Multiwavelength Astronomical Surveys and Catalogs and Big Data
Abstract
The two major characteristics of modern astronomy are multiwavelength (MW) studies (from -ray to radio, as well as multi-messenger studies, using also neutrinos, gravitational waves, etc.) and Big Data (including data acquisition, storage and analysis). Big Data coming from the Universe put new tasks for catalogizing, storage, archiving, analysis and usage of the scientific information. Present astronomical databases and archives contain billions of objects observed in various wavelengths, both Galactic and extragalactic, and the vast amount of data on them allows new studies and discoveries. Surveys are the main source for discovery of astronomical objects and accumulation of observational data for further analysis, interpretation, and achieving scientific results. We review the main characteristics of astronomical surveys, we compare photographic and digital eras of astronomical studies (including the development of wide-field observations), we give the present state of MW surveys, and we discuss the Big Data in astronomy and related topics of Virtual Observatories and Computational Astrophysics. Due to accumulation of vast amount of data coming from the Universe, Big Data, Astronomy gradually becomes the leader of inter- and multi- disciplinary sciences, as these data support the development of all other natural sciences, such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology, etc., as well as Mathematics and Informatics. New interdisciplinary sciences have appeared and continue to appear, such as Astrophysics, Astrochemistry, Astrobiology, Astrogeology (Planetology), Astrostatistics, Astroinformatics, etc.
- Publication:
-
EAS Annual Meeting 2021. Session SS4: Data Science in Astronomy
- Pub Date:
- June 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021eas..confP...4M