Astronomy is similar to other scientific disciplines in that scholarly publication relies on the presentation and interpretation of data. But although astronomy now has archives for its primary research telescopes and associated surveys, the highly processed data that is presented in the peer-reviewed journals and is the basis for final analysis and interpretation is generally not archived and has no permanent repository. We have initiated a project whose goal is to implement an end-to-end prototype system which, through a partnership of a professional society, that society’s scholarly publications/publishers, research libraries, and an information technology substrate provided by the Virtual Observatory, will capture high-level digital data as part of the publication process and establish a distributed network of curated, permanent data repositories. The data in this network will be accessible through the research journals, astronomy data centers, and Virtual Observatory data discovery portals.

The role of the AAS as a journal publisher is given a brief historical review and the current operations of the journals are briefly described. The AAS approaches oversight and governance of its journal operations as an obligation to the astronomical research community and the processes followed is described. These include the financial arrangements for the non-profit operation of the journals. There are substantial challenges in the present publishing environment and these are touched on from the perspective of the AAS journal operations.

Astronomers are producing and analyzing data at ever more prodigious rates. NASA's Great Observatories, ground-based national observatories, and major survey projects have archive and data distribution systems in place to manage their standard data products, and these are now interlinked through the protocols and metadata standards agreed upon in the Virtual Observatory. However, the digital data associated with peer-reviewed publications is only rarely archived. Most often, astronomers publish graphical representations of their data but not the data themselves. Other astronomers cannot readily inspect the data to either confirm the interpretation presented in a paper or extend the analysis. Highly processed data sets reside on departmental servers and the personal computers of astronomers, and may or may not be available a few years hence.We are investigating ways to preserve and curate the digital data associated with peer-reviewed journals in astronomy. The technology and standards of the VO provide one component of the necessary technology. A variety of underlying systems can be used to physically host a data repository, and indeed this repository need not be centralized. The repository, however, must be managed and data must be documented through high quality, curated metadata. Multiple access portals must be available: the original journal, the host data center, the Virtual Observatory, or any number of topically-oriented data services utilizing VO-standard access mechanisms.

view Abstract Citations (12) References (24) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Sodium Line Formation in Arcturus. II. The Use of Empirical and Opacity Sampling Models and the Nature of Partial Redistribution Effects Kelch, Walter L. ; Milkey, Robert W. Abstract In a previous paper, we presented calculations of departure coefficients, D line profiles, and subordinate line strengths for sodium lines in Arcturus using a model atmosphere calculated with straight mean opacities. This paper presents results of similar calculations using an empirical model of Arcturus inferred from the Ca ii H and K lines and a model atmosphere calculated by the opacity sampling method. We also compare partial redistribution calculations of the D2 line profile to the complete redistribution profile. We find that the partial redistribution D2 profile has deeper core and inner wing regions and slightly shallower outer wings. We also find that the partial redistribution calculation may affect the strengths of certain subordinate transitions. Subject headings: line formation - radiative transfer - stars: atmospheres - stars: individual Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: September 1976 DOI: 10.1086/154623 Bibcode: 1976ApJ...208..428K full text sources ADS |

The response function defines the response of line profiles to a depth variation of such atmospheric parameters as velocity, magnetic field and turbulence. The properties of this function are derived and compared with the so-called contribution function.

Heights of formation of lines that do not exhibit Zeeman splitting are calculated using an LTE, partial non-LTE, and full non-LTE approach. Non-magnetic (g=0) lines are valuable for velocity investigations in quiet-Sun magnetic field regions, and a knowledge of their formation heights is useful for obtaining three dimensional velocity profiles in these regions.

We report observations of helium D3 emission in the solar flare of Feb. 11, 1970, made at the Lockheed Solar Observatory. The morphological relationship between the D3 and H alpha emission is explored, and a photometric reduction technique is applied to the filtergrams to determine peak intensity of the D3 emission relative to the local quiet sun continuum.

X-ray observations from Vela-5 spacecraft of five flares occurring in November and December 1969 were leduced to temperatures and emission measures as a function of time. This reduction was done assuming a thermal spectrum including free-free and free-bound emission. A phenomenological model is proposed to explain the nature of the time behavior of the temperature and emission measure.

A geometrical optics technique developed in order to study energy transport by weak fast-mode hydromagnetic shock waves in a non-homogeneous, anisotropic medium has been applied to the problem of the heating of the chromosphere in the regions of intensified magnetic field which occur above the boundaries of supergranular cells. The results of the calculation indicate that there should be a temperature enhancement in the regions of the chromospheric network. This temperature enhancement is advanced as a possible mechanism for the origin of the observed calcium emission network.