S. Digel, 2 May 2005
Here are some suggestions and possible issues with starting an Extended Science Tools Checkout with a tutorial/workshop day during the collaboration meeting at the end of August.
As we discussed at the last meeting, Extended in this context means that participation would be open rather than limited to reviewers that we have recruited. The ESTCO is not a substitute for DC2, and in particular the source model would be released with the simulated data (which themselves would not have to come from GlastRelease and would not need updated response functions).
Purpose? The purpose of having a tutorial session associated with the collaboration meeting would be to (re)-introduce the tools and data access. A lot has changed since DC1 and more people may be looking toward science analysis. Also, with the postponement of DC2 until January, an additional science tools checkout between now and then is probably prudent. In terms of readiness for DC2, a big weakness right now is in user-level documentation, and the ESTCO certainly would test whether we have rectified that.
Even if interested persons just attend the workshop and are too busy to do anything else regarding the checkout, they may still find it worthwhile. Depending on how the workshop goes, if we ultimately have a kickoff workshop for DC2 itself, the emphasis may not have to be on science tools tutorials.
Date? As of this writing, I think that the collaboration meeting proper will be August 30-31 (Tues-Wed). Eduardo says that there will be an instrument analysis workshop associated with the collaboration meeting, and I am guessing that it will be on August 29. September 1 has an SWG meeting, and possibly also a science symposium; I think I heard something about a symposium about the Galactic center. September 2 may have an SSAC meeting. So I am not sure when we could schedule an ESTCO workshop. One possibility (as yet unconfirmed) would be the afternoon on August 31.