Computing and High-Energy Astro (Particle) Physics, a Long Term View

Computing and high-energy astro (particle) physics, a long term view

Roland Walter ISDC Geneva [email protected]

ASPERA Computing, Paris, February 8, 2008 R. Walter A Dynamic Universe

Source images, spectra and their variability on all timescales and wavebands are the main observables leading to physical understanding.

Time tagged astrophysical observations are unique and not repeatable.

HESS PKS 2155-304 Long term archives (and open observatories) are mandatory as soon as there are more than few measurements for few sources.

INTEGRAL

598.89 Hz

Optical lightcurve of 3C 273

ASPERA Computing, Paris, February 8, 2008 R. Walter Multi-mission perspective XEUS CTA GLAST MAGIC HESS

The multi-mission user perspective:

• Common data format for the legacy archives of all astronomical observatories

• Simple software design: open source, no dependencies

is also the long term archive perspective : observatories

40 years of data

ASPERA Computing, Paris, February 8, 2008 R. Walter Common data format

Many conventions for time & coordinate systems, event lists, ESO images, spectra, lightcurves,... ESA MIDAS NASA IRAF NRAO AIPS JAXA FITS HEASOFT NAOJ format ISDC root gdl ... created in 1978 adopted by the IAU in 1982 ... regularly extended to support new requirements

ASPERA Computing, Paris, February 8, 2008 R. Walter Observatory Sociology

High-Energy Astrophysics is a expanding ﬁeld.

• After 20 years of development, X-ray instruments became observatories (Einstein, EXOSAT), leading to the enormous success of X-ray astronomy. This route was followed by the MeV (CGRO, INTEGRAL) and GeV community (GLAST), boosting the number of scientists using gamma-ray astrophysics.

• The number of TeV sources just exploded from a few to almost 100. TeV instruments have now matured. In 2012, CTA will become available to the world-wide scientiﬁc community as well. This is how mankind makes progress. This evolution brings together astrophysicists and particle physicists.

ASPERA Computing, Paris, February 8, 2008 R. Walter Many missions, one interface

INTEGRAL XEUS GAIA OTHERS

CTA observatory

ASPERA Computing, Paris, February 8, 2008 R. Walter ISDC organisation

The ISDC was created to support INTEGRAL. It is funded by an international consortium.

ISDC provides a science data center to • serve the scientiﬁc community • bring the community together • spread the knowledge • foster science and mission impact 10 km from CERN • bear the responsibility for the science operations • co-locate engineers, operators and scientists • provide the critical mass needed to operate for many years

ISDC became the center of high energy astrophysics in Switzerland with staff increasing from 2 to 30+ people. ISDC is now playing a key role for the development of HEA in Switzerland and in Europe.

Switzerland provides the main part of the ISDC funding.

ASPERA Computing, Paris, February 8, 2008 R. Walter Computing needs

INTEGRAL GAIA CTA XEUS 2002 2012 2013 2018 Design 1995 2008 2009 2015

Data [PB] 0.1/0.01 0.5/0.1 0.1/5 0.3/0.03 DST/raw No need for CPU grid CPU 100 100 (500) 100 100 (simulations not included) raw: remote Bulk data network network DST: network network

Community Observers Archive users Virtual Observatories

Mission Data processing & archiving Bulk data users

GRID data management services ? Industry CPU Disk Data backup Disk CPU

ASPERA Computing, Paris, February 8, 2008 R. Walter Main “computing” challenges

Technical: • INTEGRAL: Very large effective exposure ➙ improve handling of systematics • GAIA: Global Iterative Solution (1000 today’s processors for 1 month) • CTA: Final archive of 20 PB • XEUS: On board data processing for cryogenic detectors Very large user base

Mission specific funding: • Is always a difficulty but it has worked out until now. Lack of european coordination is a difficulty somewhat balanced in the frame of ESA and ESO. • National funding for CTA has specific difficulties because it is developed outside of ESA/ESO/CERN.

ASPERA Computing, Paris, February 8, 2008 R. Walter Summary

ISDC is involved in the data processing of major current and future european high energy observatories

•Observation DST are small •Bulk users are not numerous

•Moderate CPU requirements •Low to high data volume, manageable with current technology •CTA bulk data transfer manageable with GEANT2

Main “computing” challenges are mission speciﬁc (incl. funding), not at the level of the infrastructure technology

ASPERA Computing, Paris, February 8, 2008 R. Walter