prepublication copy - The Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics ...
prepublication copy - The Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics ...
prepublication copy - The Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics ...
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FIGURE 5‐7 Highly cited HST publication between 1997 and 2000. All 71 papers with more than 150<br />
citations as <strong>of</strong> March 2009 are included in the sample. Note the y‐axis is logarithmic. Totally archival<br />
papers make up 37% <strong>of</strong> the sample. Courtesy <strong>of</strong> Richard L. White (Space Telescope Science Institute).<br />
Archives <strong>of</strong> either raw or processed data should contain complete calibration information, a data<br />
processing history and/or the s<strong>of</strong>tware to process the data, and access to tools to analyze the data. <strong>The</strong><br />
format should be Virtual Observatory-compliant where this is cost-effective. Astronomical librarians and<br />
data archivists should be involved in metadata design and curation. While NASA has an established<br />
policy whereby archiving and public access is required and costs are included in mission budgets, NSF<br />
has no consistent policy. Financial support made available under agency peer-review processes would<br />
enable existing observatories to implement such archives. DOE has a culture that supports modern data<br />
handling and prudent selection <strong>of</strong> which data to archive. It does not have a culture <strong>of</strong> public access but has<br />
adapted well to such practice in its collaborations with astrophysicists.<br />
RECOMMENDATION: Proposals for new major ground-based facilities and instruments<br />
with significant federal funding should be required as a matter <strong>of</strong> agency policy to include a<br />
plan and if necessary a budget for ensuring appropriate data acquisition, processing,<br />
archiving, and public access after a suitable proprietary period.<br />
To be practical and cost-effective, this requirement should be limited to data that are reasonably<br />
likely to be <strong>of</strong> interest to other users, for example large survey programs and other significant PI-led<br />
efforts in optical/infrared and radio astronomy. <strong>The</strong> committee further concludes that public funds could<br />
support public archiving <strong>of</strong> data from facilities that are fully funded from private sources, should such<br />
PREPUBLICATION COPY—SUBJECT TO FURTHER EDITORIAL CORRECTION<br />
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