The ESO and ORAC control systems will produce standard Multi Extension Files (MEFs) in FITS format for export to UK pipelines. Stored within will be sufficient ancilliary information to fully describe the data taken and to invoke the appropriate pipeline processing actions.
On Hawaii the summit pipeline will run on the `native' NDF format used at UKIRT, but will otherwise provide a subset of the operations carried out in the basic pipeline. CASU will provide PERL-based scripts for converting from NDF to MEF format at the summit and for undertaking data and header integrity checks prior to export to the UK. CASU are also currently negotiating with the JAC and ATC over the feasibility of using CASU modules for the underlying summit processing and DQC checks.
At Paranal the summit pipeline will consist of a subset of the UK-supplied calibration pipeline operations, in particular those tasks necessary to provide near real time QC information.
Data will be taken according to a fixed menu of pre-defined observing protocols, in order to guarantee pipeline processing both at the summit, (at ESO HQ) and in the UK. These will include single shot, interleaving, dither sequences, tile sequences and so on - details TBD (see glossary in Appendix for definition of terms).
The general philosophy will be that all fundamental data products are FITS MEFs with headers describing the data taking protocols in sufficient detail to trigger the appropriate pipeline processing components, including the generated catalogue binary tables, and that all derived information, DQC, photometric and astrometric calibration and processing details, are also incorporated within the FITS headers.
The FITS headers thereby provide the basis for ingest into databases for archiving and databases for real time monitoring of survey progress and survey planning.