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The AGILE Gamma-Ray observatory: software and pipelines

Software management approach and lessons learned for the next generation of high-energy observatories

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Abstract

In this paper is described the approach used to develop the software system of the AGILE γ-ray Observatory, from the definition phase to construction, verification and calibration activities of the satellite, until operations for scientific observations. Flexible software architectures, effective software management workflow, new algorithms (from payload simulators to reconstruction algorithms, from detection algorithms for Real-Time Analysis systems to the follow-up of science alerts in the multi-wavelenght and multi-messenger context) and team management approach are described. The approach followed by the AGILE Team in more than twenty years of work is a key element of the success of the AGILE Observatory, and the foundation for the involvement in new high-energy telescopes and observatories. Our legacy is not only in experience and tools but also in lesson learned, that are described in this work.

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Notes

  1. https://fits.gsfc.nasa.gov

  2. http://geant4.web.cern.ch

  3. https://www.mysql.com

  4. https://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/cvs

  5. https://git-scm.com

  6. https://github.com/AGILESCIENCE/AGILE-GRID-ScienceTools-Setup

  7. http://agile.ssdc.asi.it

  8. http://www.astronomerstelegram.org

  9. https://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov

  10. https://itunes.apple.com/it/app/agilescience/id587328264?mt=8

  11. https://itunes.apple.com/it/app/agilescience-for-ipad/id690462286?mt=8

  12. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.agile.science

  13. http://www.agilescienceapp.it/wp/agilescienceen/

  14. https://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/agile_grbs.html

  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DevOps

  16. https://jenkins.io

  17. https://www.sylabs.io/

  18. https://github.com/AGILESCIENCE/ and https://github.com/rta-pipe

  19. https://slurm.schedmd.com/

  20. https://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/agile_mcal.html

  21. https://github.com/ASTRO-BO/PacketLib

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  1. INAF/OAS Bologna, Via Gobetti 93/3, Bologna, Italy

    Andrea Bulgarelli

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Correspondence to Andrea Bulgarelli.

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Bulgarelli, A. The AGILE Gamma-Ray observatory: software and pipelines. Exp Astron 48, 199–231 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-019-09644-w

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