What is the HEASARC?

The HEASARC on-line service is an archive and database system accessible through the networks that provides rapid access to the entire HEASARC data holding either directly via ftp, or using the Browse, Argus and SkyView interface to search the HEASARC catalogs and access the data. The analysis tools to work on these data (typically running under various unix systems) are also provided via the networks. A High Energy Astrophysics Learning Center provides education and outreach activities.

The HEASARC is very active in promoting data format standards and has promoted the Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) as a standard for all level of data. As part of this effort, the FITSIO library of software has been developed to handle FITS files to be written, read, and manipulated.

The HEASARC develops multi-mission analysis tools that facilitate the comparison and analysis of high level data in the archive (e.g. spectral analysis). The HEASARC will be providing access to a variety of new missions that have been launched recently or are approved for launch over the coming 5 years. These include: Chandra (1999), XMM-Newton (1999), HETE-2 (2000), AGILE (2002), INTEGRAL (2002), the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer (2003), Astro-E2 (2005), and GLAST (2006). It is interesting to note that there are many new small gamma ray missions, in contrast to the past decade which was dominated by Compton GRO. The level of support HEASARC will provide to these missions will depend on the size of the mission.