Presented on 18 June 2014 at LISA VII, Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, Naples, Italy 1

A New Geodetic Research Data Management System at the

Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy ObservatoryG.L. Coetzer1, R.C. Botha1, W.L. Combrinck1,2, C.J.S. Fourie2

1. Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO), South Africa2. Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), South Africa

7th Conference of the

Library and Information Services in Astronomy

17-20 June 2014, Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, Naples, Italy

Presented on 18 June 2014 at LISA VII, Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, Naples, Italy 2

Current facilities: SAAO HartRAO

Under construction: MeerKAT and Square Km Array

Planned: African VLBI

SA Science is transforming

Co-Located Academic Seismology Network

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Instruments at HartRAO

Anemometer

Met4 Weatherstation

Global NavigationSatellite Systemsreference station

Seismic station insideunderground vault

Lunar Laser Ranger

Satellite Laser Ranger

26m Radio dish

15m Radio dish

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New geo-seismic network

• Collaborative project between HartRAO and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT)

• Establish a network of 12+ seismic and GNSS stations across Southern Africa

Station equipment:

• Geodetic-level GNSS receiver and antenna

• Broad-band seismometer

• Broad-band seismic accelerometer

• Digitiser to capture the seismic data

• Communications and control system

• Gravimeter*

• Metrology system*

* Only at certain core sites

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Planning a new data system

Current data storage and management systems at HartRAO will need to be upgraded because:

• the current old technology cannot handle the required data volumes

• procedures used for archiving data and providing access to it are outdated

Planning of a new Geodetic Research Data Management System (GRDMS) started in 2012 and was approached from the perspectives of the researcher, librarian and IT specialist.

Presented on 18 June 2014 at LISA VII, Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, Naples, Italy 6

Roles of researchers and IT specialists

Role of the researcher: • Determines the need for different types of data to

support a range of research activities• Various instruments may be utilised for the gathering

of data • Data organisation into functional sets for practical

use and application

Role of IT specialist: • Understands the data and organisation of datasets

from a research perspective• Implements archiving • Provides access channels

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Role of the librarian

• Data and metadata management

• User assistance

• Troubleshooting

• Reporting

• Tracking data use

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A new Geodetic Research Data Management System

• Use same approach for different techniques’ data• Datasets to be grouped into main categories according to technique /

instrument Data type Storage unit Folder structure MB /

station / day

Current Space GB

Required Space GB*

SLR Satellite pass Year/DoY/ 10 1 37

LLR Tracking session Year/DoY/ 10 0 37

VLBI (products) per experiment Year/DoY/ExpName/ 10 1 37

GNSS Daily 24hr Year/DoY/ 1 93 150

Seismic (12) Daily 24hr Year/DoY/ 1200 20 52650

Gravimetric Daily 24hr Year/DoY/ 1 0 4

Metrological Daily 24hr Year/DoY/ 5 1 18

Tide Gauge Daily 24hr Year/DoY/ 1 1 4

1238 117 52937* For the next 10 years

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GRDMS functional units

• Data Collection and Storage: receive, organise, check, archive and quality control.

• Data Processing: raw data into basic products and custom data products

• Data Access: online system provides direct access to raw and basic data products, options for customised data products

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GRDMS data cycles

• Internal Steps [SI]: Data collection, formatting and organising• External Steps [SE]: Retrieval of raw and basic data• Custom Steps [SC]: Custom requests for processed data products

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Progress thus far

Basis of GRDMS already in place:

• Four servers procured

• Data, software and scripts transferred from previous systems for continuity

• Basic network structures and mapping of datasets implemented, currently in test-phase

• New scripts and processing systems being developed, tested via various student projects

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Future plans and integrations

• DOI: Digital Object Identifier

• CDDIS: Crustal Dynamics Data Information System

• IRIS: Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology

• IDC: International Data Centre

• ILRS: International Laser Ranging Service

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Bibliography

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ANDS. 2013. Information specialists and data librarians: who are information specialists and data librarians? http://www.ands.org.au/guide/dmframework/dmskills-information.html (accessed 16 March 2014).

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Acknowledgements

The authors thankfully acknowledge:

• The funding awarded by the National Equipment Programme (NEP) of the NRF to start the development of the Co-Located Academic Network.

• The funding awarded from Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) for a collaborative project between HartRAO and TUT

• Friends of LISA (FoL) for the travel sponsorship.