CASU 2016-2019
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Institute of Astronomy
Abstract
Observational astronomy in the UK has experienced a golden period over the last decade with the successful introduction and science exploitation of the pioneering large scale near-infrared (NIR) survey facilities of VISTA and WFCAM and the heavy involvement of UK astronomers in the VST optical survey facility. Results from these imaging surveys alone have enabled UK astronomers to carry out world-class science but they have also enabled successful exploitation of the detailed followup opportunities provided by membership of ESO.
Significant advances in astronomy continue to rely heavily on technology-enabled surveys of the sky from radio, through optical to X-ray wavelengths. The current era of deep NIR and optical surveys is the latest stage in this progression. It is also an area where the UK has had both a substantial lead and the requisite expertise in the Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit (CASU) to exploit this advance in wide field astronomy.
Members of CASU and its predecessor (the APM facility) have been at the forefront of survey astronomy, not only in pioneering techniques to optimally extract knowledge from survey data, but also in taking a proactive role in exploiting this information to produce world-leading research. This synergy and feedback between data processing and science delivery has been repeatedly demonstrated to be essential in ensuring delivery of the best possible science data products for exploitation by the widest community of UK and European astronomers. In the modern era CASU generated science data products from VISTA, WFCAM and the VST have supported world-class research programmes across almost every UK institute involved in astrophysics.
Wide-field digital imaging survey cameras, and highly multiplexed multi-fibre-fed spectrographs, produce enor- mous volumes of rich and complex data that demand sophisticated data analysis approaches beyond the resource capacity, knowledge and analysis skills of non-specialist astronomers. Delivery of a systematic end-to-end pipeline processing system, which includes optimal extraction, full calibration and quality control and legacy curation are a fundamental requirement of an fully integrated observing strategy and a crucial element for full and efficient science exploitation.
The CASU facility has been developed to allow the evolution of an optimal ergonomic solution to this avalanche of data, through access to Petabyte scale data storage systems and expert pipeline processing systems. Con- tinued development,maintenance and operation of the CASU processing and analysis pipelines will not only benefit the UK astronomy community now, but will also be relevant in developing the infrastructure to analyse the data from near-future facilities such as WEAVE and MOONS and also in the upcoming era of Extremely Large Telescopes and the radio Square Kilometer Array.
This grant proposal builds on the tremendous advances already made by CASU and requests funding for the period 2016-2019 for key activities:
- further development, maintenance, operation and user support of the science and analysis pipelines for the UK-led VISTA large scale surveys
- continuing development of the processing, analysis and data management system for the VLT Gaia-ESO very large spectroscopic survey
- design and development of the data management and analysis systems for the next generation of ESO/ING wide field massively multiplexed optical spectrographs;
- operational support, pipeline processing and further development of the science and analysis pipelines for the UK-led ESO VST public surveys
- support for operation of analysis and data releases of WFCAM surveys, and maintenance of the Data Archives for a number of high value collections (including ING, AAO, UKIRT).
Significant advances in astronomy continue to rely heavily on technology-enabled surveys of the sky from radio, through optical to X-ray wavelengths. The current era of deep NIR and optical surveys is the latest stage in this progression. It is also an area where the UK has had both a substantial lead and the requisite expertise in the Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit (CASU) to exploit this advance in wide field astronomy.
Members of CASU and its predecessor (the APM facility) have been at the forefront of survey astronomy, not only in pioneering techniques to optimally extract knowledge from survey data, but also in taking a proactive role in exploiting this information to produce world-leading research. This synergy and feedback between data processing and science delivery has been repeatedly demonstrated to be essential in ensuring delivery of the best possible science data products for exploitation by the widest community of UK and European astronomers. In the modern era CASU generated science data products from VISTA, WFCAM and the VST have supported world-class research programmes across almost every UK institute involved in astrophysics.
Wide-field digital imaging survey cameras, and highly multiplexed multi-fibre-fed spectrographs, produce enor- mous volumes of rich and complex data that demand sophisticated data analysis approaches beyond the resource capacity, knowledge and analysis skills of non-specialist astronomers. Delivery of a systematic end-to-end pipeline processing system, which includes optimal extraction, full calibration and quality control and legacy curation are a fundamental requirement of an fully integrated observing strategy and a crucial element for full and efficient science exploitation.
The CASU facility has been developed to allow the evolution of an optimal ergonomic solution to this avalanche of data, through access to Petabyte scale data storage systems and expert pipeline processing systems. Con- tinued development,maintenance and operation of the CASU processing and analysis pipelines will not only benefit the UK astronomy community now, but will also be relevant in developing the infrastructure to analyse the data from near-future facilities such as WEAVE and MOONS and also in the upcoming era of Extremely Large Telescopes and the radio Square Kilometer Array.
This grant proposal builds on the tremendous advances already made by CASU and requests funding for the period 2016-2019 for key activities:
- further development, maintenance, operation and user support of the science and analysis pipelines for the UK-led VISTA large scale surveys
- continuing development of the processing, analysis and data management system for the VLT Gaia-ESO very large spectroscopic survey
- design and development of the data management and analysis systems for the next generation of ESO/ING wide field massively multiplexed optical spectrographs;
- operational support, pipeline processing and further development of the science and analysis pipelines for the UK-led ESO VST public surveys
- support for operation of analysis and data releases of WFCAM surveys, and maintenance of the Data Archives for a number of high value collections (including ING, AAO, UKIRT).
Planned Impact
The University of Cambridge has one of the most successful programmes for encouraging knowledge transfer and resulting societal impact between University departments and industry both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. CASU's approach to the search for impact opportunities has been guided by the mechanisms the University has in place to facilitate this.
CASU continues to be involved in the transfer of image analysis and data handling systems to the medical domain, and in particular image processing applied to oncology. This exchange has significant potential to both increase the effectiveness of clinical health care and enhance the quality of life of those with cancer, through improved outcomes through better targeted therapeutic treatments. The CASU software has been adapted for use in oncology (through earlier funding provided by the MRC and STFC's miniPIPSS programmes), resulting in the 'PathGrid' suite of algorithms (see e.g. Science special issue 'Dealing with Data' (vol 331, Feb 12, 2011)
In recent work CASU staff have been awarded a STFC Impact Acceleration Account award (administered through Cambridge Enterprise). This allowed an in depth Market Research analysis to be undertaken, which demonstrated that there is a significant and growing market for sophisticated image analysis software, such as provided by the 'PathGrid' suite, tailored to support hight throughput digital microscopy.
The partnership of CASU staff with the University of Cambridge's Department of Oncology and Cambridge Institute, Cancer Research UK, has continued, with an image analysis applications specialist, employed through an MRC grant, located at the IoA. Recent publications have exploited 'PathGrid' application to support the analysis of a large translational study.
Future beneficiaries include the Dept of Pathology at Addenbrooke's NHS hospital, where we are initiating validation pilots with the longer term aim to deploy the PathGrid processing system in the Addenbrooke's clinical setting of high throughput analysis of routine breast cancer pathology tests.
Outside of the medical area, CASU is active in supporting the public understanding of science activities undertaken more generally at the IoA and the university of Cambridge. CASU provides a range of high quality processed images of the sky which are used as high impact visual material in outreach activities such as the successful series of one-day conferences for schools, each day in turn targeting KS3, KS4, KS5 and secondary school teachers.
CASU have been involved in providing ideas to a new artist, who has created a unique set of glasswork inspired by the interface of astronomy and oncology. This work (see details at http://www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk/events/lens), LENS, funded through a Wellcome trust grant, has been shown in a public exhibition as part of the Cambridge Science week, and will in future be shown at a Cancer Research UK location in London.
Further details are contained within the Pathways to Impact document.
CASU continues to be involved in the transfer of image analysis and data handling systems to the medical domain, and in particular image processing applied to oncology. This exchange has significant potential to both increase the effectiveness of clinical health care and enhance the quality of life of those with cancer, through improved outcomes through better targeted therapeutic treatments. The CASU software has been adapted for use in oncology (through earlier funding provided by the MRC and STFC's miniPIPSS programmes), resulting in the 'PathGrid' suite of algorithms (see e.g. Science special issue 'Dealing with Data' (vol 331, Feb 12, 2011)
In recent work CASU staff have been awarded a STFC Impact Acceleration Account award (administered through Cambridge Enterprise). This allowed an in depth Market Research analysis to be undertaken, which demonstrated that there is a significant and growing market for sophisticated image analysis software, such as provided by the 'PathGrid' suite, tailored to support hight throughput digital microscopy.
The partnership of CASU staff with the University of Cambridge's Department of Oncology and Cambridge Institute, Cancer Research UK, has continued, with an image analysis applications specialist, employed through an MRC grant, located at the IoA. Recent publications have exploited 'PathGrid' application to support the analysis of a large translational study.
Future beneficiaries include the Dept of Pathology at Addenbrooke's NHS hospital, where we are initiating validation pilots with the longer term aim to deploy the PathGrid processing system in the Addenbrooke's clinical setting of high throughput analysis of routine breast cancer pathology tests.
Outside of the medical area, CASU is active in supporting the public understanding of science activities undertaken more generally at the IoA and the university of Cambridge. CASU provides a range of high quality processed images of the sky which are used as high impact visual material in outreach activities such as the successful series of one-day conferences for schools, each day in turn targeting KS3, KS4, KS5 and secondary school teachers.
CASU have been involved in providing ideas to a new artist, who has created a unique set of glasswork inspired by the interface of astronomy and oncology. This work (see details at http://www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk/events/lens), LENS, funded through a Wellcome trust grant, has been shown in a public exhibition as part of the Cambridge Science week, and will in future be shown at a Cancer Research UK location in London.
Further details are contained within the Pathways to Impact document.
Publications
Abbott B
(2017)
Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger
Abbott B
(2017)
Multi-messenger Observations of a Binary Neutron Star Merger *
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Ackley K
(2020)
Observational constraints on the optical and near-infrared emission from the neutron star-black hole binary merger candidate S190814bv
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aguado D
(2021)
The S2 stream: The shreds of a primitive dwarf galaxy
Aguado D
(2020)
The S2 Stream: the shreds of a primitive dwarf galaxy.*
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Baratella M
(2020)
The Gaia -ESO Survey: a new approach to chemically characterising young open clusters I. Stellar parameters, and iron-peak, a -, and proton-capture elements
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bonifacio P.
(2016)
WEAVE an overview and status update
in SF2A-2016: Proceedings of the Annual meeting of the French Society of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Bonito R
(2020)
The Gaia -ESO Survey: A new diagnostic for accretion and outflow activity in the young cluster NGC 2264
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Description | CASU generated science data products from VISTA, WFCAM and VST imaging and Gaia-ESO VLT spectroscopy have supported world-class research programmes across almost every UK institute involved in astrophysics. CASU are filling the astronomical data lake, the vital data resource which the community are able to mine, combine with other multi-wavelength data (e.g. Euclid, PLATO) and discover rare and unique objects for further detailed study by facilities such as the ELT or the JWST. The role of CASU has been acknowledged in the wider context, with ESO relying on CASU to provide the science data products from its wide range of public surveys currently running on the ESO survey facilities |
Exploitation Route | The pipeline s/w is publicly released and can be used by other astronomical data projects. |
Sectors | Other |
URL | http://casu.ast.cam.ac.uk |
Description | CASU generated science data products from VISTA, WFCAM and VST imaging and Gaia-ESO VLT spectroscopy have supported world-class research programmes across almost every UK institute involved in astrophysics. CASU are filling the astronomical data lake, the vital data resource which the community are able to mine, combine with other multi-wavelength data (e.g. Euclid, PLATO) and discover rare and unique objects for further detailed study by facilities such as the ELT or the JWST. The role of CASU has been acknowledged in the wider context, with ESO relying on CASU to provide the science data products from its wide range of public surveys currently running on the ESO survey facilities CASU data handling and image analysis techniques are being used in a number of medical projects. Mar 2022 update: In the period of the 4/16 to 3/2019 grant some 220 refereed publications acknowledged use of CASU data products supporting their science, most of these accessed their science data directly from CASU. |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Healthcare,Other |
Description | CASU Equipment 2016/17 |
Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/R000433/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 03/2017 |
Description | CASU Equipment 2017/18 |
Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/R006881/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2018 |
End | 03/2018 |
Description | Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit (CASU): Filling the Astronomical Data Lake (2020-2024) |
Amount | £1,222,752 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/T003081/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 03/2023 |
Description | WEAVE: The next generation wide-field spectroscopy facility for the WHT (Cambridge Element: 2017/18) |
Amount | £376,535 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/P003486/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2017 |
End | 08/2019 |
Title | Cluster target Giraffe HR15N RV precision |
Description | VizieR online Data Catalogue associated with article published in journal Astronomy & Astrophysics with title 'The Gaia-ESO Public Spectroscopic Survey: implementation, data products, open cluster survey, science and legacy.' (bibcode: 2022A&A...666A.121R) |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/666/A121 |
Description | STFC-IRIS |
Organisation | STFC Laboratories |
Department | Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Development and deployment of science platform access to CASU image pixel and catalogue data for end user science analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Access to the IRIS infrastructure |
Impact | More effective use of shared computing facilities. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | WEAVE |
Organisation | Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes (ING) |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | WEAVE is a new instrument under development and construction for the ING's William Herschel Telescope. We are responsible for the development of the Data Analysis system for the instrument - and also participate in the WEAVE Science Team. |
Collaborator Contribution | The page at http://www.ing.iac.es/weave/consortium.html gives a list of the partners in the WEAVE consortium. |
Impact | The consortium is responsible for the development of the WEAVE spectrograph. This will be commissioned on the ING's WHT late 2017. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Title | CASUtools |
Description | CASUtools |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | CASUtools are elements of the image analysis pipeline software used by CASU |
URL | http://casu.ast.cam.ac.uk/ |
Description | Gaia-PLATO talk - Nottingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | PLATO Gaia talk at the Nottingham Astronomical Society |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://nottinghamastro.org.uk/forthcoming-events/ |
Description | Gaia-PLATO talk at Letchworth |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public engagement presentation at the Letchworth Amateur Astronomy Society |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Gaia-Plato public talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public talk at the Papworth Amateur Astronomy Association |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | stars-cells-mar20 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | "To fully understand cancer, scientists need to know everything about a tumour - what types of cells are in it, how many there are and where they are located in the tumour. Having such a detailed picture of a tumour would allow scientists and doctors to develop new ways to diagnose and treat the disease, and new ways to stop it spreading and coming back. With Cancer Research UK Grand Challenge funding, this project aims to build a 3D tumour that can be studied using virtual reality and which shows every single different type of cell in the tumour. In this event, you can hear from some of the researchers involved in this exciting project, and find out how astronomers are helping cancer biologists interpret vast amounts of cell data." Public outreach event as part of the 2020 Cambridge Science Festival. Highlighted use of astronomical image analysis techniques in cancer research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk/events/star-maps-cell-maps |