Archive, Discover and Match Compact and Diffuse Objects on the Galactic Plane in the VIALACTEA Project

Abstract

Among the scientific goals of the EU-FP7 VIALACTEA project, there are some that involve tasks like archiving, discovering and accessing catalogues of infrared and sub-mm objects that are not simple point-like sources on the sky, but compact or diffuse structures. These structures may have more general shapes (bubble-like or filament-like - the two categories identified by the project). Also, alongside catalogue search and access, a service to match compact sources that are located inside a more diffuse structure like a bubble or a filament, is needed. Here we describe: the scenario and catalogues related to the project scientific tasks, and the solutions put in place to grant the VIALACTEA (and astrophysical community) users interaction with these compact and diffuse object catalogue data. Shape and contour archiving techniques inside a catalogue as well as catalogue cross-matching using tessellation solutions are here described.