THIS IS AN ONLINE MEETING ONLY 

DATES & TIME
11-12 June 2025
14:00-17:00 (CET)
 

LANGUAGE
The working language will be English
 

OBJECTIVES
The PTS is leading the IDC SHI Reengineering project to create a modernized, open-source software for SHI processing, and improving maintainability and extensibility to the system. Starting 2019, the project entered the Implementation phase and is currently under active development.

The aim of this Alpha Tester Group (ATG) is to enhance the engagement of the NDC community towards the project. It allows low-barrier access for State Signatories and NDCs to the current state of the reengineered system.

The role of the ATG participants is to validate the results of the system and provide feedback to the system design and usability.

The objectives of the Technical Meeting prior to the testing session are to:

• Present the scope of the testing session
• Provide the status of development
• Guide the testers on the discovery of the newly developed features
• Enable ATG members to run testing scripts and adapt them to different test cases.

The scope for ATG 2025 is the evaluation of progress on the new Interactive Analyst Interface and new location algorithm LocOO3D.

AGENDA

There will be one testing session in 2025 where ATG Members will be requested to:

• Participate in the two-day kick-off meeting;
• Perform an evaluation of the system. ATG members will be provided with a test instance of the system accessible over the internet for the duration of one month;
• Provide feedback to problems encountered and on opportunities for future developments;
• Liaise with other technical users in their NDC and represent their opinions on the ATG.

Kick-off meeting sessions will be recorded if participants cannot attend due to time zone constraints. A detailed agenda for the kick-off meeting will be provided in due time.

PARTICIPANTS' PROFILE
NDCs involved in Alpha Testing activities are expected to make time available for the ATG Members to perform the related activities. It is estimated that each ATG member will need to devote between 5 to 8 days on ATG activities in 2025.

For the purpose of carrying out an effective exercise, it is recommended that each participating NDC nominate only one person for ATG membership and that the ATG does not exceed 25 members, taking into account a broad geographical distribution. Once the testing instance is delivered to the NDC nominee, other members of the NDC can be part of the testing. 

Members of the ATG should be:

• NDC technical staff/authorized users (preferably Principal User or Regular User);
• Experienced in waveform processing and knowledgeable about the current IDC SHI processing;
• Experienced in waveform technology and/or similarly experienced in nuclear test ban verification technologies;
• Experienced in software programming or scripting, ideally using Python (Linux background and some experience working with APIs are desirable).
   

APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Applicants are requested to apply online at the CTNW platform of the CTBTO https://ctnw.ctbto.org, by the deadline of 30 April 2025. 

States Signatories wishing to nominate experts are requested to inform the Provisional Technical Secretariat (see Point of Contact) through their respective Permanent Mission by the deadline set for application.

Participants from the pervious Alpha Tester Group must re-apply and will be given priority in the selection process. 
 

FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The PTS wishes to note that funding is not provided for this meeting.