of the
Toolkit.
1. The Required Reading for SPK (SPK.REQ) has been re-written to
address the use of non-inertial frames within the SPK system.
2. The Frames subsystem has been documented in the required
reading file FRAMES.REQ. This document describes the various
reference systems that are currently supported by the Toolkit
as well as naming and numbering conventions that will be
adhered to by NAIF.
These two documents together with the extensions to the frame system
that have been added in version 47 allows one to easily model the
dynamics of structures on spacecraft or surface rovers.
In addition to these major modifications to the base SPICE
documentation, the document TIME.REQ has been updated to reflect a
slight broadening of recognized time strings and to document the
routine ET2LST that allows the user to convert to ephemeris time to
local solar time for any natural ephemeris object.
Software
--------------------------------------------------------
SPK
The SPK ephemeris system has been expanded to support Space Command
Two Line Elements (formally known as NORAD Two Line Elements) and
equinoctial elements.
To assist SPICE users who need to create SPK files that contain two
line element sets, NAIF has a preliminary utility that allows the
creation of SPK files from two line element data. This tool is
available from NAIF on an as-needed basis. This utility is still a bit
rough around the edges and has not yet been made an official Toolkit
product.
Frames
The frame system has been extended to support reference frames that
can be described as a constant rotation from another frame (such as a
bodyfixed, inertial or C-kernel frame). These frames are easily
described using text based kernels. This new frame type is well suited
for describing instrument, lander and topocentric frames.
Time
The time parsing software was enhanced so that a slightly broader set
of time formats are recognized. In addition the routine ET2LST was
added to the Toolkit. This routine allows you to convert ET (ephemeris
time TDB) to local solar time for a planet, satellite comet or
asteroid. Local solar time is a "clock" measure of the angle between a
local meridian and the meridian of the sun. See the TIME required
reading for further details.
Bug Fixes
The routines CKGPAV and CKFXFM in versions prior to version 47 of the
Toolkit dealt with angular velocity in non-inertial frames
incorrectly. This error did not affect C-kernels that were described
relative to inertial frames. In those rare instances in which a
C-kernel was described relative to a non-inertial frame, the
mistreatment of angular velocity could lead to errors in the
computation of velocities relative to the C-kernel frame. The
computation of positions were not affected by this error.
The routine TIMOUT in version 46 did not reliably produce an
abbreviated two-digit year. This error has been corrected.
All other errors were of a technical nature such as improper use of
the SPICE exception handling subsystem and are unlikely to have
affected most SPICE users.
Version 46 --- January 1997
===========================================================================
This chapter describes the significant changes to version 46 of the
SPICE Toolkit.
Documentation
NAIF now has available two overview documents that provide users with
a higher level view of Toolkit. The two documents are called
Introduction to SPICE
Most Useful SPICELIB Subroutines
These documents are available in the ``doc'' subdirectory of the
Toolkit in the postscript files
intro.ps
mostused.ps
respectively.
The first of these documents, ``Introduction to SPICE'', provides a
broad overview of the SPICE system and attempts to lay out a map of
where you can find more specific information about the various
components of the SPICE system. The second document ``Most Useful
SPICELIB Routines'' categorizes 120 or so of the most frequently used
SPICELIB routines and provides a synopsis for each of these.
Time
The time software has undergone significant enhancement. The Toolkit
now supports a wider set of time formats and time systems. The most
important new routines are:
STR2ET
TIMOUT
TTRANS
TPARTV
The new time software is outlined in the ``recommended reading'' file
--- TIME.REQ which appears in the ``doc'' subdirectory of the Toolkit.
A number of convenience routines have been added to the Toolkit. Those
likely to be of most interest to users are:
DPFMT The routine DPFMT allows you to create a string
representing a number by supplying a ``picture'' that
should be followed in formatting the string.
TOSTDO The routine TOSTDO is a portable means of writing
strings to ``standard output.'' The particulars of
formatting on various platforms are handled
transparently. Using this routine, you can isolate
yourself from formatting considerations that arise when
using the intrinsic FORTRAN WRITE statement.
The remainder of the modifications to the Toolkit are primarily to
ease problems associated with maintenance of the Toolkit.
Version 45 --- October 1996
===========================================================================
Version 45 is a quick update to correct an oversight in versions 43
and 44. Although the reference frames DE-143 was added to the
collection of non-inertial reference frames in version 43, it was not
available to all of the SPICE subsystems. Version 45 corrects this
deficiency.
In addition to this correction to the reference frame subsystem, a
number of minor corrections were made to the DAS subsystem and to
error messages returned by EK software.
Version 44 --- August 1996
===========================================================================
This chapter describes the significant changes to version 44 of the
SPICE Toolkit.
SPK Subsystem
The main workhorse routine of the SPK subsystem, SPKGEO, was modified
to remove potentially redundant computations. As a result, some
applications may see a performance improvement on the order of 60
percent.
Inspekt
Inspekt was upgraded to support the DEC Alpha OSF/1 environment. All
functional aspects of Inspekt are now fully supported in the DEC Alpha
OSF/1 environment.
Bug Fixes
Several errors in the EK and supporting DAS subsystem were corrected.
These fixes will be visible to only a small number of SPICE users.
(Primarily those users who create E-kernels or access the EK files
directly through the subroutine interface.) Users whose primary use of
E-kernels is via the program Inspekt will see no visible changes in
the SPICE system.
The generic segment subsystem was corrected. The errors were
discovered by the NAIF staff while developing new SPK data types.
These new data types are not yet incorporated into SPICELIB.
Consequently users of the SPICE system are unlikely to have used any
of the code in which these errors were found.
The frames subsystem was corrected. In NAIF's experiments in
converting the library to C, an error was found in the routine FRMCHG.
This error is of a pedantic nature and has not surfaced in any of the
supported native FORTRAN environments.
Version 43 --- May 1996
===========================================================================
This chapter describes the new capabilities available in version 43 of
the SPICE Toolkit.
Brief
The SPICE utility program BRIEF has been added to the generic SPICE
Toolkit. This program allows you to easily summarize the contents of
an SPK file. The summary can be tuned depending upon the level of
detail you are interested in seeing. See the BRIEF User's Guide
(brief.ug) for an explanation of features.
Star Catalogs.
In version 43 of the SPICE Toolkit, an introductory level star catalog
capability has been introduced. The routines used for manipulating
star catalogs are:
STCF01
STCG01
STCL01
CHGIRF
Support for the inertial reference frame DE143 has been added to
SPICELIB.
BODTRN
The routine BODTRN has been added to the Toolkit. This routine allows
you to easily translate between the names of ephemeris objects to
their NAIF ID codes.
Performance Improvements
A number of performance enhancements have been included. Most notable
in this list is the SPICE exception handling subsystem. By relinking
your programs you may see an improvement in performance from 20 to 30
percent (depending upon how heavily your program makes use of the
SPICE exception handling capability).
Version 42 --- December 1995
===========================================================================
This chapter describes new capabilities available in version 42 of the
SPICE Toolkit and includes examples of how to make use of these new
capabilities. The major new capability of Version 42 of the Toolkit is
the official release of the SPICE Events Kernel Software. This
software includes all the interface level routines for reading and
writing events kernels. It also includes the event kernel browser
program Inspekt. Inspekt has an extensive on-line help facility that
for now must serve as a user's guide to the program.
Full documentation for the new capabilities will be available in
version 43 of the Toolkit.
Version 41 --- October 1995
===========================================================================
This chapter describes new capabilities available in version 41 of the
SPICE Toolkit and includes examples of how to make use of these new
capabilities. There are two major new capabilities provided in version
41 of the Toolkit. First is the ability to retrieve the states of
objects by using the names of the objects instead of SPICE integer
id-codes for those objects. Second is the ability to store and
retrieve states of objects relative to non-inertial reference frames.
--------------------------------------------------------
Until now, the primary mechanism for retrieving state information from
the SPICE ephemeris (SPK) files has been the subroutine SPKEZ
(pronounced: ess pee kay eee' zee). This routine requires that you
know the integer id-codes associated with the objects of interest.
Beginning with version 41 of the SPICE Toolkit the routine SPKEZR
(pronounced: ess pee kay eee' zee er ) will be the primary mechanism
for retrieving states. The calling sequence for this new routine is
CALL SPKEZR ( TARG, ET, REF, ABCORR, OBS, STARG, LT )
where
Inputs:
TARG is a character string that is the name of the object
whose state is of interest. Examples are: 'JUPITER',
'EARTH', 'SUN', 'GOLDSTONE'.
ET is the epoch at which the state is desired. ET is a
double precision number giving the epoch measure in
ephemeris seconds past the epoch of the J2000 reference
frame.
REF is a character string giving the name of the reference
frame in which the output state should be represented.
Examples are: 'J2000', 'IAU_EARTH'.
ABCORR is a string indicating what forms of aberration
corrections should be applied to the retrieved state.
OBS is a string that is the name of the object to which the
returned state will be relative. Examples are: 'EARTH',
'GOLSTONE'.
Outputs:
STARG is the state of the target body relative to the
observer represented in the specified reference frame
with the specified aberration corrections accounted
for.
LT is the light time in seconds from the the target to the
observer.
To illustrate the use of this routine, suppose that you wanted to get
the B1950 state of Mars relative to Earth corrected for light-time and
stellar aberration at the epoch that occurs 10 million seconds prior
to the J2000 epoch. The code fragment below shows how you would call
SPKEZR to obtain this state. (Note that this assumes that you have
already loaded ephemerides for Mars and the Earth.)
DOUBLE PRECISION STATE ( 6 )
DOUBLE PRECISION LT
CALL SPKEZR ( 'MARS', 1.0D+07, 'B1950', 'LT+S',
. 'EARTH', STATE, LT )
Non-inertial Reference Frames
--------------------------------------------------------
Prior to version 41 of the Toolkit, storing or obtaining states
relative to a body-fixed frame required conversion to or from states
relative to inertial frames such as J2000. With version 41 of the
SPICE Toolkit, this restriction has been removed. It is now possible
to store states relative to a non-inertial frame. Moreover, you may
now retrieve states relative to non-inertial frames.
For example suppose you want to determine whether or not Jupiter is
above the local horizon at the Goldstone tracking site. The following
code fragment allows you to make this determination at an epoch ET.
Note we've hard-coded the radii for the spheroid that approximates the
surface of the earth.
C Look up the bodyfixed state of Jupiter relative to
C the Goldstone tracking site and the state of
C Goldstone relative to the center of the earth.
C
CALL SPKEZR ( 'JUPITER', ET, 'IAU_EARTH', 'LT+S',
. 'GOLDSTONE', JSTATE, LT )
CALL SPKEZR ( 'GOLDSTONE', ET, 'IAU_EARTH', 'NONE',
. 'EARTH', GSTATE, LT )
C
C Compute the local surface normal at the Goldstone site.
C
EQRAD1 = 6378.140
EQRAD2 = 6378.140
POLRAD = 6356.75
CALL SURFNM ( EQRAD1, EQRAD2, POLRAD, GSTATE, LNORML )
C
C Next compute the angle between the local normal and the
C vector to Jupiter. If the angle is less than pi/2 then
C Jupiter is above the local horizon. Otherwise it's not
C visible.
C
ANGLE = VSEP ( JSTATE, LNORML )
IF ( ANGLE .LT. HALFPI() ) THEN
WRITE (*,*) 'Jupiter is above the horizon.'
ELSE
WRITE (*,*) 'Jupiter is not visible from Goldstone.'
END IF
Below is a list of the non-inertial frames that are currently
supported. Frames that begin with the letters IAU are frames whose
orientation is specified in the report: "Report of the IAU/IAG/COSPAR
Working Group on Cartographic Coordinates and Rotational Elements of
the Planets and Satellites"
IAU_ADRASTEA
IAU_AMALTHEA
IAU_ANANKE
IAU_ARIEL
IAU_ATLAS
IAU_BELINDA
IAU_BIANCA
IAU_CALLISTO
IAU_CALYPSO
IAU_CARME
IAU_CHARON
IAU_CORDELIA
IAU_CRESSIDA
IAU_DEIMOS
IAU_DESDEMONA
IAU_DESPINA
IAU_DIONE
IAU_EARTH
IAU_EARTH_BARYCENTER
IAU_ELARA
IAU_ENCELADUS
IAU_EPIMETHEUS
IAU_EUROPA
IAU_GALATEA
IAU_GANYMEDE
IAU_HELENE
IAU_HIMALIA
IAU_HYPERION
IAU_IAPETUS
IAU_IO
IAU_JANUS
IAU_JULIET
IAU_JUPITER
IAU_JUPITER_BARYCENTER
IAU_LARISSA
IAU_LEDA
IAU_LYSITHEA
IAU_MARS
IAU_MARS_BARYCENTER
IAU_MERCURY
IAU_MERCURY_BARYCENTER
IAU_METIS
IAU_MIMAS
IAU_MIRANDA
IAU_MOON
IAU_NAIAD
IAU_NEPTUNE
IAU_NEPTUNE_BARYCENTER
IAU_NEREID
IAU_OBERON
IAU_OPHELIA
IAU_PANDORA
IAU_PASIPHAE
IAU_PHOBOS
IAU_PHOEBE
IAU_PLUTO
IAU_PLUTO_BARYCENTER
IAU_PORTIA
IAU_PROMETHEUS
IAU_PROTEUS
IAU_PUCK
IAU_RHEA
IAU_ROSALIND
IAU_SATURN
IAU_SATURN_BARYCENTER
IAU_SINOPE
IAU_SUN
IAU_TELESTO
IAU_TETHYS
IAU_THALASSA
IAU_THEBE
IAU_TITAN
IAU_TITANIA
IAU_TRITON
IAU_UMBRIEL
IAU_URANUS
IAU_URANUS_BARYCENTER
IAU_VENUS
IAU_VENUS_BARYCENTER
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