Planning for the Virtual Observatory Tara Murphy … with input from other Aus-VO members …

Tara Murphy Decadal Plan Meeting 2004 What is the VO? Mission: “To deliver more science per dollar for astronomy” Mission: “To deliver more science per dollar for astronomy” The VO is a distributed collection of: The VO is a distributed collection of: –Data resources –Software resources –Computing (grid) resources –Telescopes?

Tara Murphy Decadal Plan Meeting 2004 International community The IVOA is a collaboration between many countries, several of which are allocating significant resources to it The IVOA is a collaboration between many countries, several of which are allocating significant resources to it Over $25 million has been invested by NVO, Astrogrid and AVO Over $25 million has been invested by NVO, Astrogrid and AVO Member countries include: Member countries include: –US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, Hungary, Japan, China, India, Spain, Italy, Korea

Tara Murphy Decadal Plan Meeting 2004 Why is the VO important? Future facilities (such as SKA) will require enormous software effort to achieve their potential Future facilities (such as SKA) will require enormous software effort to achieve their potential Funding for these facilities will have to include money for specialised software development The VO is developing expertise in the type of software and infrastructure required The VO is developing expertise in the type of software and infrastructure required

Tara Murphy Decadal Plan Meeting 2004 And also… IAU resolution Public Access to Astronomical Archives : IAU resolution Public Access to Astronomical Archives : –Data obtained on publicly-funded Major National or International Astronomical facilities should … be placed in an archive where they may be accessed via the internet by all research astronomers. –… the data should be accompanied by appropriate metadata and other information or tools to make them scientifically valuable. ARC requirements ARC requirements

Tara Murphy Decadal Plan Meeting 2004 Australia’s involvement Should Australia be a part of it? YES! Should Australia be a part of it? YES! Why? Why? –To increase the effectiveness of Australian Researchers –To increase the effectiveness of Australian Instruments

Tara Murphy Decadal Plan Meeting 2004 The HST archive

Tara Murphy Decadal Plan Meeting 2004 The current situation So far Aus-VO has been successful at obtaining funding from a variety of sources such as So far Aus-VO has been successful at obtaining funding from a variety of sources such as –APAC –CSIRO Emerging Science –ARC LIEF grants Which have allowed us to get started Which have allowed us to get started

Tara Murphy Decadal Plan Meeting 2004 However… To be more effective we need to To be more effective we need to –strengthen the identity of Aus-VO –achieve critical mass –be able to set long term goals

Tara Murphy Decadal Plan Meeting 2004 The future of Aus-VO We see the VO as part of a larger movement towards e-science We see the VO as part of a larger movement towards e-science We want to produce great software for Australian astronomy data We want to produce great software for Australian astronomy data To be successful we need to change: To be successful we need to change: –the structure of Aus-VO –the way it is funded

Tara Murphy Decadal Plan Meeting 2004 Conclusion Fact: the amount of astronomical data will increase massively in the next decade Fact: the amount of astronomical data will increase massively in the next decade Fact: old software techniques just won’t work any more Fact: old software techniques just won’t work any more To be competitive in this new era we have to plan for these changes now! To be competitive in this new era we have to plan for these changes now!