MySQL-based astronomical archive as the cornerstone of the virtual observatory

Ludmila Pakuliak

Main Astronomical Observatory of NASU,

Zabolotnogo str., 29, Kiev, 03680 Ukraine,

e-mail: pakuliak@nip.net.ua, pakuliak@mao.kiev.ua

The Ukrainian Virtual Observatory project starts this year in MAO NAS of Ukraine. The main principles of its establishment are to be developed during 2008 year. Golosiiv astronomical photographic plate archive MySQL-database (DB) forms the first step on the way of virtual data storage, presentation and management. DB includes data of plate collections, obtained mainly in MAO NASU during 1949-2000, and their scans partially made with Microtek ScanMaker 9800XL. Total number of plates for the moment runs up to 26 000.

PHP+JS software package DBGPA V2.0 has been developed for data management, user access and data mining. Its functionality allows to add, to update, to sort, to search and to represent data with a wide range of initial search parameters by means of user/editor interface as well as data verification, monitoring of the database consistency, logging of user requests and analysis of errors relates to the functionality of the administrative interface.

Being developed under demands of WFPDB and international VO community to the standardization and verification DB comprises only scientific data separated from so called “meta” data peculiar to each project. To make DB comprehensive meta data, namely data of logs, which have to be archived also to preserve their importancy for individual plate processing, have been made available by special requests in the enhanced version of DBGPA V2.0.

Metods of data verification and standardization are presented as well as software description and prospects of the project in context of virtual astronomical space.