Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium DPAC: International consortium in charge of Gaia data processing

DPAC is a collaboration drawing its membership from all over Europe, including a diverse community of more than 400 scientists and software engineers, spread throughout more than 20 countries, and six large Data Processing Centres. The consortium brings together skills and expertise from across the continent.

The DPAC is the community structure responding the ESA Announcement of Opportunity. The DPAC has set up an internal organisation and management structure and secured the availability of the necessary hardware to carry out the tasks. It is formed around a set of Coordination Units (CU) each responsible for a key aspect of the data processing. CUs may be sub-divided into smaller groups called Development Units (DU) and in charge of one or more work packages. The CUs are supported by a set of Data Processing Centres (DPC) and the overall coordination is performed by the consortium executive (DPACE).

In short the DPAC is responsible for:

• preparation of the data analysis algorithms to reduce the astrometric, photometric, and spectroscopic data within a coherent and integrated processing framework, including special objects such as multiple stars and minor planets;
 
• generation and supply of simulated data to support the design, development and testing of the entire data processing system;
 
• the design, development, procurement and operation of all aspects of the hardware and software processing environment necessary to process the mission data throughout the simulation, mission operations and final catalogue production phases;
 
• the design, development and operation of the Gaia database, which will contain the intermediate and final mission products of interest to the scientific community at large.

DPAC within the Gaia mission organization