AAVSO: American Association of Variable Star Observers
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Issues on Data Distribution (Abstract)

Volume 35 number 1 (2007)

J. A. Mattei

Abstract

(Abstract only) Note from Elizabeth O. Waagen, AAVSO Headquarters: We do not have the abstract or text from Janet’s presentation. However, at the time of the AAVSO meeting in Sion there were many issues related to the distribution of data (both the AAVSO’s and those of variable star organizations worldwide) that needed resolving, including: • The AAVSO International Database (AID, over 8.5 million observations of several thousand variable stars going back nearly a century) and its sheer size and rapidly escalating growth—how to: make sure that the data being distributed are accurate and reliable; distribute data quickly and efficiently, minimizing the time required to prepare and send the data; ensure that the observers who contributed the data are adequately represented and acknowledged by the data users; make the above continue as the AID grows • On an international level, how to: ensure that data contributed by an observer to more than one group are not duplicated in data used by a researcher; combine datasets made using different comparison star sequences so researchers can correctly interpret the data • On a technical level: how to capitalize on the internet’s potential and growth to facilitate distribution of data Subsequent to the Sion meeting, much progress has been made. Regarding the AAVSO International Database and its distribution (over 15 million observations in 2007), the majority of the AID was quality-control checked and assessed for accuracy in 2002–2003 and put online for automatic download via the AAVSO website (see Malatesta et al., JAAVSO 34,2 (2006) for a comprehensive description of this validation project). Since then, incoming data are quality-control checked and made available nearly in real time. Historical datasets not included in the Validation project are being checked and put online as interest and time permit. Globally, more and more observers are contributing their observations to the AAVSO. Excellent databases also are available online from other organizations (e.g., the BAV Lichtenknecker Eclipsing Binary database).