TheSkyNet Sourcefinder project was introduced publicly on 13 September 2011, operating on a Java-based user platform, processing data using new distributed computing software called Nereus. One year later, theSkyNet celebrated its first birthday and at the same time theSkyNet POGS project became the first public Australian based project to participate in the well established distributed computing platformBOINC. The acronym POGS is a reference to a game played with discs that originated on Maui, Hawaii, in the 1920s, and the fact that the Pan-STARRS PS1 telescope, is situated on Mount Haleakala, Maui. However, the project recast "POGS" as a backronym for "Pan-STARRS Optical Galaxy Survey".
Scientific objectives
The aim of theSkyNet POGS project is to:
Combine the spectral coverage of GALEX, Pan-STARRS1, and WISE to generate a multi-wavelength galaxy atlas for the nearby Universe.
Calculate the physical parameters of each galaxy, including: star formation rate, stellar mass of the galaxy, dust attenuation, and the total dust mass on a pixel-by-pixel basis using spectral energy distribution fitting techniques.
The aim of theSkyNet Sourcefinder project is to:
Refine the use of the Duchamp Sourcefinding algorithm for very large datasets in preparation for next generation radio telescope surveys using Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder and the Square Kilometre Array.
Software
TheSkyNet POGS distributed computing software runs continuously in the background on a computer while a user works, making use of any processor time that would otherwise be unused. It is one of many projects which utilise the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network ComputingProject Management software platform, which allows users to contribute to a range of distributed computing projects at the same time. Distributed Computing is often also referred to as Volunteer Computing or Grid Computing. After a user downloads the BOINC Manager software and elects to join theSkyNet POGS project, work units are requested automatically by the BOINC Manager. These are downloaded and processed automatically on the user's computer, using a percentage of the computer's idle time, according to the parameters set up by the user. On completion of a work unit, the results of the data processing are automatically transmitted back to theSkyNet via the Internet, the user is credited with the work done; and further work is requested. TheSkyNet Sourcefinder, before its closure in early 2014 to undergo redevelopment, used a Java-based custom software either via a browser or installed software. TheSkyNet Sourcefinder was redeveloped to use BOINC and VirtualBox.
Hardware
The software runs on Windows, Unix/Linux, Macintosh and Android systems. Some discrepancies have been noted between the results created by Androids and those created by other devices. The POGS project utilised CPUs but did not utilise the power of graphics processing units.
Participation
The project is operated by ICRAR in Perth, Western Australia, under the team leadership of Associate Professor Kevin Vinsen. On 13 October 2014, the project's server status page claimed 13,770 unpaid volunteer users worldwide with credit ; and 40,847 computers with credit.
Scientific results
On 7 June 2013 a paper entitled "A BOINC based, citizen-science project for pixel Spectral Energy Distribution fitting of resolved galaxies in multi-wavelength surveys" was submitted for publication. It was last revised on 3 October 2013. On 23 September 2014, the project Team Leader announced that the project was about to process its 50,000th galaxy.
Future projects
TheSkyNet has stated that it will expand to include other projects processing data from new sources, such as the Murchison Widefield Array telescope in Western Australia and perhaps even the Square Kilometre Array.
