Cluster Archive Inter-Operability Subsystem (CAIO)
The CAIO (Cluster Science Archive Inter-Operability Subsystem) is an
alternative way to access the Cluster Science Archive (CSA)
content through HTTPS requests. This subsystem
shares the core system of the standard
CSA graphical user interface,
but it is called using scripts, application code,
command line tools or just a browser.
Since July 2020, direct/synchronous data request do not anymore require credentials.
If you run scripts containing credentials, they should continue to work.
Data retrieval can be handled in three different ways depending on what is wanted:
- A Synchronous Data request allows the user to download data from the archive that fulfill certain search criteria, up to a total (compressed) limit of 1GB. The files are assembled on our server, and then downloaded as soon as it's ready.
- An Asynchronous Data Request allows the user to download more data up to a total (compressed) limit of 50GB. The files are assembled on our server and an email will be sent to the user when the package is ready for download.
- A Streaming Data Request allows the user to download just one CEF file but start receiving it immediately. This might be useful for visualisation packages.
- Dataset and File Search allows the user to discover datasets and files that fulfill certain search criteria.
- Inventory information can be requested for a list of datasets within a time interval (see Inventory page for more information).
- Header retrieval allows the user to download the metadata headers in XML format of the datasets indicated. NOTE: although this is metadata, headers need a Data Request (see Table 1 below).
For example, this interface could be used by an application/script that retrieves
a list of datasets through a
metadata request,
and then issues a
data request
for each item on that list in order to retrieve the data files.
On this website, you will learn about the different possible requests offered by
the CAIO. Additionally, we provide practical examples on how to access the CAIO with for instance: a browser, wget, MATLAB or IDL.
![]() |
Artists impression of Cluster quartet crossing the northern of cusp
of Earth's magnetosphere. Copyright: ESA/AOES Medialab |
Should you have any comment, suggestion or find any problem, please contact us.