Summary

The Spectroscopic Virtual Observatory involves historic photographic spectra, most of which have never been digitized before

An outline of our plans:

• The archives of photographic plates will be loaned one at a time to a specialized scanning laboratory, to be set up at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Canada (near Victoria)
• The plates will be sorted in order of scientific priority
• Digital records of selected plates will be generated and processed by a trained team of experts
• The data-base and its associated operations will constitute the Spectroscopic Virtual Observatory

As digital spectra are generated and processed, the extracted spectra will be placed in the public domain. Astronomers worldwide will have on-line access to these data-sets. The new records will add an important new dimension to astrophysical research.

This project is an IAU initiative through its Working Group for Spectroscopic Data Archives, a Division V Working Group. The Spectroscopic Virtual Observatory is organized and operated by the World Spectra Heritage.

The documents linked through these pages explore, very briefly, the development of the project, its scope, and its scientific rationale.

Your input is important!
Anyone with queries, ideas or suggestions is warmly invited to contact the organizers.

In the first instance, e-mail Elizabeth Griffin (Elizabeth.Griffin@nrc.gc.ca).

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