# Data simulation¶

Note

For a general introduction to HENDRICS’s workflow, please read the Introductory concepts and example analysis tutorial

To simulate datasets, MaLTPyNT includes the HENfake script. It can simulate event lists with a fixed count rate or from an input light curve. Also, it is able to apply a dead time filter to the simulated event lists.

## Basic operations¶

To simulate a short observation (1025 s) at a given count rate (e.g., 150 ct/s), it is sufficient to call HENfake -c

$HENfake -c 150$ ls
events.evt


To simulate an event list from an input light curve, use the -l (or --lc) option. The light curve can be in FITS or MaLTPyNT native format (or one can use HENlcurve for the conversion from text format):

$HENfake -l lightcurve.fits  To apply dead time to the generated events, use the --deadtime option. deadtime can be supplied as a single number, meaning a constant dead time $ HENfake -l lightcurve.fits --deadtime 2.5e-3


or as two numbers (mean, sigma), meaning a Gaussian distribution of dead times with the specified mean and sigma.

More advanced options are available using the functions in hendrics.fake and, of course, the powerful API in stingray.simulate.