What are the exposure times of short, long cadence time series data?
Following the terminology given in the Kepler Instrument Handbook, the interval between reads of a given pixel on a CCD is called a “frame” (equivalently an integration time). The integration time consists of the “exposure time” (accumulated time of flux from a celestial source on the pixel), 6.02 seconds, plus a fixed read out time of 0.52 seconds. The default exposure time for a short cadence is thus 6.02 x 9 or 54.2 seconds. The cadence rate or integration time, is (6.02 + 0.52) x 9, or 58.9 seconds. The default exposure time for long cadences is thirty times 54.2 , or 1626 seconds. The cadence rate between starts of consecutive integrations is thirty times 58.9, or 1766 seconds. • What kind of time series (light curve) data product is the Kepler Project planning to release? For at least the first year the Project is producing a light curve using a “simple extraction analysis.” In the following year or two the Project plans to release two new products, both “optimal extraction” and
