Annotation of “special structures”
in astronomy
Bob Mann
Institute for Astronomy and
National e-Science Centre
University of Edinburgh
What do astronomers want to do?
„
Annotate data products in the same way we
present data in journal papers
What do astronomers want to do?
„
Describe extended structures in images
(Vela supernova remnant in
Hα line emission)
„
N.B. solar physicists may do better in this regard.
What do astronomers do now?
„
Store “annotations” in databases for use
with the other data products
Satellite track on
photographic plate –
SuperCOSMOS Sky
Survey
„
(Amos Storkey et al.)
Why don’t astronomers do more?
Technical problems
‹ How to introduce annotation into existing
data formats interoperably?
„ Sociological problems
‹ Where does data curation stop and
scientific research begin?
„
Sociological problems
Data whose derivation involves scientific
judgement belongs in a paper not a datacentre
‹ All data processing involves judgement
‹ Isn’t it enough to track the provenance?
„ Attitude changing, aided by some journals
„
Original
data in
misssion
archive
WWW version
of Journal Paper
Tables of
derived data
from paper
stored at data
centre
Technical problems
„
FITS data format
Primary Header (metadata)
Primary data array
(usually an image)
Extension Header
Extension body
(image, table,…)
Technical problems
FITS not insuperable obstacle
‹ Flexibility in what goes into header:
Keyword-Value-Comment format
‹ Standard way to reference pixels, etc
„ Other standard definitions underway
‹ e.g. Region – standard way to describe a
region of the celestial sphere
„
Summary
Astronomers don’t annotate much
‹ We probably should do more
‹ We probably will do more
„ No concept of third-party annotation yet
„ Sociological & technical problems to solve
‹ Could do with help/advice/inspiration
„