Birds-of-a-Feather session 1-B
When
Where
Theme: Cloud infrastructures for astronomical data analysis
Science platforms (MPs) have emerged as powerful tools that integrate vast astronomical datasets, advanced computational capabilities, and collaborative tools into a unified framework. They provide astronomers with a streamlined and efficient means to access, analyse, and visualise complex data sets, enabling breakthrough discoveries and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations. In Astronomy and Astrophysics there is growing interest towards SP driven in particular by large experiments (as LSST or SKA), and there already exists a number of different implementations of SPs, offering differing features and capabilities.
This BoF session will examine the state of the art and future perspectives involving data centers, computing centers or astrophysical projects. The BoF will address some of the key questions about SPs in astronomy. What platforms are already available for astronomers? Are platforms interoperable? Do we need interoperable platforms and which standards should be developed? How can platforms simplify the use of complex cloud or HPC facilities?
In addition, the BoF will address a specific functionality to be supported and integrated in the SPs: high performance data visualization. This represents one of the most relevant - and challenging - services supported by the SP, since it requires the usage of remote computing resources, the access to distribute data, the support to complex workflows and to real-time user interaction. In the BoF we aim to discuss the requirements of the astronomers and the challenges to support such needs within a SP.
In conclusion, this BoF will provide an overview of SP technology for astronomy focusing in particular on big data visualization, and highlighting the efforts already done to develop science platforms able to offer a data analysis framework, and the role of IVOA in providing standards and services to design and develop interoperable platforms.