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p3d is a general data-reduction tool that is intended to be used with data of fiber-fed integral field spectrographs (IFSs). This tool can be useful for people who have access to astronomical data of such an instrument. Data-reduction tasks, which are performed by p3d, convert raw data of CCD detectors into extracted spectra that can thereafter be used for scientific purposes.

In October 2010, at the STScI-workshop "IFUs in the era of JWST", Christer Sandin gave a presentation with the title "Integral-Field Spectroscopy Data Reduction Made Easy with p3d". You can watch the presentation if you follow this link.

Goal
The aim with p3d is and has been to write a user-friendly tool that will reduce the time spent performing repetitive tasks in IFS data-reduction. p3d can combine several images (exposures) into one image, clean single images of cosmic-ray hits, can extract spectra using three different methods, does full error propagation through all steps, and provides graphical tools for inspection of both intermediate and final results. Release 2.6.2 of p3d contains tools to handle the following tasks:

Create a master-bias image – any available prescan and overscan regions can easily be used instead.
Clean raw data of cosmic-ray hits – two different algorithms are implemented for single images, as well as median stacking of three or more images.
Find and trace spectra on the detector; automatically, in most cases.
Create a dispersion mask for wavelength calibration.
Create a dataset used to normalize (flat field) extracted spectra.
Extract science-object data; three extraction methods are implemented.
Create a sensitivity function from a summed standard-star spectrum – this can be done either automatically or interactively; the sensitivity function is used to flux calibrate reduced data.
Flux calibrate extracted data using a sensitivity function.
Combine extracted images of separate detectors to one image (for data of the VIMOS instrument).
Correct data for effects of differential atmospheric refraction (DAR; currently implemented for 5 instrument setups that use square-shaped spatial elements: PMAS/Larr, Spiral, VIMOS, FLAMES/Argus, and MPFS).
Convert RSS-formated output of p3d to data cubes (currently implemented for 6 instrument setups that use square-shaped spatial elements: PMAS/Larr, Spiral, VIMOS, FLAMES, MPFS, and ERA2) or the E3d-format (all instruments).
Combine several extracted images using the same or different exposure times, where all exposures target the same region.
Examine reduced spectrum images or IFS data cubes of any origin (such as MUSE) with the p3d spectrum viewer.
Fit any combination and number of emission and absorption lines in the data. The fitted data are written to binary-table fits files as well as multi-extension image files. Another provided tool (p3d_ifsfit_mosaic) can be used to view the fitted data (in the binary-table fits files) and create publication-ready plots in a large number of imaginable forms. The image files are easily opened with any fits image viewer.
Create simulated data sets, which can then be reduced using the regular tools of p3d.