Data-at-Risk: Developing a Plan for Preserving Astronomy's Archival Records

American Astronomical Society, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This award will provide partial support of a workshop titled, "Data-at-Risk: Developing a Plan for Preserving Astronomy's Archival Records". The goal of the workshop is to bring together the world's experts on non-electronic astronomy archival data where they will develop a Plan of Action that will promote the preservation of irreplaceable data. The PI notes that there are over 3 million glass plates or films currently in archives with over half of that data being stored in North America. These archives contain both imaging and spectroscopic data that extends back roughly 120 years. The archives represent a rich resource for long-term variability studies and offer scientific information that cannot be otherwise obtained. Unless positive action is undertaken soon most of the data in these archives, particularly those being stored in non-optimal conditions, will simply not survive the next decade. The broader impacts of the proposal are inherent in the preservation of the data archives. The impact of data preservation has the potential to affect all facets of observational astronomy.