OPEN DATA FOR GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE ASTRONOMY
Once gravitational waves are detected in the Advanced LIGO era, after 2014, LIGO will release data to the broader community. This workshop aims to bring together experts from the gravitational wave community with astronomers and open data experts in a two-day workshop to address the question: How should LIGO proceed in releasing gravitational wave data to maximize scientific return?
Why
After the first detections of astrophysical gravitational waves, the challenge will be finding photons from the same source, through a rapid-followup program -- detection of an afterglow will lead to new insight into source astrophysics and fundamental physics. The strain history (GW signal) will be a valuable proving ground for numerical relativity, and lead to further discoveries. In both cases, the more minds and telescopes brought to bear, the more science will be accomplished. This workshop will set the stage for open data in gravitational wave science, and define requirements.
What
The workshop will be a combination of overviews and focus groups: overviews of the science and astronomy of gravitational waves, focus groups to work on specific questions. The result for the attendees will be an appreciation of how gravitational wave astronomy will affect their field, and the result for LIGO will be a path forward to the Open Data Center.
Who
The workshop is open to all who have an interest in the exciting new field of gravitational wave astrophysics: astronomers, gravitational wave experts, those associated with the LIGO, Virgo, GEO or other detectors. We also hope for the wisdom of people who are experts in open data and its challenges, to put the resources where the best science can be achieved.
Where
The workshop will be Thursday and Friday October 27/28 at the LIGO observatory in Livingston, Louisiana. There will be a tour of the high-technology that is Advanced LIGO, as well as a chance to see beautiful New Orleans on Halloween weekend.
SURVEY
We invite all potential users of gravitational wave open data to fill in our survey to allow LIGO to better gauge requirements.
