Open Data from Pierre Auger Observatory

Pierre Auger Observatory measures ultra-high energy cosmic rays since 2004.  Set of ground detectors covering a total area of 3000 km2 is complemented with 27 fluorescence telescopes observing the atmosphere above the ground array. It is the largest and most precise observatory of its kind. The Pierre Auger collaboration adopted open access policy, where several levels of policies for access to scientific results, simplified data for education and outreach, reconstructed data and simulation together with example software and documentation to analyse them and close-to-raw data are described. Published data of all levels together with the documentation and tools are available from a dedicated web server.

The latest public release from October 2021 represents a 10 % of a full dataset presented at the 36th International Cosmic Ray Conference. The release also includes 100% of weather and space-weather data collected until 31 December 2020. Pseudo-raw and reconstructed cosmic-ray data are provided in JSON format. Reconstructed cosmic-ray data are also available in CSV format, representing a summary of the JSON files and containing the information that is needed for analysis. Datasets are accompanied with an event display and example software reading the JSON and CSV files and producing examples of basic histograms of different data parameters. Also more complicated analysis software demonstrating how to read the data and how to analyse them is available.

Public datasets are currently mostly used for education and outreach. International Master Classes prepared for secondary schools use these data and tools to attract young students to astro-particle physics. Also, Open Science project of the Czech Academy of Sciences uses it. Students will present their experience with data and tools at the International European Grid Initiative (EGI) conference organised by EGI and CESNET in Prague in September 2022.

Author: RNDr. Jiří Chudoba, Ph. D.