Scanning-releasing the full-sky-century database to DASCH for TDA

这是NSF支持的最后一个阶段。哈佛大学天空世纪的数字分析项目（DASCH）现在已经准备就绪，硬件、软件和人力资源规划已经就绪，可以开始全面的生产扫描、处理、数据分发和存档。这笔最终拨款将使世界上唯一的全世纪时域天体物理学（TDA）数据库和分析工具上线，供整个社区利用，作为补充当前调查（PTF， CRT和PS1）的关键调查，并为LSST提供长期背景。高速精密DASCH扫描仪（两个8 x 10英寸成像板在90秒内数字化为1156万像素）和初始天体测量和光度测量现在已经i)改进了天体测量，允许多个曝光板解决方案以及基本独立于板套可能指示的初始天体测量；ii)改进了光度测量。我们构建了流水线和数据库软件和硬件，使原始目标能够扫描和完全处理~400个板/天，这将使~450,000个直接成像板的完整集合能够被扫描和完全减少，并快速访问图像（缩略图），光曲线和旋转磁盘上的数据产品。目前的工作将完成剩余约375,000个印版的生产扫描、通宵处理和完整数据发布（dr，分10期）。虽然一个单一的领域（60集中在M44，我们的第一个“开发领域”）现在是在公共领域，有限的覆盖范围提出了新的TDA调查，DASCH可以做的发现和研究罕见的变量类，需要更大的调查覆盖。DASCH结合了学生在每个阶段和一个充满活力的公共宣传计划。这项研究将从目前存在的、但难以获取的、几乎没有挖掘的数据中，打开长时间尺度（月-100年）时间变化的天文学窗口。数字化是关键，现在可以用我们新的超高速扫描仪和高速处理和数据库来完成。获取过去的数据是对现在（如PanSTARRS）和未来时间调查（LSST）的补充。打开这个新的时间窗口已经揭示了新的现象；它肯定会激发新的学生和广大公众。这个项目将唤醒公众的意识，即宇宙不是静止的。进化和变化是规律，而不是例外。对科学教育的影响可能是巨大的：通过在项目网站上展示类星体或恒星的巨大耀斑，或造父变星的心跳脉动的“宇宙电影”片段，学生们将更好地了解当前天文学的兴奋。对动态宇宙的物理理解甚至比永恒的天空更吸引人。公众和天文学界将完全可以访问由这项调查开发的公共网站。DASCH将对目前正在开发的一些项目普遍推动时间调查产生重大影响。它提供了只有一个世纪的天空覆盖才能提供的真正独特的数据集。

This is the last stage of a NSF supported effort. The Digital Analysis of a Sky Century @ Harvard (DASCH) project is now fully ready with its hardware, software and personnel resource planning and full production scanning, processing and data distribution and archiving can begin. This final grant will bring the world's only full-century Time Domain Astrophysics (TDA) database and analysis tools on line for the full community to utilize as a key survey that complements current surveys (PTF, CRT and PS1) and provides long-term context for LSST. The high speed precision DASCH scanner (two 8 x 10in imaging plates digitized into 11μm pixels in 90 sec) and initial astrometry and photometry have now i) improved astrometry that allows multiple exposure plate solutions as well as initial astrometry essentially independent of what the plate jacket might have indicated, ii) improved photometry. We build the Pipeline and Database software and hardware to enable the original goal to scan and fully process ~400 plates/day, which would enable the full collection of ~450,000 direct imaging plates to be scanned and fully reduced, with rapid access to images (thumbnails), lightcurves , and data products on spinning disk. The present effort will finish the production scanning, overnight processing, and full data releases (DRs, in 10 installments) of the ~375,000 plates remaining. Although a single field (6o centered on M44, our first "development field") is now in the public domain, the limited coverage presents the novel TDA surveys that DASCH can do for discovery and study of rare classes of variables which require larger survey coverage. DASCH incorporates students at every stage and a vigorous program of Public Outreach. This research will open the astronomical window of time variability on long timescales (months-100y) from currently existing, but inaccessible and barely-mined data. Digitization is the key and can now be done with our new ultra-high speed scanner and high speed processing and database. Accessing the past data complements present (e.g. PanSTARRS) and future temporal surveys (LSST). Opening this new temporal window has already revealed new phenomena; it will surely excite new students and the public at large.This project will awaken the public awareness that the universe is not static. Evolution and change are the rule, not the exception. The impact on science education can be large: by showing on the project website segments of the "cosmic movie" of giant flares from quasars or stars, or the heart beat pulsations of Cepheid variables, students will better understand the excitement of current astronomy. Physical understanding of the dynamic universe is even more enticing than the immutable sky. The public website to be fully developed by this investigation will be fully accessible to the public and astronomical community. DASCH will have significant impact on the general drive to Temporal Surveys for a number of projects now in development. It makes available the truly unique dataset that only a century of sky coverage can provide.