Processing astronomical data is becoming increasingly difficult as datasets grow to terabyte scale. Traditional methods require manual selection of processing tools and significant computational resources, making analysis slow and inefficient. Researchers need a more scalable, automated approach to handle diverse data formats and extract scientific insights faster.
AC3, a Horizon Europe open-source initiative, addresses this challenge by automating the integration and execution of multiple data processing applications. Instead of manually selecting tools, AC3 automatically chooses the best application such as Starlight, PPXF, or Steckmap based on the type of data received. These applications are containerised and deployed across cloud and edge environments, ensuring efficient resource use and reliable performance at scale. With automated provisioning, orchestration, and workload management, AC3 optimises processing time while reducing computational overhead.
AC3 is already being tested with real astronomical datasets from observatories like Roque de los Muchachos in collaboration with the University of Madrid. By simplifying large-scale data processing, AC3 makes it easier for scientists to analyse data more quickly and efficiently.
Join us in Brno to explore how AC3 is transforming astronomy data processing and shaping the future of AI-driven cloud-edge infrastructures.