Author: Robert Wagner, Version 2011-01-18
Astronomer's Telegrams (ATel, http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/) are a means of reporting or commenting upon new astronomical observations. Reports submitted to The Astronomer's Telegram are not filtered or edited: the final editing on all submissions is made by the author. Submissions are posted onto the web instantly, by software. There is the possibility to submit "Instant Email Notices", which are not distributed in a daily digest, but immediately, and they may include a "Request for Observations", which provides alerts of observational opportunities in the coming 72 hours. The Instant Email Notices are sent immediately (within a few seconds) upon receipt.
By definition ATels represent fast alerts. Any result that may warrant publication as an ATel must be made known to the physics working group (PWG) convener and to the executive board (EB). Any publication in ATel must result in a refereed scientific publication within the next 12 months. In general, the quality of the results should allow publication as a Letter within the next 6 months. The spokesperson decides whether an ATel submission is warranted, verifies that the publication requirement is likely to be met, and suggests a submission date for the ATel. The physics coordinator oversees the remaining process and links analysis team, relevant PWG convenors, collaboration board (CB) and EB. The spokesperson or the physics coordinator informs the EB about the intention to submit an ATel. The EB should be included in all mail exchange regarding the ATel.
In absence of the spokesperson, the cospokesperson takes his/her role; in absence of both, the physics coordinator.
Two solid independent analyses in agreement must exist. The physics coordinator or the software coordinator can require a third analysis and any additional studies and crosschecks. All analysis material must be agreed upon by the relevant PWG conveners, the software coordinator (who ensures that adequate analysis methods are used) and the physics coordinator. If all these requirements are met, the spokesperson decides to initiate the submission process, which consists of five steps:
(1) The PI of the observation drafts an ATel text or delegates drafting of the ATel text to one of the Co-Is or the lead analyzer or second analyzer ("drafter"). It is desirable that the lead analyzer or the person leading the physics interpretation which gives weight to the result becomes the drafter. The ATel text remains with the drafter, who includes modifications as suggested during the course of submitting the ATel. The drafter is the responsible for editing the ATel draft and stays in close contact with the EB, the physics and software coordinators, the PWG convenors and the analyzers and updates them on the ATel text.
(2) The analyses as well as the ATel draft should be distributed by the drafter to the CB 24 hours before submission, but at the latest 6 hours before submission and within 08:00-19:30 local time. CB members may forward the information to any current MAGIC author, understanding that all information is proprietary and that it is their full responsibility to ensure it is restricted to the collaboration. Strict confidentiality is to be requested and expected.
(3) The analyses and the final ATel text are distributed by the drafter to the magic_priv mailing list not later than 3 hours before ATel submission. The time until deadline should include working time (08:00-19:30 local time), unless there are strong scientific cases which prevent this. This requirement should not delay submission by more than 12 hours. If possible, the distribution to the collaboration should take place no more than 12 hours before submission ("leakage prevention"). Strict confidentiality is to be requested, and the authors must be made aware that all information is proprietary and that it is their full responsibility to ensure it is restricted to the collaboration.
(4) The EB blesses the final ATel text by consent (if members are unresponsive, simple majority suffices) and entrusts the spokesperson with submitting the ATel. To accelerate the process, this step (4) can be done before the deadlines (2) and (3) have passed, but need to be redone whenever the ATel text is modified.
(5) The final accepted ATel text is given to the spokesperson and submitted by him/her. She/he informs the collaboration about the submission.
The submission process can be blocked if this is requested by at least two authors belonging to two different groups, giving concise and solid scientific reasons for it. Any such intervention must be addressed to the EB and will be discussed within the EB and relevant PWG conveners immediately. The time needed for these discussions will defer the deadlines. The EB has final say. Documentation of the intervention and subsequent discussions are distributed among the CB.
Plots representing the core result published in the ATel, as well as supportive core analysis results (typically: detection plot, skymap) have to be made available to the collaboration within 1 week after the ATel. The actual release of the these plots for use in public presentations has to follo the procedure given by the Speaker's Bureau concerning the release of results. Ideally, the core results are released immediately after submitting the ATel.