BAO plate archive project: digitization, electronic database and scientific usage

Abstract

Observational archives are the main source for most of the astronomical studies, as given observations cannot entirely solve any problem and need to be complemented by related observing data both for construction of the time domain, multiwavelength, multi-technique and multi-method picture. This relates to both modern observations and historical ones preserved at many observatories. Therefore, digitization and accessibility of all possible data are rather important. The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) Plate Archive consists of some 37,500 photographic plates and films, obtained with 2.6m telescope, 1m and 0.5m Schmidt telescopes and other smaller ones during 1947-1991 and then by digital methods since 1996. Its most important part, the famous Markarian Survey (or the First Byurakan Survey, FBS) 1874 plates were digitized in 2002-2007 and the Digitized FBS (DFBS, www.aras.am/Dfbs/dfbs.html) was created. New science projects have been conducted based on this low-dispersion spectroscopic material. Several other smaller digitization projects have been carried out as well, such as part of the Second Byurakan Survey (SBS) plates, photographic chain plates in Coma, where the blazar ON 231 is located and 2.6m film spectra of FBS Blue Stellar Objects. However, most of the plates and films were not digitized. In 2015, we have started a project on the whole BAO Plate Archive digitization and its scientific usage. It was aimed at digitization, extraction and analysis of archival data and building an electronic database and interactive sky map. Armenian Virtual Observatory (ArVO, www.aras.am/Arvo/arvo.htm) database will accommodate all new data. The project runs in collaboration with the Armenian Institute of Informatics and Automation Problems (IIAP) and continued during 4 years in 2015-2018. Later on, the project was renovated for 2020-2021. The final result will be an Electronic Database and online Interactive Sky map to be used for further research projects. ArVO will provide all standards and tools for efficient usage of the scientific output and its integration in international databases.