Towards an Astronomical Science Platform: Experiences and Lessons Learned from Chinese Virtual Observatory

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development, experiences, and lessons learned from the Chinese Virtual Observatory in managing large-scale astronomical data and providing online analysis platforms, highlighting future challenges and trends.

Contribution

It presents practical insights and lessons from implementing an astronomical science platform for big data, emphasizing data management and online analysis capabilities.

Findings

Successful integration of distributed astronomical archives

Lessons learned in data lifecycle management

Discussion of future challenges in astronomical data platforms

Abstract

In the era of big data astronomy, next generation telescopes and large sky surveys produce data sets at the TB or even PB level. Due to their large data volumes, these astronomical data sets are extremely difficult to transfer and analyze using personal computers or small clusters. In order to offer better access to data, data centers now generally provide online science platforms that enable analysis close to the data. The Chinese Virtual Observatory (China-VO) is one of the member projects in the International Virtual Observatory Alliance and it is dedicated to providing a research and education environment where globally distributed astronomy archives are simple to find, access, and interoperate. In this study, we summarize highlights of the work conducted at the China-VO, as well the experiences and lessons learned during the full life-cycle management of astronomical data. Finally, We discuss the challenges and future trends for astronomical science platforms.