[en] In this paper, we present the High Energy Physics data format, processing toolset and analysis library A4, providing fast I/O of structured data using the Google protocol buffer library. The overall goal of A4 is to provide physicists with tools to work efficiently with billions of events, providing not only high speeds, but also automatic metadata handling, a set of UNIX-like tools to operate on A4 files, and powerful and fast histogramming capabilities. At present, A4 is an experimental project, but it has already been used by the authors in preparing physics publications. We give an overview of the individual modules of A4, provide examples of use, and supply a set of basic benchmarks. We compare A4 read performance with the common practice of storing unstructured data in ROOT trees. For the common case of storing a variable number of floating-point numbers per event, speedups in read speed of up to a factor of six are observed.

[en] It is essential to get quick feedback at all stages of the collection and reconstruction of particle physics data, and to correctly record quality decisions to ensure that only good data are used to obtain physics results. The ATLAS data quality system provides prompt investigation of collected data, initial calibrations, and later reconstruction, and propagates the corresponding quality decisions to analysis users. This talk describes the significant experience we have gained In 2009 and 2010 with collision data operations and analysis. (authors)

[en] The focus of many software architectures of the LHC experiments is to deliver a well-designed Event Data Model (EDM). Changes and additions to the stored data are often expensive, requiring large amounts of CPU time, disk storage and man-power. In addition, differing needs between groups of physicists lead to a tendency for common data formats to grow in terms of contained information whilst still not managing to service all needs. We introduce a new way of thinking about the data model based on the Dremel column store architecture published by Google. We present an EDM concept based on Dremel, which has the potential to significantly reduce the storage requirement for these common formats, decrease the time needed for independent physicists to compare their results and improve the speed at which data reprocessings can feasibly take place. The Dremel low-level encoding is implemented in a proof-of-concept C++ library called Drillbit, and it is shown that using a different encoding of the current data could save as much as 20% of disk space on average across a wide number of real-world derived data sets.

[en] The Algae Raceway Integrated Design (ARID) minimizes diurnal and seasonal temperature fluctuations and maintains temperature within the optimal range, between 15 and 30 °C, during day and night and during all seasons in Tucson, Arizona. The system regulates temperature by adjusting the water surface area and thus regulates the energy transfer to and from the atmosphere and raceway. A temperature model of the raceway was developed and was based on a standardized energy balance model for agricultural crops. The model includes the Penman–Monteith evapotranspiration equation, long wave radiation, short wave radiation, sensible heat transfer (convection) and soil heat flux. The temperature model predicted minimum daily raceway water temperature within 1–2 °C over a range of atmospheric conditions during a 21 day algae growth experiment. Because the model is based on standard agricultural weather station data, it can be used in any location that is in proximity to an agricultural weather station. The model automatically downloads data from any weather station in Arizona, allows specification of various cover and liner conditions, specifies the timing of circulation, and has a dynamic simulation mode. -- Highlights: ► An innovative raceway system (ARID) was designed and constructed for temperature management. ► A Visual Basic language/Excel model was developed for algae culture temperature. ► The ARID raceway model predictions were in good agreement with the measured temperatures. ► The ARID raceway model can automatically download standard agricultural weather station data. ► The ARID raceway has a superior temperature regime for algae growth compared to conventional raceways.