UVES Spectral Quasar Absorption Database DR1

The quasars have redshifts z=0-5, and a total exposure time of 10 million seconds provides continuum-to-noise ratios of 4-342 (median 20) per 2.5km/s pixel at 5500{AA}.

The SQUAD spectra are fully reproducible from the raw, archival UVES exposures with open-source software, including our uves_popler tool for combining multiple extracted echelle exposures which we document here. All processing steps are completely transparent and can be improved upon or modified for specific applications. A primary goal of SQUAD is to enable statistical studies of large quasar and absorber samples, and we provide tools and basic information to assist three broad scientific uses: studies of damped Lyman-{alpha} systems (DLAs), absorption-line surveys, and time-variable absorption lines.