I am happy to announce that the Phase 2 Recommendations of the Survey Cadence Optimization Committee (SCOC) for the initial implementation of the LSST have now been released as PSTN-055!
The document is the compendium of significant input from the community reviewed and analyzed by the SCOC that advance the design of a globally optimal survey strategy for LSST. We would like to express our deepest appreciation, once again, for the ongoing effort of community members that continue to offer their knowledge and ideas to the SCOCs, for their participation to the SCOC workshops and feedback shared with us in reports and via the SCOC-SC liaisons , and contribution of metrics or metric analyses.
The Phase 2 report shrinks the space of possible parameters for the survey strategies substantially, but this is not a final recommendation for the implementation of LSST. The work of the SCOC to design the initial implementation of the LSST will continue through commissioning, and the strategy will continue to be reviewed in operations to ensure that it continues to support the production of the best Rubin science.
Our report is accompanied by the release of OpSim baseline_v3.0, which can be downloaded here. Plots of system metric results can be viewed at found at ls.st/opsims
Finally, we thank outgoing members of the SCOC Drs. Sarah Brough, Renée Hložek, Mansi Kasliwal, Hiranya Peiris, Meg Schwamb, Dan Scolnic, and welcome new members Drs. Timo Anguita, Louise Edwards, Saurabh Jha, Rachel Mandelbaum, Adam Miller, Stephen Smartt, Rachel Street, Kat Volk!
If you’re attending AAS 241 in Seattle next week, consider dropping by the Rubin Observatory Town Hall, Tue Jan 10, 6:30-8:00pm PST, Seattle Convention Center Ballroom 6B. There will be a panel-style presentation including an update on survey strategy and time for Q&A, mingling, drinks, and snacks.
The SCOC also holds regular office hours if you wish to talk to us .