Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructures and Science (CASSIS) CASSIS...

Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructures and Science (CASSIS)

CASSISMoving forwards on standards and

interoperability

R.D. Bentley (UCL-MSSL)and the CASSIS Consortium

ESWW-7, Bruges, November 2010

2Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructures and Science (CASSIS)

Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructures and Science

CASSIS is a Coordination Action funded under Research Infrastructures within the Capacities programme of FP7

Started 1 June 2010, duration 36 months

CASSIS intended to facilitate science within the Solar System by improving the interoperability between data and services in all domains

CASSIS brings together three FP7 projects that are directly relevant to this issue – HELIO, EuroPlanet RI and SOTERIADesire is to engage as many other groups as possible in the discussions, from Europe and the rest of the world

Web site: http://www.cassis-vo.eu


CASSIS Consortium

Short Name Organization

UCL University College London (MSSL and Physics & Astronomy) UK

KULeuven Katholieke Universiteit Leuven BE

FHNW Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz CH

ROB Koninklijke Sterrenwacht van Belgie BE

INAF Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (IFSI and Obs. Trieste) IT

UPST Universite Paul Sabatier Toulouse III (CESR) FR

OBSPARIS Observatoire de Paris (LESIA) FR

UCLA-IGPP University of California, Los Angeles (IGPP) US

RPI Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute US

ESA European Space Astronomy Centre ES

NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center US

NASA GSFC Heliophysics Science Division US

• Participants include groups from the three FP7 project – HELIO, Europlanet RI and SOTERIA.• Groups from the US were added during the negotiation phase. CASSIS interested in broadening the international aspects of the project by extending invitations to key organisations elsewhere• Whether other disciplines should be included is being considered – e.g. climate studies,


CASSIS is all about interoperability!

Solar System Science has traditionally been undertaken within a number of separate disciplines

Many aspects of the system are inter-relatedDifficult to address them because of the lack of the integrating tools and techniques

Advances in technology means that the intrinsic differences between disciplines are being addressed

Manifest by differing data formats and other dependenciesThe three projects involved have already made progress

Each is making significant improvements to the infrastructure that supports their communities, increasing ability to do scienceNecessary to coordinate the efforts of these and other projects in order to help break down the inter-disciplinary boundaries barriers

CASSIS intended to take things to the next level by cooperating in a number of areas

Enabling new combinations of interdisciplinary studies


Cooperation & Discussion

Areas of cooperation include:Investigating ways to improve the interoperability between data and metadata from the domains, and the possibility of sharing services, including metadata resources.Coordinating the use of standard within the projects and reflect any changes that are required to organizations like the IVOA and IPDA.Coordination of the dissemination activities of the projects in order to create a more coherent and comprehensive approach

Two principle means of discussion:Community Consultation Meeting will be used to gather input from the wider communityVision for Solar System Science Workshops are planned to bring key players together in order to lobby the case for solar system science with the decision makers and funding agencies


Standards and Interoperability

Drive for interoperability comes from increasing desire to undertake cross-disciplinary studies

HELIO is a Virtual Observatory that is trying supports thisDomains involve include solar, heliospheric, planetary, geophysics…To achieve its objectives, HELIO must address a number of issues

o These are the things make everything possible…

Must support a search across several domains Search based on metadata and derived productsSearch related to phenomena evolving in 4-DimensionsNeed to condition the metadata to ensure that temporal and spatial coordinates are homogeneous and interoperable

Must provide integrated access to data from many domainsDifferent file formats, ways of storing, handling and using the data

o Variety of access techniques & protocols (http, ftp, Web-services…)

Accessibility depends on how providers have organized things


Standards and Interoperability

HELIO is developing data models to describe the systems that we trying to integrate

Single data model is not realistic optionTrying to create a data model that over-spans the others…

o Based on models from EGSO, SPASE, etc.

Data model is important since we need to annotate the metadata to properly describe quantities

Unambiguously define the parameters involvedPut them in context of other information that are used

Developing standards for files that HELIO is producing Include suggested sets of quantities, etc.that should be used

o Annotation also an important part of this activity

If adopted elsewhere, ideas engender interoperability

Developing recommendation for providers about how to naming and storage strategies that would make their data archives more interoperable


Some simple guidelines for Providers...

File Names – There are no hard and fast rules, but the name needs to be sufficiently unique that:

The type and origin of the file can easily be identified (time of observation?)The file can exist without causing confusion when removed from the context of where it is normally stored

Directory Structure – A hierarchical directory structure makes it easier to find files (and is strongly preferred)

Ideally the structure should be a tree based on datesEssential for resource-poor providers; beneficial for a data centre

Summary of Observations – It simplifies access if the archive maintains a summary of the observations that have been made

Particularly useful if all the observations are not available on-line


Some simple guidelines for Providers...

File Metadata – It is essential that all files contain good metadata describing the characteristics of the observations

If metadata are not properly formed, it may be impossible to use the data in some circumstanceFiles should be in some standard format

o FITS, CDF or similar

Need to try to push down the boundary between the standard and domain specific areas of the metadataSome form of annotation would be beneficial

Standard

Domain specific


Annotation of data that are used/created

Trying to identify lists that could be added to the HECSOTERIA using HELIO HEC technology for its event lists

HELIO uses file in VOTable format to transfer informationLists that could be used by external communities should be fully annotated with UCDs and utypes – also useful internally!

Unambiguously defines what the quantities are and mean

CASSIS looking for help to define utypes and UCDs for the Solar System

Part of the comprehensive, over-spanning data model

• UCDs and utypes are concepts defined by the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA)• Existing UCDs not really applicable to heliophysics and HELIO needs to develop a new set!


Harmonizing spatial coordinate systems

In heliophysics need to use data from many points in the Solar System

Need to be able to relate features seen from different vantage pointsNeed to be able to interpret coronagraph (plane-of-sky) observations from different viewpoints and relate them to motion of material in the heliosphereNeed to relate these to in-situ observations made at various locationsNeed to be able to track features and follow effects into planetary environments

»

Interoperable set of coordinates required to make things workWould be useful if everyone tried to use similar set…

STEREO-B, SOHO and STEREO-A on 22/2/2010 when the STEREO spacecraft were ~65º behind/ahead of Earth


STEREO – Inhomogeneous metadata

The STEREO event lists for IMPACT have problems:

• Very different ways of expressing time• Location of spacecraft not explicitly included• No information on “local” solar B angle…

Good for creativity; very poor for interoperability


Summary

Standards and Interoperability are good for all Need to find ways to improve quality of the data

This must be done in a way where the provider can see the benefitShould not forget the back ground information!!

Need to find way of making the data more accessibleTechnology is no longer an issue

Need to also look at the definition of services and see if we can improve interoperability

How parameters are called what they are, annotation…

The funding bodies need to insist that projectsProduce data that comply with minimum standards and are accessibleConsider interoperability in their data management plans


LOCAL VO

Standards and Interoperability are good for all

… to your cooperati

on

We look forward

…

Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructures and Science (CASSIS) CASSIS...

Documents

Transcript of Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructures and Science (CASSIS) CASSIS...