Data Centres, VO & Computing

DATA CENTRES, THE VIRTUAL OBSERVATORY AND COMPUTING FACILITIES

The X-Ray and Observational Astronomy group is also host to astrophysical databases. Details of the group computing facilities are also provided here.

Astrogrid and the European Virtual Observatory

AstroGrid is a UK government funded, open source project designed to create a working Virtual Observatory (VO) for UK and International astronomers. Working closely with other VO projects worldwide through the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA), internationally recognised interface standards are emerging which promote true scientific interoperability of astronomical data and processing resources worldwide. AstroGrid is a leading member of this community. The department is actively involved in the development of the European Virtual Observatory and participates in the VOTech technical study project and interfaces to astronomical archives and tools through the EuroVO Data Centre Alliance."

LEDAS

The Leicester Database & Archive Service (LEDAS) is an online database service for astronomers, providing access to source catalogues and digital data products, with an emphasis towards high-energy astrophysics (X-ray) satellite data.

XMM-Newton Survey Science Centre

The XMM-Newton Survey Science Centre (SSC) has responsibilities within the XMM-Newton project in four main areas:

• the follow-up/identification programme for the XMM-Newton serendipitous X-ray sky survey: the XID Programme
• the compilation of the XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalogue
• the "pipe-line processing" of all XMM-Newton observations.
• the development of science analysis software for XMM-Newton

In the last 2 tasks the SSC is working closely with the ESA team at the XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre (SOC).

Swift

Leicester hosts the UK Swift Science Data Centre, providing fast and easy access for UK astronomers to the rapidly evolving data, as well as Swift data analysis training for anyone who wants it, and software services to the Swift project.

Group Computing Facilities

The X-Ray and Observational Astronomy Group maintains its own local area network consisting of a large number of computers running linux for research-oriented and general purpose computing by both under- and post-graduate students, staff and visitors.