AstroGrid Science Tools/Workflows

Call for Proposals
Deadline : 17.00 BST 11th June 2007

The AstroGrid project is seeking proposals for new or adapted science tools or workflows that enable specific astronomical projects to be carried out with the AstroGrid system. The successful teams will work with a small team of AstroGrid staff to complete their projects and/or build new software tools. These projects will be completed by end December 2007.

INTRODUCTION TO ASTROGRID

AstroGrid is developing and now deploying the UK's Virtual Observatory. The current Jan 2007 release (2007.1) (see http://www.astrogrid.org/launch) offers a number of powerful capabilities, helping the astronomer find, get and work with a wide range of astrophysical data.

The capabilities available through AstroGrid offer significant potential to support the data analysis and discovery needs of a wide range of astronomers, from Cosmologists to Solar Physicists. The system is still developmental in nature, but the facilities available are rapidly increasing as AstroGrid moves to full service operation in 2008.

This second AstroGrid 'science-call' seeks ideas from the community to support specific early science projects. The successful proposal teams will gain access to expert AstroGrid developer and scientist effort -
and over a period of six months will be able to configure AstroGrid to suit their science use case. Examples of work supported through the first call in Apr 2006 included making access available to a large
optical catalogue and image set (see http://www2.astrogrid.org/science/science-examples-stars/iphas-catalogue-images/ and the survey at http://www.iphas.org), bringing solar IDL algorithms to the VO (see http://www2.astrogrid.org/science/misctutorials/chianti-on-astrogrid/) and making access possible to XCS cluster datasets.

PROPOSAL PROCEDURE

Proposals are limited to two pages and should outline the science goals, the approach to be taken and how it draws upon VO resources and capabilities offered through the AstroGrid VO system and the nature of any tools or science applications to be developed.

The proposal should indicate what AstroGrid support is required in terms of technical or scientific support. The proposers might suggest developing a new tool, making some particular application available via the VO, ensuring access to some particular range of data sets.

AstroGrid will provide the required technical developer support to the proposal team in creating the VO capability that they propose. The team would be invited to meet with the AstroGrid project team (at AstroGrid's expense) at the start of the six month development period, to define the task. AstroGrid would then work with the team to produce the tool or capability, with contact via email or telecons through the
development phase.

AstroGrid will make available a small team of developers and scientists to support some two to three successful programmes over the period Jul - Dec 2007.

Each successful project team will be expected to provide a brief final report or reference to a peer-reviewed research publication based on the research. Any software developed as a result of this effort should be shared with the astronomy community through the AstroGrid project.

Applications should be submitted to science@astrogrid.org no later than 17.00 BST 11 June 2007. Additional information and answers to questions may be obtained by sending an e-mail to science <at> astrogrid.org via the AstroGrid website (at http://www.astrogrid.org/calls)

The proposed projects will be reviewed by a review panel from the AstroGrid Science Advisory Group (which is composed of representatives from the UK astronomy community). The AstroGrid Project Management
team will advise the review panel on the technical feasibility of the proposed projects. It is anticipated that the results of the selection procedure will be known by end June 2007.

Background Links:

• AstroGrid:            http://www.astrogrid.org
• Use AstroGrid :        http://www.astrogrid.org/launch
• Science with AstroGrid:        http://science.astrogrid.org
• Example programmes from the first science-tools-call can be found at http://www.astrogrid.org/calls.
  

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AstroGrid Project Scientist