Target of Opportunity searches for Compact Binary Coalesececes(CBCs) with EM counterpart using LSST with non standard exposure time

Science
#1

I have the following questions regarding increasing exposure time in the target of Opportunity sources, like CBCs and the background template available:

  1. Is there a strategy for non-standard exposure time? Is it possible to observe at a longer exposure time when and where the CBC occurred, and then re-observe after a few weeks at the same exposure time to get the background?

  2. How deep background can we get with a 30-second exposure time?

  3. How long can a single exposure be?

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#2

Hi @Yogita-Kumari, thanks for your questions!

Is there a strategy for non-standard exposure time? Is it possible to observe at a longer exposure time when and where the CBC occurred, and then re-observe after a few weeks at the same exposure time to get the background?

There is a strategy for Target-of-Opportunity phenomena, including CBCs associated with GW candidates. These kinds of observations fall under the Rubin Target-of-Opportunity (ToO) Surveys. More information can be found on the survey-strategy webpage, or at the 2024 report with recommendations on the implementation of the Rubin ToO program. Discussions about the exact implementation of ToOs during early operations are ongoing.

How deep background can we get with a 30-second exposure time?

The survey-strategy summary from the science validation (SV) surveys contains information about both the observed single-exposure depth during SV, and the expectation from the baseline survey simulations.

How long can a single exposure be?

There is no limit to the exposure time of a single image. However, longer exposure times can saturate the LSSTCam CCDs and can produce image artifacts that are difficult to properly characterize. An analysis of these impacts is ongoing, and will help to inform any implementation of non-standard exposure time.

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