The astrophysical Virtual Observatory From information networking to
The astrophysical Virtual Observatory • From information networking • to • information integration • Lisbon, December 15 th, 2003 F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Why keeping data in astronomy? • Long term observation of variable natural phenomena • Major scientific objectives: – Variability, evolution, statistics – Observations with different techniques, at different scales the physical phenomena at work F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Large projects • Large ground- and space-based observatories • Large surveys Optimize the scientific return by increasing usage Same goals for earth sciences! observation networks are also large projects F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Networking of information in astronomy • A small discipline • Few commercial constraints • A long term partnership to define exchange standards and links F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Networking of astronomical information Observations Ground- and space-based observatories Surveys Results Publications in electronic journals F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Property rights • Observational data In general available after a proprietary period (1 year) • Journals – Table of contents and abstracts freely available – Full contents in general available after 3 years F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
The actors • Data producers Know instruments and methods preserve ‘usable’ data and project memory • Disciplinary centers Data and information in a given domain • Journals Results • Data Centers Value-added services and generic tools F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Networking The astronomy bibliographic network Links between – electronic journals – the NASA ADS bibliographic database – on-line services (SIMBAD, NED) – archival data bibcode e. g. 1999 A&A. . . 351. 1003 G F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
ADS From bibliography To the original observations Search an author’s publications F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Select a publication F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Link to the ISO satellite data base F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Data federation Tabular data in astronomy A common description for tabular data – Reference catalogues – Published tables – Surveys – Catalogues of observations in archives Read. Me physical organization contents F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
An homogenized view of heterogeneous information With links to data F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Lessons learnt • De facto standards • Cooperation between all the actors + snowball effect Journals, ADS, data centers, archive centers • Easy-to-build link but contents / validation are fundamental better done by specialists from all partners F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
The Virtual Observatory « an enabling and coordinating entity to foster the development of tools, protocols, and collaborations necessary to realize the full scientific potential of astronomical databases in the coming decade » NVO White Paper, juin 2000 Science driven F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
The international Virtual Observatory Alliance • Many VO projects in different countries (e. g. the European AVO RTD project) • Each project has its own goals, depending on the project participants expertise and on the priorities of the funding agency (often IT money) • All projects participate in the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
IVOA role • Contact between the projects (regular telecons) • A common roadmap: yearly demos • Intense activity on interoperability standard definition (email, face to face meetings – 30 people in Jan. 2002, 130 in Oct. 2003) • A International Astronomical Union WG to adopt the standards F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Data access layer • A common standard to describe astronomical images: FITS (more than 30 years old) • IVOA data access layer: Simple image access protocal • On-going work on Simple spectral access protocol F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
A ‘flat’ data list F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Data organization A view of the IDHA data model developed for the AVO demo Metadata at each level of the hierarchical data tree F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
Observations from European archives (AVO interoperability prototype) Inclusive: NASA missions HST, Chandra, surveys, … F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
The time dimension ** WNO 7 1951. 839 1987. 751 1995. 653 F. Genova, ERPANET/CODATA workshop, 2003/12/15
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