Technical requirements

• data ingest from CASU: data will be supplied in the form of separate FITS multi-extension files (MEFs) for images and object catalogues with housekeeping/processing information stored in FITS headers
• UKIDSS survey object catalogues database will be implemented using SX; pixel databases will be implemented with in-house software
• SX GUI will be as for SDSS (`sdssQT'; currently written in TCL/TK but soon to be replaced by a Java version)
• Distributability: no requirement on WFAU to distribute all or part of the archive other than through the interface specified previously
• calibrated quantities to be specified via coefficient values and calibration scheme (astrometric/photometric)
• Security: archives shall be protected against corruption (ie. backed up and organised in such a way as to minimise the risk of accidental deletion/alteration)
• Security: proprietary data will have restricted access
• the science archive shall be constructed in such a way so as not to preclude AstroGrid-type functionality/enhancements
• the science archive shall be constructed in such a way so as to make data available to users as soon as is practicable - hence it shall be able to cope with incomplete observations and regular data ingest without disrupting online access to existing database