Current time at conference location: 6:53 pm CT
Session ID
241
Summary
Astronomy’s time-domain involves a whole kaleidoscope of types, speeds, objects, observations, wavelengths or frequencies, and accordingly we must address highly assorted sets of data from space and ground. But therein lies the first of our challenges. At present, those data are only compatible with others from a similar type of observation. One of the beauties of (for instance) the AAVSO’s displays of a cataclysmic variable is the compatibility of the observations, enabling a half-century or more of time-sensitive changes to be viewed in a single display so that both recurring and non-recurring features can be assessed and analyzed. In general, time-domain studies command much greater attention in the same mode or type of observation in which they were first recognized. There are obvious reasons why that has been so (FRBs are a case in point), but the science derived from such phenomena lacks seriously unless or until complementary data are obtained.

Proposals associated with modern telescopes include a capacity to archive data. That was not so in the past. When CCDs were first established as the workhorse detector their demands outpaced the rate of developments in computer technology in speed, capacity and storage, and for about a decade around the 1980s those early CCD data simply could not be stored. Before the CCD the only non-digital photographic plate, and photoelectric devices were around. Nevertheless, multitude of fundamental discoveries across decades and the birth of Time-Domain Astronomy were established, constituting the bedrock of today’s astrophysics. But substantial amounts of time-domain science straddles that technology switch from plates to CCDs, and can only be extracted by programs of digitization.

Comprehensive digitization projects are rare, and unique. The sizable outputs they generate need to be managed in the public domain along with modern sky surveys. For example, DASCH, now close to completion, has generated terabytes of data by digitizing the half-million high-resolution full-sky images from 1886– 1992 in the Harvard plate collection, and yielded much new science already – a remarkable achievement and a tremendous precedent.

This Session will first assess the status quo, and consider how well it can be maintained into the future in the absence of other comparable technology changes. It will then discuss the areas of science which are worst affected by the effective blocking of data from older technologies, and will create a prioritized list. It will then hear from attendees about projects to rescue certain types of data, and how far those projects might successfully be pushed. We need to build on what can be done, given the right resources and skills. Unique science is at stake. But times are changing rapidly. During the present CCD era, what was once data paucity is becoming data over-abundance that requires machine processing to keep us abreast of all its gems, not just a few shiny ones. That raises another challenge – that of processing efficiently to convert data to information to knowledge. In addition, that same need to digitize must be counterbalanced by full and thorough documentation. We therefore propose to start a discussion on ways to document all aspects of the progress of computation-driven astronomy.

The focus of the Session is on complementarity, compatibility and transferability of data of all kinds. It will therefore avoid tendencies to segregate the science into any one mode (space, radio, ground etc.). Talks from data specialists and archivists that focus on capabilities and future possibilities will constitute a strong core of the meeting.

In parallel to organizing sessions at meetings such as this, we also need policy level efforts. Towards that end, recently a fully online Science20 meeting was held under the auspices of India’s G20 leadership in 2023 on ‘Astroinformatics for Sustainable Development’ endorsed by AAS, ASI, and IAU. While those discussions will continue at an international level, a forum such as this session can lead to a few concrete steps in that direction and lead the way.


Panel Discussion

3:00 PM CT - 3:30 PM CT