G. Software

All the programs used in this study were written in Interactive Data Language (IDL), a complete computing environment integrating a powerful, array-oriented programming language with numerous data analysis and graphical display possibilities. IDL can be used both interactively and to create sophisticated functions, procedures or complex applications, and is becoming increasingly popular in the astronomical community. Since only the programs used for generation of simulated GAIA BBP observations on the basis of HST WFPC2 images and for their stacking into GAIA flux maps contain truly original contributions, only these are presented.