What is Antelope?
Antelope is a software package for real-time seismic network data acquisition and processing. It is a commercial software package with roots in the academic seismology community. Boulder Real Time Technology(BRTT) is the commercial vendor for the package. The Antelope User's Group is a community of scientists who are using Antelope for real-time data acquisition and/or processing. The organizers of the Antelope User's Group are not employees of BRTT, Inc., but rather are end-users of Antelope software.
Overview
Antelope is a system of software modules that implement acquisition, transport, buffering, processing, archiving and distribution of environmental monitoring information. Antelope software modules are designed to run on both Sun Microsystems SPARC based workstations and on certain Intel based (386, 486, Pentium) PC computers. Regardless of the hardware architecture, Antelope uses the Sun Solaris v. 2.5 (or higher) operating system.
Both real time automated data processing and non-real time batch mode and interactive data processing are provided by Antelope . Also provided is an information system that holds all raw data as well as processing results and other information. Following is a list of functions that Antelope provides:
- Field Interface Modules - These are programs that can connect with field sensor/digitizer/datalogger hardware and acquire data. These modules can also obtain state of health information and can be used to control the field units.
- Data Communications - A variety of communications protocols are supported for communications with data from the field, including duplex serial, simplex serial and internet or intranet TCP/IP.
- Data and Information Buffering - Hard-disk based ring buffers provide deep and non-volatile buffers for both raw data and processing results.
- Data and Information Flow - An object oriented ring buffer system provides a mechanism for automated, efficient and error-free flow of raw data and processing results.
- Automated Data Processing - Application specific real-time processing modules are provided for extracting the information and knowledge out of the raw data. Processing results are stored back into the same object oriented ring buffers as the raw data.
- Automated Data and Information Archiving - Raw data and processing results are automatically archived in real-time into an information system.
- Real-Time Data and Information Integration, Distribution and Sharing - Automated mechanisms are provided for bringing in data and information from external sites, merging these data and information into the real-time processing and for distributing or sharing data and information with external sites.
- Real-Time System Monitoring and Control - An executive module is provided for monitoring and controlling overall real-time operations.
- Real-Time Graphical User Interfaces - Point-and-click modules are provided for overall system monitoring and control, real-time display of raw waveform data and processing results, real-time map displays and monitoring/control of communications and remote field sensor/digitizer/datalogger units.
- Automated Archive Management - Modules for automated database migration, tape backup of the database and raw data and archive cleaning are provided. Extraction modules are provided for bringing the data and information from tape back onto disk.
- Information System Functions - A full suite of information system functions are provided using an embedded Relational Database Management System.
- Interactive Review of Automated Processing - Application specific modules are provided for human graphical interactive review of automated processing. The automated processing results can be verified, deleted, or re-processed.
- Batch Mode Processing - Application specific modules are provided for processing or re-processing data and information in the archive information system in a batch mode.
- Graphical Displays of Archive Data and Information - Application specific modules are provided for displaying raw data waveforms and processing results in a variety of formats, including trace displays, maps, spreadsheets and statistical plots.
- Development Tools - A rich and comprehensive set of software tools are provided that enable users to develop their own processing and display modules, either for the real-time system or for the information system.
One of the fundamental design criteria of Antelope was to adhere to open systems design principles. The goal was to design a software system that could be easily extended and modified, by BRTT or developers. Accordingly, the system is highly modular using common standards in the areas of communications protocols, computer operating systems and software engineering. Antelope is documented at a level of detail that is sufficient both for the operator and the developer.
