The generation of infrared and ultraviolet astronomical data bases and retrieval systems

Observations with the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) and with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite have stimulated the need for machine-readable data bases at infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths along with associated software. This paper describes the generation of three such data sets at the Astronomical Data Center (ADC) of the NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC): the Catalog of Infrared Observations, the Combined List of Astronomical Sources, and the Bibliographical Index of Objects Observed by IUE 1978-82. The discussion is divided by spectral regime and includes summaries of the data products developed in each category.