Tasks and Responsibilities of the Data Preparation area

The Data Preparation group provides links between online data taking and offline physics analyses. The group is responsible for measuring the ATLAS luminosity and determining the quality of the data both offline and online, monitoring the beam spot and non-collision backgrounds, as well as managing the detector conditions information. It is also responsible for the prompt processing of the data at Tier-0, reprocessing of the data with updated software or conditions as needed by the ATLAS physics program, and the visualisations of the data through event displays.

Data Preparation works closely with the other ATLAS Activity areas (Trigger, Physics, Detector Operations, and Software & Computing.) Many areas of Data Processing responsibility - such as in the organisation of the prompt processing, definition of the express stream, monitoring of the calibration loop, and reprocessing campaigns - require coordination across many ATLAS areas, and therefore close communication through the offline activity board (OAB), operations run meetings, and the executive board. The group is also responsible for communicating to ATLAS analyzers regarding data access and organisation of data into periods.

The group is run by a coordinator and a deputy. The deputy serves for one year before becoming coordinator for the next year.

-- SteinarStapnes - 25 Aug 2005 -- FabiolaGianotti - 21 Sep 2005