Hanisch ADASS 1999. Distributed Data Systems and Services for Astronomy and the Space Sciences Robert J. Hanisch Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore,

Hanisch

ADASS 1999

Distributed Data Systems and Services for Astronomy and the

Space Sciences

Robert J. HanischSpace Telescope Science

InstituteBaltimore, MDADASS ‘99, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, 3-6 October 1999

What does it mean for a service to be “distributed”?

• Databases/archives need not be located at the same physical site

• User’s query is passed to, and responses are returned from, multiple services via a common protocol

• Responses/results presented to the user in an integrated fashion, as if resources were local and of similar structure

ADASS ‘99, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, 3-6 October 1999

What does it mean for a service to be “distributed”?


Space Mission Data Ground-Based Data

Catalogs

We need distributed information services because...

• No one site can hold all information• Information is dynamic; static catalogs

and indexes quickly become obsolete• Astronomers use multiple types of data —

images, spectra, time series; catalogs, journal tables; journal articles — all should be easily located and accessed with query terms and syntax natural to the discipline

• Common entry point for multiple resources simplifies life for users


Distributed information services in astronomy provide...

• Information discovery: Search across distributed resources and services– ASDS, Astrobrowse

• Information retrieval: Catalog services and on-line archives– VizieR, MAST, HEASARC, IRSA, …

• Information integration: Catalog cross-correlation, image and graphical overlays, intelligent query/response management– IMPReSS, AMASE, SkyView, SkyCat, Aladin,

Jsky



Astrobrowse


Astrobrowse

IMPReSS

AMASE


SkyView


SkyView


SkyCat


Aladin


ASDS

Next Step: Distributed Information Services for Space Science

• Maximize scientific return from space science missions

• Enable cross-cutting research utilizing what have traditionally been disconnected data resources

• Provide access to and awareness of enabling tools and technologies– Software libraries– Computational resources


Astrophysics

Space Science Data Systems

Science Themes

Structure andEvolution of the Universe

Search forOrigins

PlanetaryExploration

Sun-EarthConnection

• Astrophysics Data Centers Coordinating Council• Datatype-Based Data Centers

IRSA (IPAC)- Infrared, Interferometry

MAST (STScI)- EUV, UV, Opt, Near-IR

HEASARC (GSFC)- EUV, X-ray, Gamma-ray

ADC (GSFC)- Catalogs

ADS (SAO)- Abstracts

Chandra (SAO)

SEC Data System

• SECDS Coordinating Council• Management Office• Service Groups

Solar Physics Terrestrial Environment Imagery In Situ Space Physics

• Data Providers

PlanetaryData System• PDS Management Council• PDS Central Node (JPL)• Discipline Nodes

Atmospheres Geosciences Imaging Navigation & Ancillary Info Planetary Plasma Interactions Rings Small Bodies

Models for a Space Science Information System

• “Good” - user can access many resources (current WWW; AstroWeb, SPDS)

• “Better” - web-based client directs user queries to appropriate services (current AstroBrowse system)

• “Best” - web-based client locates services relevant to user, sends queries, and collates responses (goal of ISAIA)


The Web

User

“good”

User

QueryAgent

“better”

Astro-brows

e

User

Query/Response

Agent

“best”

ISAIA

Space Science Data Services

Building a Distributed Data System for Space Science

• Standardize query protocols through use of profiles– Profiles map generic terms onto discipline

or site-specific metadata and define the allowed logical operators (=, >, x .. y)

• Keep infrastructure light-weight– Potential barrier for participation must be

kept as low as possible– Data providers must not have to modify

internal data services/structures• Automate maintenance and distribution of

profiles, e.g., using GLUADASS ‘99, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, 3-6 October 1999

AstroBrowse

AstroBrowse is a first generation effort to implement the query agent

• Concept by R. Hanisch and S. Murray (SAO), implementations by T. McGlynn/C. Heikkila (HEASARC) and T. Kimball (STScI), GLU support from P. Fernique and M. Wenger (CDS) as well as CDS implementation AstroGLU

• ~1000 resources (observation logs, catalogs)• Preselection of which resources to query by

data type, bandpass, data location, etc.• Searches done using object coordinates

(obtained from SIMBAD or NED name resolvers)ADASS ‘99, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, 3-6 October 1999

ISAIA

ISAIA (Integrated System for Archival Information Access) is the next step in implementation of the query/response agent

• Intended to span all space science disciplines• Will layer upon and interface to existing

systems (e.g., Planetary Data System DIS, Distributed Inventory System, and emerging SECDS)

• Profiles map high-level standard terms to resource-specific qualifiers

• Profile maintenance is distributed among participating sites and services via GLU


ISAIA DevelopmentRequirements• “Light weight”: minimal to zero costs to data

providers for participation, no constraints on how an organization manages its data internally

• Preserve identity of participating services yet make their data available as seamlessly as possible

Development Plan• Define profiles (work in progress)• Implement query agent based on profiles (next

step in evolution of AstroBrowse)• Develop integrator


ISAIA Profiles

• Three components:– Resource profile characterizes data

holdings and allows query agent to determine which sites and services to send queries to

– Query profile provides map of generic query terms to site/service specific terms (e.g., bandpass filter name)

– Returned information profile labels returned metadata to facilitate integration of results from different services

• Profile implementation likely to utilize XMLADASS ‘99, Kohala Coast, Hawaii, 3-6 October 1999

ISAIA Resource Profile

FACILITY name of observatory, mission, program, etc.DISCIPLINE astronomy, space physics, planetary science, solar physicsINSTRUMENT HOST name of telescope (HST, IUE, COBE, …)INSTRUMENT NAME name of instrument (WFPC, NICMOS, FIRAS, …)INSTRUMENT TYPE magnetometer, spectrometer, imager, photometer, ...OBSERVED PHYSICAL photon, electron, proton, ion, atom, molecule, magnetic QUANTITY field, electric field, pressure, temperature, ...SAMPLING MODE time series, image, aperture, spectrum, visibility, scan, ...DATA CLASS pointed observation, survey observation, derived (catalog),

simulation, model fit, ephemeris, software, literatureDATA FORMAT FITS, CDF, PDF, HDF, ASCII, …TIME SPAN range of times covered by resourcePRIN. INVESTIGATOR name of PI for INSTRUMENT NAMEOBJECT NAME astronomical object name, planet name, region of spaceOBJECT TYPE asteroid, planet, star, quasar, solar wind, auroraBANDPASS optical, UV, IR, 2-10keV, ...

Queryable Fields


Following development of profiles, proto-typing will also be done on an integrator

• An integrator is an application which receives query responses, labeled using the terms of the response profile, and presents response information in a uniform format

• Functions include – conversion of units and coordinates into

common system (, , , , l, b, t)– sorting of tabular data– maintaining intermediate results– cross-correlation

ISAIA Integrator


ISAIA Team

R. Hanisch (STScI), PIT. McGlynn, N. White (GSFC/HEASARC)J. King (GSFC/NSSDC)C. Cheung, E. Shaya (GSFC/ADC)R. Plante, R. McGrath, D. Guillaume (NCSA/UIUC)J. Mazzarella (IPAC/Caltech)

A. Rots (SAO)S. Hughes (PDS/JPL)S. McMahon (PDS/JPL)M. A’Hearn (UMd)R. Beebe (NMSU)F. Genova, F. Ochsenbein, P. Fernique, M. Wenger, F. Bonnarel (CDS)P. Giommi (BSDC)

• Interested in collaborations with other groups!


URLs• Space Science Data System

– http://ssds.nasa.gov/– http://spds.gsfc.nasa.gov/– http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/

• AstroBrowse– http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/ab/– http://archive.stsci.edu/starcast/– http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/glu/cgi-bin/ astroglu.pl

• ISAIA– http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/isaia/

• GLU– http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/glu/glu.html


Documents

Hanisch ADASS 1999. Distributed Data Systems and Services for Astronomy and the Space Sciences Robert J. Hanisch Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore,