Meeting Summary and Actions

SSAP/SIAP

• Need to get more visibility for the spectral data model. ACTION: Jonathan to circulate current draft more widely. COMPLETE. Noted that the VOTable representation of spectra is ~2X more verbose than FITS representation.

ADQL

• V0.9 now open for review as Proposed Recommendation

Registry

• VOResource schema updated to V0.10. Additional changes additions can wait until after January software release. Need more flexibility in support of embedded white space in XML files. Also need to change the version number to be consistent with IVOA standard numbering scheme (after January). Standard interface specification: ADQL WHERE clause supports registry query. Concerns raised that AstroGrid will not support V0.10 harvesting by January. [Follow-up: this issue was discussed in the IVOA Exec telecon. AstroGrid personnel assured us that they would support V0.10 harvesting – they have this working, but have not yet notified others of their V0.10 interface location.] The conversion to V0.l0 of VOResource at JHU/STScI took longer than anticipated. Matthew is working on “Carnivore-in-a-box” for sites who want to use XML databases to support local registries. CfA and ESO have expressed interest.

• Curation matters are not yet resolved, and probably cannot be in any large-scale way prior to January. Some clean-up of registries is being done with the update to VOResource V0.10. Resource validity flag (0, 1, 2, …) specification is needed. ACTION: Ray and Bob to write specification document.

Web Services interfaces

• Work continues on the interface specifications. getRegistry interface is optional. getAvailability is mandatory and supported by OpenSkyNodes.

• Discussed logging and support for a persistent RunID. Logging requires creating a new relationship in VOResource. Need RunID construct that links to VOResource Identifier, and includes unique number/tag for the calling resource. ACTION: Ray to draft a brief specification for the RunID. Tom tried appending a simple RunID to the HTTP get requests issued by DataScope, and all services but one worked fine.

Science Applications

• The afternoon was spent in parallel work sessions in which the major science applications planned for January roll-out were tested and much feedback was given to the development teams. We continue to work on robustness and on simplifying the user interfaces, eliminating VO jargon as much as possible. ACTION: All software development teams to complete core work by Dec 3 – this is a “soft freeze” date. We will ask team members to do further testing the week of Dec 6, with final repairs/revisions to be completed by Dec 10 – this is a “hard freeze” date. After Dec 10 the remaining focus will be on completing user documentation, hand-outs for the AAS, posters, etc.

IRAF Web Services

• Mike showed us the progress that has been made in wrapping IRAF applications as web services. Essentially any IRAF CL instruction can now be wrapped and made accessible as a web service and web app. ACTION: Dave to solicit inputs from SSC and team on priorities for IRAF services.

Transition from Development to Operations

• Discussed how we will transition from our prototyping phase into a more structured system. We need to set up s/w libraries with version control. ACTION: TechWG (John) to develop code management approach, likely based on CVS.
  • Some noted that the “fun” starts to go out of NVO. True enough!
  • Try to avoid being too top-down; it is still a distributed project and must allow some diversity in approach.
  • Should we focus on end-to-end research problems (like AVO is doing) or on tools? Prevailing view is to do the tools/services and develop affiliates or partners who we help use the tools in research applications.
  • Will need metrics showing tool/service use. Logging system remains a priority. Consensus was that usage was a more important metric than refereed papers (but this may require further discussion with the SSC and EAC).

LSST

• Jeff Kantor attended the meeting and Tim Axelrod joined by telecon. We had a very good discussion about how NVO can help LSST meet its project goals, and how LSST can help guide development of the relevant standards and protocols. A primary focus is on a protocol for transient event notification. A proposal for an IVOA Working Group on transient events came out of the NVO Summer School, but was met with some resistance at the IVOA Interop meeting in Pune. [Follow-on: this was discussed again at the IVOA Exec telecon on 11/22, and the new VO Events WG was endorsed. A chair will be appointed at the January IVOA Exec meeting in January.]

Summer School

• Discussed dates, locations, durations for 2005 Summer School. Consensus was to aim for September, and to plan longer program, e.g., start on a Monday and wrap up the following Wednesday. Also discussed “staged” program, with ~2-day introduction. Participants from the 1st SS might come a bit later. NASA is expecting a funding request already. We will discuss with NSF soon. ACTION: We need to convene a small organizing committee to consider locations, investigate facilities, and come up with a budget. Please express your interest in working on this committee to Bob.

Upcoming Events

• AstroGrid team meeting, Dec 14-15, Edinburgh. Roy attending.
• IVOA Exec, Jan 9, SDSC. AccessGrid will be available. ACTION: Bob to coordinate video and telecon logistics with Reagan.
• AAS meeting, demonstration booth, Jan 10-13, San Diego. ACTION: Bob to post sign-up sheet for demo duties on the TWiki. ACTION: Roy to coordinate projector, laptop, screen, poster production, hand-outs, etc. ACTION: Bob to confirm shipment of backdrop from STScI.
• Briefing on NVO to Optical/IR Long-Range Planning Committee, Jan 11, San Diego. Bob invited to speak by Jeremy Mould.
• NVO Advisory Committee, Jan 13-14, SDSC. ACTION: Bob to develop agenda. ACTION: NVO Exec members and WBS leaders should plan to attend if at all possible.
• AVO Science Working Group, Jan 25-26, ESAC, Madrid.
• Spring Team Meeting, April ??. LSST and USNO-Flagstaff both interested in hosting, though USNO may not have large enough meeting facility. ACTION: Bob to send e-mail to team soliciting dates.

-- BobHanisch - 24 Nov 2004