A Web-Based Framework For a Time-Domain Warehouse

Abstract

The Berkeley Transients Classification Pipeline (TCP) uses a machine- learning classifier to automatically categorize transients from large data torrents and provide automated notification of astronomical events of scientific interest. As part of the training process, we created a large warehouse of light-curve sources with well-labelled classes that serve as priors to the classification engine. This web-based interactive framework, which we are now making public via DotAstro.org (http://dotastro.org/), allows us to ingest time-variable source data in a wide variety of formats and store it in a common internal data model. Data is passed between pipeline modules in a prototype XML representation of time-series format (VOTimeseries), which can also be emitted to collaborators through dotastro.org. After import, the sources can be visualized using Google Sky, light curves can be inspected interactively, and classifications can be manually adjusted.

Publication
Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems XVIII ASP Conference Series, Vol. 411, proceedings of the conference held 2-5 November 2008 at Hotel Loews Le Concorde, Québec City, QC, Canada. Edited by David A. Bohlender, Daniel Durand, and Patrick Dowler. San Francisco: Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 2009., p.357