Abstract / Description of output
UCDs (Unified Content Descriptors) are metadata that have been used in
the VizieR catalogue service since they were first developed in the
ESO/CDS data mining project. Because the catalogues currently described
by UCDs cover many different domains, UCDs can be used to describe a
large fraction of astronomical concepts. The different Virtual
Observatory (VO) projects, collaborating in the IVOA (International
Virtual Observatory Alliance) have therefore decided to support UCDs,
and to collaborate to define a new set of standard metadata. This new
set of UCD will be more coherent and complete than the old one. It uses
a new syntax, and a list of atomic keywords from which UCDs are built.
The sharing of a core set of metadata is very important to ensure
interoperability between the various VO elements. We present how this
new list of UCDs has been defined, and how it will be expanded in the
future. We also present the mechanisms to assign UCDs to (possibly
large) datasets, check for validity of UCDs, and make suggestions for
including new concepts in the standard core of UCDs. We also discuss
several fields of the VO where UCDs will be used, what kind of
applications of UCDs are foreseen, how they can be used and how software
using UCDs can be designed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems (ADASS) XIII |
| Publisher | ASTRONOMICAL SOC PACIFIC |
| Pages | 315 |
| Volume | 314 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2004 |