Science with massive radio datasets enabled using AI/ML - Dr. Mark Lacy

Hybrid Seminar - Science with massive radio datasets enabled using AI ML
Presenter: Dr. Mark Lacy, Scientist, National ALMA Science Center, at NRAO Charlottesville

Abstract:
In common with other fields of astronomy, radio astronomy involves managing and analyzing large quantities of data. New and upcoming facilities such as the ALMA WSU and ngVLA will increase these data volumes and their complexity by 1-2 orders of magnitude. AI/ML methods can help in several ways during the process of going from an observing proposal to science. Language models can help sort thousands of proposals received for telescope time for review and setting up observations and processing pipelines. Numerically-based techniques can be used to assist with processing and analyzing the ~1-100TB datasets produced by current and future facilities.Last year (and restarting this year) we have been holding meetings at NRAO to discuss ways in which AI/ML can help with aspects of Observatory functions. This has been given new impetus by the award of the Cosmic AI Institute to a consortium including NRAO. In this talk I will summarize the outcomes of these meetings and present some of the ideas that arose from our discussions and some of the challenges that arise from using these techniques in an Observatory setting. I will also show some examples of AI/ML applied to radio astronomy data for both quality assurance and scientific purposes by ourselves and other groups working on data from the VLA Sky Survey.