Data Analysis in Astronomy III, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1989
Ettore Majorana International Science Series, Vol. 40

In the book are reported the main results presented at the Third International Workshop on Data Analysis in Astronomy, held at the EUore Majorana Center for Scientific Culture, Erice, Sicily, Italy, on June 20-27,1988. The Workshop was the natural evolution of the two previous ones. The main goal of the first edition (Erice 1984) was to start a scientific interaction between Astronomers and Computer Scientists. Aim of the second (Erice 1986) was to look at the progress in data analysis methods and dedicated hardware technology. Data analysis problems become harder whenever the data are poor in statistics or the signal is weak and embedded in structured background. Experiments collecting data of such a nature require new and non-standard methodologies. Possibilistic approaches could be merged with the statistical ones, in order to formalize all the knowledge used by the scientists to reach conclusions. Moreover, the last decade has been characterized by very fast developments of Intelligent Systems for data analysis (knowledge based systems, ... ) that would be useful to support astronomers in complex decision making. For these reasons, the last edition of the workshop was intended to provide an overview on the state of the art in the data analysis methodologies and tools in the new frontieres of the astrophysics (y-astronomy, neutrino astronomy, gravitational waves, background radiation and extreme cosmic ray energy spectrum). The book is organized in two sections: - Data analysis methods and tools, - New frontieres in astronomy.

Data Analysis Methods and Tools.- Attractor Reconstruction and Dimensional Analysis of Chaotic Signals.- The Rayleigh Statistic in the Case of Weak Signals -Applications and Pitfalls.- Stability in Factor Analyses with respect to Small Perturbations of the Data.- Moving Regression: A Tool for the Statistical and Astrometrical Analyses of Solar Observations.- Multivariate Linear Regression with Self-Estimation of Errors.- Maximum Entropy Image Processing in Gamma-Ray Astronomy.- Search for Bursts of Gamma-Ray Emission from the Crab Pulsar in the COS-B Data by Adaptive Cluster Analysis.- Statistical Restoration of Astronomical Images.- Multidimensional Discrete Signals Description Using Rotation and Scale Invariant Pattern Spectrum.- Applications of Decomposition Algorithm in Clustering Methods.- Clustering Analysis as a Method of Auto-Classification and its Application to the Search for Galaxy Chains in Two Dimensions.- Object Detection and Analysis in Digitised Images: Algorithmic Components and Software Structure.- Automated Classification of Resolved Galaxies.- STSDAS: The Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System.- IRAS Calibration.- Simulation of Large-Scale Astronomical CCD Surveys.- Tests of Reduction and Analysis Algorithms for Astronomical Images.- A Model for the Infrared Space Observatory Photometer.- Algorithms for the Analysis of Data from the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer.- Analysis of Absorption Lines in Quasar Spectra.- Attitude Determination Using Star Tracker Data.- Artificial Intelligence: What Can It Do for Astronomy ?.- Artificial Intelligence Approaches to Astronomical Observation Scheduling.- OCAPI: An Artificial Intelligence Tool for the Automatic Selection and Control of Image Processing Procedures.- An Expert Assistant Supporting Hubble Space Telescope Proposal Preparation.- Decision Problems in the Search for Periodicities in Gamma-Ray Astronomy.- Rule-Based Description and Plausible Classification of Objects in Digitized Astronomical Images.- Parallelism in Low-Level Computer Vision -A Review.- Performance of the Mesh Architecture in the Analysis of Sparse Images.- Crystal Gazing VI. Updating Computer Technology Projections.- New Frontieres in Astrophysics.- Cosmic Background Radiations.- Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) Satellite Anisotropy Experiment Data Analysis Techniques.- Some Statistical Problems Encountered in the Analysis of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Ray and Ultra High Energy Gamma Ray Data.- Track Pattern Analysis for Study of Point-Source Air Showers.- Data Analysis and Algorithms for G.W. Antennas.- Detecting Gravitational Waves by Laser Interferometers.- Data Analysis in Neutrino Astronomy.- Participants.