These IDL routines provide a robust and relatively fast way to perform least-squares curve and surface fitting. The algorithms are translated from MINPACK-1, which is a rugged minimization routine found on Netlib, and distributed with permission. This algorithm is more desirable than CURVEFIT because it is generally more stable and less likely to crash than the brute-force approach taken by CURVEFIT, which is based upon Numerical Recipes.

BatAnalysis processes and analyzes Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) survey data in a comprehensive computational pipeline. The code downloads BAT survey data, batch processes the survey observations, and extracts light curves and spectra for each survey observation for a given source. BatAnalysis allows for the use of BAT survey data in advanced analyses of astrophysical sources including pulsars, pulsar wind nebula, active galactic nuclei, and other known/unknown transient events that may be detected in the hard X-ray band. BatAnalysis can also create mosaicked images at different time bins and extract light curves and spectra from the mosaicked images for a given source.

The Markwardt IDL Library contains routines for curve fitting and function minimization, including MPFIT (ascl:1208.019), statistical tests, and non-linear optimization (TNMIN); graphics programs including plotting three-dimensional data as a cube and fixed- or variable-width histograms; adaptive numerical integration (Quadpack), Chebyshev approximation and interpolation, and other mathematical tools; many ephemeris and timing routines; and array and set operations, such as computing the fast product of a large array, efficiently inserting or deleting elements in an array, and performing set operations on numbers and strings; and many other useful and varied routines.