ITR/IM+AP: Developing the National Virtual Observatory (NVO) Data Model

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AST-0121296GoodmanThe goals of this project are to explore the development of a data model that will define the abstract set of rules to permit the National Virtual Observatory (NVO) to operate on large, diverse data sets. The project is part of the larger US astronomy effort to build an NVO. The National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey of Astronomy (2001) strongly endorsed the NVO project and recommended that both NSF and NASA fund it. This project is one of the important first steps in the NVO. The rudiments of a well-defined data model must be in place before extensive development can begin on the "access engine" for the NVO, and the access engine must be in place before extensive development of the final, science-driven, analysis tools can be carried out. Since, however, the development of a data model, an access engine, and analysis tools can not be done successfully as a sequential process, there must be testing and redevelopment of each aspect of the NVO at every stage in an iterative process with analysis tools, access engine, and data model tested together and then re-engineered to fit the final science drivers. The scientists and computer specialists involved in this particular project have access to a wide-range of different data (from X-ray to radio) in their local community and plan to use these different data as a testing ground for an experimental data model. This project has been funded as an initial development test, for two years, to assure that it will maintain the flexibility needed to re-engineer the data model in the light of future developmental challenges. ***