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Feature Ideas & Random Thoughts

This file captures feature ideas, random thoughts, and potential enhancements for the JWST Data Analysis application. Feel free to add ideas here from any device!

How to Add Ideas

From Desktop (Any Editor/Assistant)

Use ./scripts/quick-idea.sh, ./scripts/add-idea.sh, or edit this file directly.

From Mobile

  1. Open GitHub mobile app or web browser
  2. Navigate to this file: docs/feature-ideas.md
  3. Click "Edit" (pencil icon)
  4. Add your idea under the appropriate section
  5. Commit on a branch and open a PR (required by AGENTS.md)

Categories

🎨 UI/UX Improvements

🔬 Scientific Features

🚀 Performance Enhancements

🔧 Technical Improvements

📱 Mobile/Responsive Features

🔒 Security & Authentication

📊 Data Management

🎓 Documentation & Tutorials

💡 Other Ideas

Idea Template

When adding a new idea, use this template for consistency:

### [Idea Name]
**Date**: YYYY-MM-DD
**Category**: [Category from above]
**Priority**: [Low/Medium/High]

**Description**:
Brief description of the idea...

**Use Case**:
Why is this useful? What problem does it solve?

**Technical Notes** (optional):
Any technical considerations or implementation thoughts...

Submitted Ideas

Example: Spectral Line Detection Tool

Date: 2026-02-07 Category: Scientific Features Priority: Medium

Description: Add automated spectral line detection and identification for JWST spectroscopic data. Would use common line lists (H-alpha, [O III], etc.) and allow users to mark and label lines interactively.

Use Case: Astronomers analyzing spectroscopic observations need to quickly identify emission and absorption lines without manual lookup in tables.

Technical Notes: - Could use scipy.signal for peak detection - Line database could be stored in MongoDB - Integration with ImageViewer for spectral cube visualization

ASDF Format Support

Date: 2026-04-06 Category: Technical Improvements Priority: Low (v2+) Source: MAST Users Group Report, Winter 2025-2026

Description: Add support for the Advanced Scientific Data Format (ASDF), which Roman Space Telescope will use instead of FITS. ASDF uses YAML headers, external schemas, and hierarchical data models. The MUG report notes that existing tools (ds9, CARTA, Photoshop) cannot read ASDF, making web-based viewers like ours more valuable.

Use Case: Roman launches Fall 2026. If we want to support multi-mission data (not just JWST), ASDF support would be required. This also future-proofs the app if other missions adopt ASDF.

Technical Notes: - asdf Python library exists but WCS compatibility with reproject/wcsaxes is uncertain - Our FITS-specific code: magic-byte validation (SIMPLE header), astropy.io.fits, all processing pipeline assumptions - Roman project plans ASDF↔FITS conversion tools — could use those as a bridge initially - No impact on JWST data (remains FITS) - Scope: processing engine ASDF reader, file validator updates, frontend metadata display changes

Data Quality Flags in Search Results

Date: 2026-04-06 Category: Scientific Features Priority: Medium Source: MAST Users Group Report, Winter 2025-2026

Description: Surface data quality flags from MAST in our search results and data detail views. The MUG report notes that quality information (Data Quality flags, Quality Comments, jitter amplitudes) is currently buried in MAST image previews but not exposed in search results or API responses. As MAST modernizes their APIs to include these fields, we should pull them into our metadata display.

Use Case: Researchers need to quickly assess observation quality before downloading multi-GB FITS files. Filtering by quality flags would save significant time and bandwidth, especially for large mosaic/composite workflows.

Technical Notes: - Monitor MAST API for new quality-related fields in search responses - Add quality flag columns to MAST search results table in frontend - Add quality filtering to search parameters - Display quality metadata in data detail/preview panels - Related: our guided discovery workflow could use quality flags to auto-exclude poor observations

Jdaviz Feature Parity Documentation

Date: 2026-04-06 Category: Documentation & Tutorials Priority: Low Source: MAST Users Group Report, Winter 2025-2026

Description: Document our feature comparison with Jdaviz (STScI's browser-based visualization tool) for community positioning. The MUG recommends Jdaviz capture ds9's strengths: simultaneous contrast/scaling, zoom+pan, intensity transforms, profile cuts. We already have many of these features.

Use Case: Community Edition users choosing between tools should understand what our app offers vs. Jdaviz. Our advantages: integrated search→download→process→visualize workflow, mosaic/composite creation, guided discovery. Jdaviz's advantage: ASDF support, official STScI backing.

Technical Notes: - Features we have: auto-stretch, brightness/contrast, zoom+pan, region statistics, spectral analysis - Features to consider adding: profile/intensity cuts, simultaneous multi-band adjustment - Could be a section in Community Edition README or docs site