Visualisation and Analysis Challenges for WALLABY

TL;DR

This paper discusses the challenges and potential solutions for visualizing and analyzing terabyte-scale astronomical data cubes from the WALLABY survey, highlighting issues faced by astronomers and lessons from previous surveys.

Contribution

It identifies key visualization and analysis challenges for WALLABY data and suggests research directions and solutions based on lessons from HIPASS.

Findings

Existing software struggles with terabyte-scale data

Identified specific visualization challenges for WALLABY

Proposed research directions for handling large data cubes

Abstract

Visualisation and analysis of terabyte-scale datacubes, as will be produced with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), will pose challenges for existing astronomy software and the work practices of astronomers. Focusing on the proposed outcomes of WALLABY (Widefield ASKAP L-Band Legacy All-Sky Blind Survey), and using lessons learnt from HIPASS (HI Parkes All Sky Survey), we identify issues that astronomers will face with WALLABY data cubes. We comment on potential research directions and possible solutions to these challenges.