IVOA Executive Committee Meeting (FM73)

FM73 - Thu, 26 Oct 2017 - 14:00 (local time)/(17:00 UTC) - Sheraton Convention Center - Room: O'Higgins

Contents

• IVOA Executive Committee Meeting (FM73)
  • Logistics
  • Agenda
  • Reports from the Projects
    • Argentina - NOVA
    • ArVO
    • AstroGrid
    • Australia-VO
    • BRAVO
    • China-VO
    • ChiVO
    • CVO
    • Euro-VO
    • ESAVO
    • France VO
    • GAVO
    • HVO
    • VObs.it
    • Japan-VO
    • Ukraine VO
    • USVOA
    • RVO
    • SA^3
    • SVO
    • VO-India
  • Report from the TCG
  • Reports from the WGs

Logistics

@14:00 lo"> Thursday, Oct 26, 2017 @14:00 local time/(17:00 UTC) - Sheraton Convention Center - Room: O'Higgins

JOIN BY PHONE

Global call-in numbers:

Toll-free dialing restrictions:

Can't join the meeting? Contact support here:

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that this WebEx service allows audio and other information sent during the session to be recorded, which may be discoverable in a legal matter. You should inform all meeting attendees prior to recording if you intend to record the meeting.

**DRAFT* Agenda TM73*

1. Roll Call and Agenda
2. Minutes of TM72
3. Review of Exec Actions
4. Project Reports [Significant Events Only]
5. Overall TCG status
6. Approval of new IVOA Recommendation(s) [Standing Item]
7. Update on Northern Spring 2018 - Victoria, Canada (May28-Jun01)
8. Terms up for expiration (May 2018) - see list below
9. Open Universe Meeting preparation
10. Future Interops
    • Northern Autumn 2018 - College Park Maryland (Nov 8-10)
    • Northern Spring 2019 - Paris, France
11. AOB
12. Date of Next Exec Meeting
13. Review of Action Items

("no extension" means the person has already been extended and term will end; "1 year extension" means a 1 year extension is available)

Working Groups:

• Applications: Pierre Fernique - Ch (no extension), Tom Donaldson (no extension) - V Ch
• Data Access: Francois Bonnarel - Ch (no extension), Marco Molinaro (no extension) - V Ch
• Registry: Markus Demleitner - Ch (no extension), Theresa Dower (1 year extension) - V Ch
• Data Model: Mark Cresitello-Dittmar - Ch (1 year extension) , Laurent Michel (1 year extension) - V Ch
• Grid & Web Services: Brian Major - Ch (1 year extension), Guiliano Taffoni (1 year extension) - V Ch
• Semantics: Mireille Louys - Ch (1 year extension), Alberto Accomazzi (1 year extension) - V Ch

• Data Curation & Preservation: Francoise Genova (no extension) - Ch
• Operations: Tom McGlynn - Ch (1 year extension), Mark Taylor (1 year extension) - V Ch

• Matthew Graham - Ch, Patrick Dowler2 - V Ch

• Pepi Fabbiano - Ch, Mark Allen - V Ch

Argentina-NOVA

ArVO

AstroGrid

Australia-VO

AusVO continues without funding, but quite a number of 'grassroots' activities on-going, including the various All Sky Virtual Observatory Nodes (http://asvo.org.au). These activities are funded and will continue to be funded during the coming years. The Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) node will be delivered in prototype state mid of December 2017. The funding for going to a fully operational node has been secured for next year. The ASKAP Science Archive (CASDA) will also be included as a ASVO node and is alsready operational. Internal discussions have been started to merge the unfunded Australian VO with the funded ASVO.

BRAVO

China-VO

• HiPS interface for Worldwide Telescope (WWT) is developed and under internal test. This interface will be released as a new feature of the first China-VO version of WWT by the end of the year.
• The China-VO 2017 will be held in late of Novermber in Dali, a South-West city in China. 140 people registed.

ChiVO

DM/DAL:

ChiVO has indexed 4.5 TB of ALMA data products (fits) corresponding to cycles 0,1,2 and 3. For them, the SIA, SCS and TAP services are available. We have recently updated the registry, so officially the FITS ALMA data is available under VO standards. Also we are ingesting the "raw" data of ALMA (i.e., calibrated ASDMs). Of these files we have already stored 2079 files with a total weight of 41 TB, and we will continue with this process of ingestion until we have stored the whole cycle 3 of ALMA. We are exploring how to implement SSAP to them. Also, we are adapting our data models to support non-ALMA data, such as MUSE data.

Apps/GWS:

On the applications side, we are implementing SAMP support for Jupyter Notebooks, a VizieR-like service for uploading catalogs and match them to VO DMs, and a full clone of splatalogue with a complete SLAP API.
In addition, we plan to take advantage of the availability of ASDMs and Reduction Script to generate instances of re-processing by changing the parameters of the reduction script, to make this process under the IVOA standards we will use GWS. Currently we already have a table that allows us to map in ASDM -> Reduction Script (scriptForPI.py, scriptforImaging.py, etc..)-> FITS.

CVO

Euro_VO

Euro-VO activities are pursued in the framework of the DADI work package of the ASTERICS project - DADI aims to make the ESFRI and pathfinder project data available for discovery and usage by the whole astronomical community, interoperable in a homogeneous international framework, and accessible with a set of common tools.

https://www.asterics2020.eu/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=open:wp4:start

Recent highlights include the use of VO tools in Gravitational Wave detection announcement for visualisation sky region maps follwoing interaction with the Virgo/EGO partner.

Many recent DADI activities have focused on Time Domain and Provenance aspects.

Upcoming events include:

The 3rd ASTERICS VO School - Madrid 14-16 November 2017 (32 participants , ~10 tutors)

The ASTERICS/DADI ESFRI Forum and Training events aim at bringing together staff from ESFRI facilities and VO developers to continue active participation in the development of the VO framework and to train ESFRI technical staff on the VO technical environment.

European Data Provider Forum and Training Event 2, 27 & 28 June 2018, Heidelberg

ESAVO

France VO

GAVO

The GAVO Data Centers in Heidelberg and Potsdam keep maintaining and developing services. New services and data collections since Shanghai include time series of candidates for microlensed planets, the proxy publishing registry purx, a VO version of OpenNGC, updated neutrino data from the Antares project, the GPS1 catalog combining Gaia and PanSTARRS-1, and two additional plate collections (Palomar-Leiden Trojan survey and a flare star search performed in the 80ies).

On the software development side, our publication suite DaCHS now supports the TAP 1.1 draft. With a view to getting it into mainline Debian, we also removed most of the independently-published code. The astropy-affiliated package pyVO received Datalink support, with support for processing services still under development. The implementation of SLAP and VAMDC protocols in SPLAT-VO is helping to identify issues for a new version of SLAP. In addition, experimental implementation of some time series models is being worked on.

In standards, much work was put into putting out and refining a working draft of the Provenance DM. The RFC for VOResource 1.1 is on a good way to make it to REC this year.

In Education and Outreach activites continue. GAVO is frequently asked to present VO standards and tools at several workshops and schools, for instance in Cracow (with CDS) and in Santiago de Chile just before this meeting.

HVO

Japan-VO

RVO

SA^3

SVO

Vo-India

VObs.it

Ukraine_VO

USVOA

The USVOA met by telecon on 05Oct2017.

A face-to face meeting is planned for the January 2018 AAS.

The following are VO summaries provided by members of projects attending the telecon:

SAO/CXC: (JE/AR/RD)

• The Chandra archive group has patched RofR just prior to the October Interop. Several issues were reported by the Madrid group in May that will be addressed along with several enhancements/bugfixes. Release notes have been sent to the IVOA Registry maillist.
• The DataModel group has been working on STC-2.0 ... AR is updating the working draft version of the STC model to simplify the package tree names; MCD updated an alternate model to prototype new changes to facilitate usability with separate CoordSpace and CoordFrame to enable pre-canning each independently and incorporating 'shortcut' elements which represent common use- cases (eg: SkyCoord(ra,dec); OL is working on generation of sample files (STC snippets and TimeSeries) using both models for comparison.
• The Chandra archive archive operations group has been implementing MOCs of Chandra Public data. They utilized a Javascript library developed by CDS for visualization of the MOCs with Aladin Lite. A problem in the library was addressed by the CDS developers.

• The NRAO archive is in a Public Test phase. The archive is built on VO-level protocols.
• The VLA sky survey project has passed its operational readiness review and began observing on the 7th September 2017 (MDT). All raw visibility data from the first half of the first epoch, which is being observed in the VLA's B-configuration during semester2017B, are available immediately from the NRAO archive.

• We worked with Caltech/IPAC-NExScI (Bruce and John) on a study of the impacts of a couple indexing techniques on DB query performance. Bruce presenting an interim report on that at the last interop and has a talk on it at the upcoming ADASS.
• I have been working a bit with the DM WG (esp. Mark, Omar, Laurent and Gerard) to discuss and study the proposed VO-DML mapping scheme. For a number of reasons, I haven’t done as much as I want on this, but the work is ongoing.
• Theresa completed work on being able to log into the publishing registry to add or maintain your own resources. This capability has gone away with the VAO and NSCA, but is now supported via the STScI Single Sign On infrastructure. We had hoped to make that operational this week, but some system upgrades too precedence, so we’ll do that next week before the meeting.
• In the last few months we deployed a TAP service for accessing our CAOM database that contains references to all MAST observational products.

• BB noted IRSA completed their release of archive data access using SIA2 and SSA protocols. This work completes the 3 year NAVO contract.
• There was also a NAVO proposal that was prepared in April/May that was recently approved for the next 3 years. NAVO is currently planning anoutreach session at the Jan AAS. The session will inform attendees how to access NAVO archive data with Python.

• WOM said that the discussion on Big Data and LSST Use cases and comparing them to the IVOA protocols was of interest to follow up on. (Discussed in agenda item 2). He also was interested in a VOevent review and ADQL and noted that he expected a few gaps. WOM won’t be at the IVOA meeting but 3 others from LSST will be attending.

Report from TCG _(each working/interest group can add their title and notes)

Data Model

• STC: Replacement for Arnold as domain expert still needed.
• Provenance
  • New working draft delivered (9-22-2017)
  • Discussion on dm list shows some issues to resolve
• VODML
  • Most recent version delivered to IVOA repository (Oct 2017)
  • Ready for final TCG review when installed
  • Reorganized volute repository for vo-dml project
  • Will want to make a plan regarding where to install resources for data model development as tools develop more fully (ie: "How to Publish" page). For now, will use vodml twiki pages.
• Mapping
  • generating annotated instances of Cube, TimeSeries, STC
  • Hot topic for this interop to decide if syntax should be simplified and where the schema should go (in VOTable, or imported independent schema)

• STC-2.0

  • Updated Working drafts for Coords and Measurements uploaded to volute (10-12-2017)

  • brings pretty current with state of 'alternate' model iterating with time series for Shanghai, plus some aesthetic packaging changes from Mapping work.

  • Working iterative process to optimize usability

    • defining 'shortcut' objects for common cases

    • alternate modeling choices to simplify serializations.

• Cube/Dataset
  • exercising in context of TimeSeries
  • exercising in Mapping with Events/TimeSeries etc..
  • question/discussion regarding roadmap for Char in vo-dml model framework.
• TimeSeries
  • TDIG has lots of activity exploring representation of TimeSeries using Cube.
    • Informs future ivoa model effort (eg: as Notes).
• ObsCore1.1
  • Errata reported Sept 2017, to be implemented

Grid and Web Services

• VOSpace 2.1 remains in RFC. There are 3 or 4 outstanding approvals from working group chairs. I (Brian) am also working through a few registry concerns with Markus but it seems like those will come to a close soon. I hope to have this RFC end within the next few weeks.
• In a "Science Platforms" BoF at ADASS, the GWS and KDD working groups have been working with some of the major projects represented here to better understand the problem of "remote execution" or "code-to-data". I feel like much was learned and there is a good opportunity for the IVOA to make a positive impact on interoperability in this space.
• No progress was made on the Group Membership Service since Shanghai.
• GWS has 1 very full session and another combined session with KDD where we aim to have a discussion on interoperable computing infrastructure, among other KDD topics.

TimeDomainInterestGroup:

• Time Series:
  • Ongoing discussions around the discovery of time series data and the standardisation of time.
  • After Jiri's Note, several meetings in Strasbourg took place to discuss it's strengths and weaknesses (in collaboration with DM and DAL).
  • A task force team composed of some DALWG DMWG and TDIG members will be meeting in Strasbourg on the 5-6 December.
  • The TDIG wikipage has now a section on Time Series: http://wiki.ivoa.net/twiki/bin/view/IVOA/IvoaVOEvent#Time_Series_Data
  • Setup a different email list for Time Series: time@ivoa.net since it can be confusing to ask time series people to sign up for voevent@ivoa.net.
  • Review, together with the CSP, the time series use cases to confirm we are heading in the right direction: http://wiki.ivoa.net/twiki/bin/view/IVOA/CSPTimeSeries.
• VOEvents:
  • Supporting growing community of projects actively using the existing VOEvent and VTP specifications.
  • Minor updates to the VOEvent specification in response to specific use cases.
  • Maintaining backwards compatibility where possible.
  • Promoting discussions to look at discovery issues.
  • Working with next generation projects, ZTF and LSST, to develop next generation formats and protocols.
  • Not looking to change the standards at this point.
  • In 2019 we can write a document "Based on our experience of running ZTF/LSST services in production ..."

DAL Group:

After the completion of the set of protocols we had to complete for the multi-d data priority, with SODA adopted as a recommandation during last interop, we are going on with the completion of new versions of standards mainly driven by feedback on first versions

• Several Errata have been settled and some accepted already
• TAP 1.1 spec has been recently upgraded to a PR version. Good discussion on the mailing list. New version will show up soon
• ADQL 2.1 has been revisited and a new version of the draft will be released just after Interop. It fixes the BNF grammar. PR should come soon.
• an SCS 1.1 version is in discussion. A new version recently released internally.
• The same discussion occured for SLAP 1.1. New release published internally

Discussion has been intensive on TimeSeries discovery and access. This discussion is related to the DM and TDIG effort on the CSP Priority on TimeSeries. This sometimes merges with ideas on upgrades for some of the new protocols : ObsCore 1.1, SIAV2 and SODA.

Registry

Registry Interfaces 1.1 (with REC-level language on the RofR and updates for the existence of RegTAP) is ready for Exec review.

VOResource 1.1 (with new features like support for DOIs and ORCIDs, mirror URLs, vocabularies, license URIs and many other little fixes) has been in RFC since May, and looks essentially ready for REC.

The note on discovering dependent resources ("table registration") still is in RFC. Many major data centers have not yet fully adopted the proposed method, but takeup is slowly increasing. Since for several important resources, Aladin 10 depends on such metadata, we expect that takeup should accelerate with its recent release.

On enabling STC searches in the Registry via MOCs, there is still implementation work to be done in the underlying database software. We plan to move ahead with actual standards language early next year.

We have recently started to resume activities to define a VOEvent registry extension together with the TDIG.

In operations, consolidation of the RofR, as well as updates following recent standards activities, continues, and most standards now have proper records in the RofR.

The system of publishing and searchable registries is in good shape, with five RegTAP services available.

Ops

• Validation and Monitoring efforts continue at ESA, VO-Paris and HEASARC but level of support at HEASARC has been reduced due to reprioritization of NAVO funding following NASA HQ review.
• This meeting’s session includes regular ‘weather reports’, and status of protocol validators along with reports from VO-Chile and HEASARC on how they integrate VO protocols and services into center activities.
• Differences between validation results of different centers are largely understood.
• Need to consider capabilities to monitor/validate new classes of services/capabilities, e.g., DataLink, SODA

Semantics

• UCD Curation process

• Facilities Nomenclature

• Gathering Vocabularies used in the IVOA specifications

EduIG

• The Wiki page for EduIG was updated to the new Chair and Vice-Chair.
• ADASS XVII BoF Discussion B1 “Data-driven and VO-enabled Education and Citizen Science” was organized successfully.
• IAU GA 2018 FM14 SOC accepted IVOA as a network partner for the focus meeting.
• Chenzhou Cui was involved into preparing work for two education conferences as SOC member, the 2nd ISE2A (International Symposium of Education on Astronomy and Astrobiology) and IAU Astro EDU Symposium - Chile 2019.