Change default background subtraction to master background for NIRSpec modes?

[stscijgbot-jp]

Issue JP-2926 was created on JIRA by Tyler Pauly:

In default processing of e.g. NRS_IFU data, if the program contains both imprint exposures and dedicated background exposures, bkg_subtract will subtract the averaged background association members before imprint subtracts the imprint association member. However, these background members also have corresponding imprint exposures which have not yet been subtracted from the background frames.

The suggestion would be, if the instrument team(s) have found results to be acceptable, to make master_background the default background subtraction method. At least for NRS_IFU and NRS_MSASPEC, the imprint issue provides some impetus for this switch. It may just be a better algorithm for background removal for other modes, but no issue exists for e.g. NRS_FIXEDSLIT or MIR_MRS to spur the switch on a more prompt timescale.

[stscijgbot-jp]

Comment by Alicia Canipe on JIRA:

Assigning to CalWG for input on switching the default method to master_background

[stscijgbot-jp]

Comment by Anton Koekemoer on JIRA:

Adding David Law  Jane Morrison  James Muzerolle Cheryl Pavlovsky  to this ticket, so that they can provide input to the CalWG on a recommend path forward for this ticket.

[stscijgbot-jp]

Comment by Howard Bushouse on JIRA:

The first issue mentioned in the description, regarding subtracting imprint/leakcal images from dedicated background images before the backgrounds get subtracted from target images has been addressed in the related tickets JP-2013, JP-3079, and JP-3081, all of which have now been implemented in the latest Cal code. So the remaining thrust of this ticket is just the question of whether or not to change the default method of background subtraction from direct image-to-image subtraction to master background subtraction. So I'm going to update the title of the ticket to reflect that.