The IVOA Standard Vocabulary

Version 0.41 (20051202)

Andrea Preite Martinez

General rules to form words for the VO standard vocabulary:

• an IVOA element of the Standard Vocabulary (an element) is described following the same general syntactical rules already used in the IVOA standard UCD1+ :

root-concept [[[ subordinate-concept(s) ] ; concept-specification(s) ]..]  

root-concept  is always an atom, subordinate-concepts and concept-specifications can be words (combinations of atoms)

• generally accepted abbreviations are used when the alternative is simply quite long. The border is somewhere between "ISM" instead of "interstellar_medium" and "supernova" instead of "SN" and obviously a question of taste.
• general groupings are plural when appropriate (e.g. "stars", "galaxies")
• sub-groupings are singular (e.g. "stars.cluster") or adjectival (e.g. "galaxies.active") as appropriate
• capital letters are used when normally used (e.g. "region.HII", not "region.hii")
• embedded spaces are dropped and bridged with capital letters (e.g. "dwarfNova", not "dwarf nova" or "dwarf_nova")
• hyphens are kept as usual (e.g. "X-ray")
• object names assumed as archetypal of an object class (e.g. "RRLyrae" = "RR Lyrae stars") or discoverer’s name describing an object class (e.g. “Seyfert” = “AGN of a type first described/discovered by Prof. Seyfert”) will be sub-words of  "class" (e.g. "stars.variable;class.RRLyr" and “galaxies.AGN;class.Seyfert”). The atom “class” is also used in conjunction with elements of enumerated lists of types (e.g. spectral types).
• in the case of Category 2 (object types) sometimes an object or a class of objects are commonly designated by an abbreviated form or acronym. In such cases the standard word can be replaced by its abreviated form or acronym, if this appears in the standard list of “alias” words (e.g. “alias.GRB” is equivalent to “process.variation.burst;em.gamma”, and “alias.SNIa” stands for “stars.superNova;class.Ia”).
• an event is a time-tagged phenomenon, process or formation of feature (like a spot, a ring, etc.).

1. Category: “astrophysical phenomenon, process or feature”

(starting lists: A&A thesaurus, A&A keywords, UCD1+)

Description	Standard word
Extinction or absorption	phys.absorption
Acceleration	phys.acceleration
Atomic/molecular excitation	phys.atmol.excitation
Ionization, jump from bound to unbound energy state	phys.atmol.ionization
Transition between states	phys.atmol.transition
Molecular dissociation	phys.mol.dissociation
Polarization	phys.polarization
Astrophysical phenomenon, process or feature	process
Generic absorption of wave or particle	process.absorption
Acceleration (particles, ..)	process.acceleration
Mass accretion	process.accretion
Gravitational collapse	process.collapse
Conduction	process.conduction
Convection	process.convection
Diffusion	process.diffusion
Circum-object disk with thickness H << R and R_in << R_out	process.disk
Eclipse of two physically related objects	process.eclipse
Generic emission of wave or particle	process.emission
Sudden brightening, outburst	process.eruption
Explosion	process.explosion
Excitation, jump in a higher energy (bound) state	process.excitation
Gravitational lensing	process.gravitation.lensing
Non-resolved gravitational lensing	process.gravitation.micro-lensing
Gravitational wave	process.gravitation.wave
Generic instability	process.instability
Generic interaction between two or more distinct objects	process.interaction
Maser (as a process)	process.maser
Mass loss	process.mass-loss / phys.mass.loss
Ejection, loss of a distinct body of mass	process.mass-loss.ejection
Mass-loss through a collimated jet	process.mass-loss.jet
Mass-loss through a poorly collimated wind	process.mass-loss.wind
Merging of two or more distinct objects	process.merging
Nuclear reactions, nucleosynthesis	process.nucleosynthesis
Occultation of two physically unrelated objects	process.occultation
Pulsation	process.pulsation
Non-radial pulsation	process.pulsation.non-radial
Radial pulsation	process.pulsation.radial
Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal	process.radiation.non-thermal
Radiation mechanisms: thermal	process.radiation.thermal
Circum-object ring with thickness H << R and R_in ~ R_out	process.ring
Recombination, from unbound to bound energy state	process.recombination
Redshift (as a process)	process.redshift
Rotation	process.rotation
Scattering	process.scattering
Shock front/wave (HD, MHD, Ionization, etc.)	process.shock
Distinct physical region on an object with different properties	process.spot
Starburst	process.starburst
Change in some property with time	process.variation
Generic sudden change with time	process.variation.burst
Cyclic, periodic change	process.variation.cyclic
Rapid change with time followed by a return to normalcy	process.variation.flare
Sudden change of frequency	process.variation.glitch
Very luminous state of variable object, high-state	process.variation.high-state
Quiescent or low luminous state of variable object	process.variation.low-state
Semi-regular or quasi-periodic variation	process.variation.quasi-periodic
Temporary, non periodic change	process.variation.transient

2. Category: “object types”

(spectral types and luminosity/morphological classes not yet included)

(starting lists: A&A thesaurus, A&A keywords, Simbad’s object types)

Description	Standard word	Alias
Herbig-Haro Object	ISM.Herbig-Haro	HH
SuperNova Remnant	ISM.SNRemnant	SNR
SuperNova Remnant candidate	ISM.SNRemnant;stat.possible
Generic Cloud	ISM.cloud
Part of Cloud	ISM.cloud;stat.partOf
Cloud of unknown nature	ISM.cloud;stat.unknown
High-velocity Cloud	ISM.cloud.high-velocity	HVC
Molecular Cloud	ISM.cloud.molecular
Cometary Globule	ISM.cometaryGlobule
Star in Nebula	ISM.nebula;stars;stat.member
Nebula of unknown nature	ISM.nebula;stat.unknown
Bright Nebula	ISM.nebula.bright
Dark Nebula	ISM.nebula.dark
Galactic Nebula	ISM.nebula.galactic
Reflection Nebula	ISM.nebula.reflection
Planetary Nebula	ISM.planetaryNebula	PN
Possible Planetary Nebula	ISM.planetaryNebula;stat.possible
HI shell	ISM.shell.HI
HI (neutral) region	ISM.region.HI	HI
HII (ionized) region	ISM.region.HII	HII
Generic galaxy	galaxies
HII galaxy	galaxies;class.HII
Elliptical or lenticular galaxy	galaxies;class.elliptical
Irregular galaxy	galaxies;class.irregular
Spiral galaxy	galaxies;class.spiral
Radio galaxy	galaxies;em.radio
Gravitationnaly Lensed Image of a galaxy	galaxies;process.gravitation.lensing
Interacting galaxies	galaxies;process.interaction
Galaxy with high redshift	galaxies;process.redshift;stat.high
Starburst galaxy	galaxies;process.starburst
Star Cluster in galaxy	galaxies;stars.cluster;stat.member
Part of a galaxy	galaxies;stat.partOf
Active Galactic Nucleus	galaxies.AGN	AGN
BL Lac - type object	galaxies.AGN;class.BLLac	BLLac
Seyfert galaxy	galaxies.AGN;class.Seyfert	Seyfert
Seyfert 1 galaxy	galaxies.AGN;class.Seyfert1	Seyfert1
Seyfert 2 galaxy	galaxies.AGN;class.Seyfert2	Seyfert2
Active Galactic Nucleus Candidate	galaxies.AGN;stat.possible
Blazar	galaxies.AGN.Blazar	Blazar
LINER-type Active Galactic Nucleus	galaxies.AGN.LINER	LINER
Quasar	galaxies.QSO	QSO
Gravitationnaly Lensed Image of a Quasar	galaxies.QSO;process.gravitation.lensing
Quasar Candidate	galaxies.QSO;stat.possible
Absorption Line system	galaxies.absLineSystem	ALS
Ly alpha Absorption Line system	galaxies.absLineSystem.Ly-alpha
Damped Ly-alpha Absorption Line system	galaxies.absLineSystem.Ly-alpha.damped
Metallic Absorption Line system	galaxies.absLineSystem.metal-lines
Lyman limit system	galaxies.absLineSystem.Ly-limit	LLS
Broad Absorption Line system	galaxies.absLineSystem.Broad
Active galaxy	galaxies.active
Compact Group of Galaxies	galaxies.compactGroup
Cluster of Galaxies	galaxies.cluster
Galaxy in Cluster of Galaxies	galaxies.cluster;stat.member
Dwarf galaxy	galaxies.dwarf
Giant galaxy	galaxies.giant
Group of Galaxies	galaxies.group
Galaxy in Group of Galaxies	galaxies.group;stat.member
Pair of Galaxies	galaxies.pair
Galaxy in Pair of Galaxies	galaxies.pair;stat.member
Supercluster of Galaxies	galaxies.superCluster
Generic object in the sky	obj
Gravitationnaly Lensed Image	obj;process.gravitation.lensing
Region defined in the sky	obj.region
Multiple, composite object	obj;stat.multiple
Object of unknown nature	obj;stat.unknown
Void, underdense region of the Universe	obj.void
(Micro) Lensing Event	process.gravitation.micro-lensing
Gamma-ray burst	process.variation.burst;em.gamma	GRB
Generic source of radiation (em, gravitational) or of particles	source
Far-IR source  (wl >= 30 µm)	source;em.FIR
Infra-Red source	source;em.IR	IRS
Near-IR source (wl < 10 µm)	source;em.NIR
UV-emission source	source;em.UV
X-ray source	source;em.X-ray
Gamma-ray source	source;em.gamma
Radio-source millimetric	source;em.mm
Radio-source	source;em.radio
Emission Object	source;process.emission
Gravitational Source	source;process.gravitation
Blue object	source.blue
Extremely Red Object (ERO)	source.extremeRed	ERO
Maser source	source.maser
Star, Stars	stars
Be Star	stars;class.Be	Be
Star with envelope of CH type	stars;class.CH
Star with envelope of OH/IR type	stars;class.OH-IR	OH-IR
S Star	stars;class.S
T Tau-type Star	stars;class.TTau	TTau
Wolf-Rayet Star	stars;class.Wolf-Rayet	WR
Carbon Star	stars;class.carbon
Early-type (early spectral type, hot) Star	stars;class.earlyType
Late-type (late spectral type, cold) Star	stars;class.lateType
Star of spectral type xx	stars;class.xx
Emission-line Star	stars;em.line
High-velocity Star	stars;phys.velocity;stat.high
High proper-motion Star	stars;pos.pm;stat.high
Multiple star system	stars;stat.multiple
Peculiar Star	stars;stat.peculiar
Asymptotic Giant Branch Star	stars.AGB	AGB
Horizontal Branch Star	stars.HB	HB
Young Stellar Object	stars.YSO	YSO
Double (binary) Star	stars.binary
X-ray binary	stars.binary;em.X-ray
Eclipsing binary	stars.binary;process.eclipse
Star in double or multiple system	stars.binary;stat.member
Eclipsing binary of Algol type	stars.binary;process.eclipse;class.Algol	Algol
Eclipsing binary of beta Lyr type	stars.binary;process.eclipse;class.betaLyr	betaLyr
Eclipsing binary of W UMa type	stars.binary;process.eclipse;class.WUMa	WUMa
Eclipsing binary (2!!)	stars.binary.eclipsing
Spectroscopic binary	stars.binary.specroscopic
Low Mass X-ray binary	stars.binary.low-mass;em.X-ray	LMXB
High Mass X-ray binary	stars.binary.high-mass;em.X-ray	HMXB
Black Hole	stars.blackHole	BH
Black Hole Candidate	stars.blackHole;stat.possible
Brown Dwarf (low-mass)	stars.brownDwarf
Circumstellar matter	stars.circumstellar	CSM
Cluster of Stars	stars.cluster
Star in cluster of Stars	stars.cluster;stat.member
Association of Stars	stars.cluster.association
Star in association of Stars	stars.cluster.association;stat.member
Globular Cluster	stars.cluster.globular
Possible Globular Cluster	stars.cluster.globular;stat.possible
Open (galactic) Cluster	stars.cluster.open	OCl
Neutron Star	stars.neutron
Central Star of Planetary Nebula	stars.planetaryNebula	CSPN
Star showing eclipses by its planet	stars.planetarySystem;process.eclipse
Sub-stellar object	stars.planetarySystem;stat.member
Extra-solar Planet	stars.planetarySystem.planet
Extra-solar Planet Candidate	stars.planetarySystem.planet;stat.possible
Post-AGB Star	stars.post-AGB
Pre-main sequence Star	stars.preMS	PMS
Pulsar	stars.pulsar
SuperNova (the object)	stars.superNova	SN
SuperNova of type xx (I, II, Ia, etc.)	stars.superNova;class.xx	SNxx
SuperNova (the explosion of a star)	stars.superNova;process.explosion
Symbiotic Star	stars.symbiotic
Variable Star	stars.variable
Variable Star of BY Dra type	stars.variable;class.BYDra	BYDra
Variable Star of FU Ori type	stars.variable;class.FUOri	FUOri
Variable Star of Mira Cet type	stars.variable;class.MiraCet	Mira
Variable Star of Orion Type	stars.variable;class.Orion
Variable Star of R CrB type	stars.variable;class.RCrB	RCrB
Variable Star of RR Lyr type	stars.variable;class.RRLyr	RRLyr
Variable Star of RS CVn type	stars.variable;class.RSCVn	RSCVn
Variable Star of RV Tau type	stars.variable;class.RVTau	RVTau
Variable Star of W Vir type	stars.variable;class.WVir	WVir
Variable Star of alpha2 CVn type	stars.variable;class.alf2CVn
Variable Star of beta Cep type	stars.variable;class.betaCep	betaCep
Variable Star of delta Sct type	stars.variable;class.deltaSct
Variable Star of gamma Dor type	stars.variable;class.gammaDor	gammaDor
Eruptive variable Star	stars.variable;process.eruption
Pulsating variable Star	stars.variable;process.pulsation
Rotationally variable Star	stars.variable;process.rotation
Ellipsoidal variable Star	stars.variable;process.rotation.ellipsoidal
Flare Star	stars.variable;process.variation.flare
Semi-regular pulsating Star	stars.variable;process.variation.quasi-periodic
Star suspected of Variability	stars.variable;stat.possible
Cataclysmic Variable Star	stars.variable.cataclysmic	CV
Cataclysmic Var. DQ Her type	stars.variable.cataclysmic;class.DQHer	DQHer
Cataclysmic Var. AM Her type	stars.variable.cataclysmic;class.AMHer	AMHer
Cepheid variable Star	stars.variable.cepheid
Classical Cepheid (delta Cep type)	stars.variable.cepheid;class.deltaCep	deltaCep
Dwarf Nova	stars.variable.dwarfNova
Variable Star of irregular type	stars.variable.irregular
Nova	stars.variable.nova	nova
Nova-like Star	stars.variable.nova-like
White Dwarf	stars.whiteDwarf	WD
Pulsating White Dwarf	stars.whiteDwarf;proces.pulsation

Appendix A.

List of elements (words) used to describe Category 1 and 2 concepts:

class.alf2CVn

class.AMHer

class.Be

class.betaCep

class.BLLac

class.BYDra

class.carbon

class.CH

class.deltaCep

class.deltaSct

class.DQHer

class.earlyType

class.elliptical

class.FUOri

class.gammaDor

class.HII

class.irregular

class.lateType

class.MiraCet

class.OH-IR

class.Orion

class.RCrB

class.RRLyr

class.RSCVn

class.RVTau

class.S

class.Seyfert

class.Seyfert1

class.Seyfert2

class.spiral

class.TTau

class.Wolf-Rayet

class.WVir

class.xx

em.FIR

em.gamma

em.IR

em.line

em.mm

em.NIR

em.radio

em.UV

em.X-ray

galaxies

galaxies.absLineSystem

galaxies.absLineSystem.Broad

galaxies.absLineSystem.Ly-alpha

galaxies.absLineSystem.Ly-alpha.damped

galaxies.absLineSystem.Ly-limit

galaxies.absLineSystem.metal-lines

galaxies.active

galaxies.AGN

galaxies.AGN.Blazar

galaxies.AGN.LINER

galaxies.cluster

galaxies.compactGroup

galaxies.dwarf

galaxies.giant

galaxies.group

galaxies.pair

galaxies.QSO

galaxies.superCluster

ISM.cloud

ISM.cloud.high-velocity

ISM.cloud.molecular

ISM.cometaryGlobule

ISM.Herbig-Haro

ISM.nebula

ISM.nebula.bright

ISM.nebula.dark

ISM.nebula.galactic

ISM.nebula.reflection

ISM.planetaryNebula

ISM.region.HI

ISM.region.HII

ISM.shell.HI

ISM.SNRemnant

obj

obj.region 

obj.void   

phys.absorption

phys.acceleration

phys.atmol.excitation

phys.atmol.ionization

phys.atmol.transition

phys.mol.dissociation

phys.polarization

phys.velocity

pos.pm

proces.pulsation

process

process.absorption

process.acceleration

process.accretion

process.collapse

process.conduction

process.convection

process.diffusion

process.disk

process.eclipse

process.eclipse

process.emission

process.eruption

process.excitation

process.explosion

process.gravitation

process.gravitation.lensing

process.gravitation.micro-lensing

process.gravitation.wave

process.instability

process.interaction

process.maser

process.mass-loss

process.mass-loss.ejection

process.mass-loss.jet

process.mass-loss.wind

process.merging

process.nucleosynthesis

process.occultation

process.pulsation

process.pulsation.non-radial

process.pulsation.radial

process.radiation.non-thermal

process.radiation.thermal

process.recombination

process.redshift

process.redshift

process.ring

process.rotation

process.rotation.ellipsoidal

process.scattering

process.shock

process.spot

process.starburst

process.variation

process.variation.burst

process.variation.cyclic

process.variation.flare

process.variation.glitch

process.variation.high-state

process.variation.low-state

process.variation.quasi-periodic

process.variation.transient

source

source.blue    

source.extremeRed

source.maser      

stars

stars.AGB

stars.binary

stars.binary.eclipsing

stars.binary.high-mass

stars.binary.low-mass

stars.binary.specroscopic 

stars.blackHole

stars.brownDwarf

stars.circumstellar

stars.cluster

stars.cluster.association

stars.cluster.globular

stars.cluster.open

stars.HB

stars.neutron

stars.planetaryNebula

stars.planetarySystem

stars.planetarySystem.planet

stars.post-AGB

stars.preMS

stars.pulsar

stars.superNova

stars.symbiotic

stars.variable

stars.variable.cataclysmic

stars.variable.cepheid

stars.variable.dwarfNova

stars.variable.irregular

stars.variable.nova

stars.variable.nova-like

stars.whiteDwarf

stars.YSO

stat.member

stat.multiple

stat.partOf

stat.peculiar

stat.possible

stat.unknown

Appendix B.

List of acronyms that can be used as aliases for Category 2 concepts (object types).

The format is:  alias.”acronym”

Acronyms:

AGB

AGN

Algol

ALS

AMHer

Be

betaCep

betaLyr

BH

Blazar

BLLac

BYDra

CSM

CSPN

CV

deltaCep

DQHer

ERO

FUOri

gammaDor

GRB

HB

HH

HI

HII

HMXB

HVC

IRS

LINER

LLS

LMXB

Mira

nova

OCl

OH-IR

PMS

PN

QSO

RCrB

RRLyr

RSCVn

RVTau

Seyfert

Seyfert1

Seyfert2

SN

SNR

SNxx

TTau

WD

WR

WUMa

WVir

YSO