Teams take on third SKAO Science Data Challenge BY CASSANDRA CAVALLARO (SKAO)
The latest SKAO Science Data Challenge is under way, with 33 teams spread across 16 countries busy analysing a huge dataset that simulates one of the SKAO’s key science goals. In total, 234 participants have registered for this third challenge in the series, with a particularly strong showing from China and India where dozens of researchers are taking part. Participants are being supported by 12 supercomputing centres in 10 countries, including SKA Regional Centre prototypes, which are providing the resources for participants to access the data and deploy their analysis pipelines.
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C O N TA C T
The challenge simulates observations of the Epoch of Reionisation, when the Universe transitioned from the so-called dark ages, to when the first stars and galaxies formed, ionising the surrounding gas. EoR studies aim to establish when this happened, through observing neutral hydrogen (i.e. not ionised). The neutral hydrogen signal – also known as the 21cm line due to its wavelength – is visible to radio telescopes, so the reionisation of the Universe is characterised by an absence of the signal.
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