From ptw@rlsaxps.bnsc.rl.ac.uk Wed Dec 13 10:13:40 1995 Path: solitaire.cv.nrao.edu!hearst.acc.Virginia.EDU!maui.cc.odu.edu!news.larc.nasa.gov!lll-winken.llnl.gov!enews.sgi.com!sgigate.sgi.com!swrinde!newsfeed.internetmci.com!news.msfc.nasa.gov!pecos.msfc.nasa.gov!not-for-mail From: ptw@rlsaxps.bnsc.rl.ac.uk (Pat Wallace) Newsgroups: sci.astro.research Subject: IAU SOFA initiative Date: 8 Dec 1995 08:30:48 -0600 Organization: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Lines: 129 Sender: astres@pecos.msfc.nasa.gov Approved: astres@pecos.msfc.nasa.gov Distribution: world Message-ID: <4a9i6o$63d@pecos.msfc.nasa.gov> Reply-To: P.T.Wallace@rutherford.ac.uk NNTP-Posting-Host: pecos.msfc.nasa.gov Keywords: misc The IAU's Working Group on Astronomical Standards (WGAS) is inviting applications for positions on the Board of Review for its Standards Of Fundamental Astronomy initiative (SOFA). SOFA will provide: * A set of basic software which implement commonly-used formulae and standard models in fundamental astronomy. * Lists of constants and astronomical quantities, all accessible electronically. The SOFA management arrangements include a Maintenance Committee for Constants and Best Estimates, a Board of Review for Procedures (the subject of this invitation) and a Relativity Subgroup. Further details are given in the Appendix, below. The SOFA Board of Review will decide which standard algorithms should be provided and in what form. The key algorithms - for example procedures for generating precession and nutation matrices - will have a canonical status and their production will require great care and circumspection. The rate at which new procedures are added to SOFA will consequently be quite modest, just a few per year. The Review Board will face many interesting questions. What functions should be included? Should practical software be provided, or is specimen code preferable? How many variants should be provided (e.g. different precession models)? How hard a line on programming style should be taken? What languages will be accepted? What degree of granularity and orthogonality will be best? What will be the approach to error checking? Who will write the software? Who will provide support? Who will assess the software? Will SOFA include information about proprietary software? If you would like to serve as a member of the SOFA Reviewing Board (and can obtain support from your institution to participate), or if you would be prepared to act as a reviewer, please contact me before 1996 February 1. Patrick Wallace, Starlink Project, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0QX United Kingdom tel +44 1235 445372 fax +44 1235 445848 Email P.T.Wallace@rutherford.ac.uk ---------------------------------------------------------------------- APPENDIX At the 1994 General Assembly, the IAU passed Resolution B11, proposed by Division 1's Working Group on Astronomical Standards (in which Commissions 4, 5, 8, 19, 24 & 31 participate) during Joint Discussion 14. The full wording of the resolution is: "The XXIInd General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union CONSIDERING that the interchangeability of observational data, whether processed or not, requires the widespread use of a common set of constants and algorithms that implement standard models used in fundamental astronomy, RECOMMENDS that 1) the IAU Working Group on Astronomical Standards continue permanently and assume the responsibility for establishing and maintaining a set of constants, algorithms, and procedures, 2) the IAU WGAS identify single center at a suitable institution, under a worldwide reviewing board, to organize, maintain, and distribute electronically the set of constants, algorithms, and procedures, and 3) the Center, and the IAU WGAS coordinate their activities with the IERS and the IAG." The SOFA service, which implements this resolution, will comprise: * A set of basic software which implement commonly-used formulae and standard models in fundamental astronomy. * Lists of constants and astronomical quantities, all accessible electronically. The supporting management structures that are being established are as follows: * The MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE, which will Establish a revision mechanism. Continuously revise the "best estimates" of various quantities. Discuss possible revisions of astronomical constants (especially the precession constant). Assess possibilities for coordination with other fundamental- astronomy and geodesy activities (e.g. IERS, IAG). * The REVIEWING BOARD, which will comprise about 8 members plus a panel of reviewers, initially will Invite bids for the IAU/SOFA Center. Assess the bids and nominate a Center. Start reviewing algorithms, procedures and software. * The SUBGROUP ON RELATIVISTIC ISSUES, which will Discuss the definitions of units and certain astronomical constants within the framework of General Relativity. * The DISTRIBUTION CENTER, which will Operate the service, principally through various electronic channels. The terms of office of the various bodies will formally be from one IAU General Assembly to the next. The current Chairs are: D.D.McCarthy (USA, USNO) Maintainance Committee P.T.Wallace (UK, Starlink) Board of Review V.A.Brumberg (Russia, IAA) Subgroup on Relativity ----------------------------------------------------------------------