Birds of a Feather (BoF) Sessions

ADASS XVII will feature 4 Birds of a Feather (BoF) sessions. BoFs are informal sessions created by attendees on topics of special interest. The following BoFs have been scheduled:

BoF 1: Monday, 19:30-21:00 (Great Hall)

FITS

W. Pence and the IAU FITS Working Group

This Birds-of-a-Feather session will present a summary of current activities related to the FITS data format and will provide a forum for the discussion of current issues. Main topics of discussion will be

There will be an open forum at the end for short presentations on any other FITS-related topics.

 

BoF 2: Monday, 19:30-21:00 (Small Hall)

Transient Event Reporting and Response with VOEvent

R. Seaman, A. Allan, R. Williams

Abstract:

Evanescing astronomical phenomena will be key to dramatic scientific discoveries over the next decades. Large telescopes such as LSST and Pan-STARRS will survey the time domain with unprecedented breadth and depth. Networks of nimble robotic response telescopes yearn like locusts anticipating their next meal. A common language for describing observations of transients must span from synoptic discovery to robotic follow-up and through to VO-driven characterization. VOEvent is that lingua franca.

The IVOA VOEvent working group is engaged with the larger astronomical and software communities to develop the VOEvent language and conforming technologies through workshops and BoFs. In addition to brisk status reports from various autonomous astronomy projects, we will wrangle entertainingly over hot topics:

Dedicated delvers can discern diverse and detailed VOEvent links:

Representatives of projects in time domain astronomy are encouraged to contribute presentations to the BoF and their expertise to the working groups.

 

BoF 3: Tuesday, 17:15-18:45 (Great Hall)

Data Mining for Large Scale Astronomical Datasets: Challenges, Milestones and Solutions

S. McConnell, S. Williamson, A. Howes

Abstract:

The session will provide ADASS participants with an opportunity to obtain an overview of existing work in the application of data-mining techniques to astronomical data, identify challenges, discover possible solutions, present research results, contribute their own experiences, express their concerns, and discuss the general issues associated with data-mining of large-scale astronomical datasets. Furthermore, this session will facilitate collaboration between researchers and professionals from different fields, including Astronomy, Computer Science IT. As one of the featured topics for ADASS 2007, data-mining as the focus of this BoF is of utmost relevance to the conference.

Timeline:

Discussion: Summary and Conclusions

 

BoF 4: Tuesday, 17:15-18:45 (Small Hall)

IRAF Users and Developers

M. Fitzpatrick, F. Valdes, R. Seaman, N. Zarate

Abstract:

IRAF development within the NOAO Data Products Programs (DPP) has recently been resumed in support of other DPP efforts such as the NVO and pipeline processing. This development will provide new releases of external packages, the core IRAF system and the X11IRAF tools that will be of interest to the wider user community. Support for these new projects, how feedback from users helps drive new development, and a new collaboration between the user-community hosted by IRAF.net and NOAO/DPP projects define a new model for the future of IRAF development.

We propose a BoF session for IRAF users and developers that will serve as a "Town Hall" style meeting to answer questions that the above statements will surely raise, as well as a more traditional BoF with prepared presentations from the organizers and as those solicited from the community with plenty of time reserved for Q&A. Specific topics to be covered include:

Presentations on relevant material from individual users and projects teams will be welcome. Software discussed at this BoF will be available at the NOAO Demo table throughout the meeting.