Subject: looking forward from this week's telecon
From: Jeremy Mould
Submitted: Mon, 07 Jun 2004 10:36:08 -0700
Message number: 212
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LSST Science Working Group=20
6/7/04 =96 JRM -- ALL CAPS
Original charge: lower case.
IN A SUPERB 100 PAGE SCIENCE FOCUSED DOCUMENT, THE LSST SWG,=20
FORMED IN OCTOBER 2002, HAS DISCHARGED MANY OF ITS INITIAL=20
RESPONSIBILITIES IN DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY SCIENCE CASE. THE=20
DOCUMENT DEEPENS THE SCIENCE CASE, AND AFFIRMS FOR THE NSF THE=20
NEED TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MAJOR NEW FACILITY.=20
AT THE SAME TIME TWO SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS HAVE FORMED TO=20
DESIGN, DEVELOP, AND, FURTHER RESOURCES PERMITTING, BUILD AND=20
OPERATE SUCH A FACILITY. THESE PROJECTS ARE IN NEED OF SCIENTIFIC=20
ADVISORY COMMITTEES; SOME MEMBERS OF THE LSST SWG MAY WISH=20
TO ACCEPT OFFERS FROM THE PROJECTS TO MOVE INTO THAT CAPACITY.=20
IN THAT ROLE, THEY WILL BE VITAL ASSETS TO THE PANSTARRS PROJECT=20
AND THE LSST CORPORATION. NEVERTHELESS, ALL THE WAY TO THE=20
OPERATIONS PHASE, NOAO SEES A NEED FOR A COMMUNITY SWG, AN=20
EXPERT GROUP IN LSST SCIENCE, MONITORING THE TRADES THAT THE=20
TWO PROJECTS MAKE, AS THEY MOVE FORWARD TO ACCOMPLISH THE=20
MISSION OF LSST. REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY'S ONGOING INTEREST=20
IN LSST IS ALSO A SEPARATE ROLE FROM THAT OF ANY SELECTION PANEL=20
THAT ANY OF THE FUNDING AGENCIES INVOLVED MAY CHOOSE TO=20
ESTABLISH FROM TIME TO TIME.
IN THIS UPDATE I MAKE AN INITIAL REVIEW OF THE ORIGINAL CHARGE TO=20
THE SWG AND COMMENT ON ITS CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE=20
RELEVANCE.
=20
The NSF AST Division authorizes NOAO to establish and maintain a Science=
Working=20
Group for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. This Working Group is=
intended to be=20
the community based body that will develop the science case and=
justification for federal=20
investment by NSF, NASA, and other agencies in LSST. The Science Working=
Group=20
will represent the US community in assembling relevant partnerships for=
describing and=20
advocating the appropriate federal role in this project. This guidance is=
intended to be a=20
product of all public, private and international groups that expect to play=
a role in the=20
LSST. SWG members are expected to actively participate in those technical,=
=20
observational and theoretical astrophysical studies, which will be useful in=
defining and=20
focusing the scientific objectives for the LSST. The LSST SWG has the=
following=20
specific tasks, (but is not limited to them):
1. Develop the science cases and scientific priorities for an LSST. Refine=
the=20
science goals outlined in earlier reports prepared by participating=20
institutions. This includes evaluation of the likely impact that advances=20
expected with existing and near-term studies will have on the science=20
goals of LSST, along with consideration of the costs and benefits of=20
alternative approaches. It also includes working with the scientific=20
community to ensure that the goals continue to be exciting, important, and=
=20
representative of the highest scientific priorities for a survey telescope.
"TOWARDS A DESIGN REFERENCE MISSION" IS A FULLY DEVELOPED=20
SCIENCE CASE FROM A 2004 PERSPECTIVE. UPDATES WOULD BE=20
APPROPRIATE EVERY FEW YEARS.
2. Develop a flowdown from key science to top level engineering goals and=20
requirements. Develop performance metrics for the LSST telescope,=20
instrumentation, software, operations, data management, and other aspects=20
of the program; and assess performance against these metrics.
SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS ARE SUMMARIZED IN THE DOCUMENT BY=20
CHAPTER. FUTURE CONSTRUCTION PROPOSALS COULD BE MEASURED=20
AGAINST THEM, ALTHOUGH ADDITIONAL WORK MAY BE NEEDED TO=20
FORMULATE SUCH METRICS CONCISELY.=20
3. Identify the key instrumentation capabilities for a LSST. Review the=20
currently proposed survey camera and propose alternate designs or=20
complementary instrumentation that would enhance scientific usefulness,=20
improve observing efficiency, or lead to potential cost reduction.
REVIEWING THE PROJECTS' CAMERA DESIGNS COULD BE UNDERTAKEN IN=20
2005. LIKELY ISSUES WOULD BE THE WAVELENGTH COVERAGE, FILTER=20
SELECTION, AND RESOLUTION, AS THEY BEAR ON COMMUNITY SCIENCE.=20
4. Prepare a design reference program for a 10 year LSST mission. The=20
DRM should be the optimum science program achievable with the LSST=20
for the recommended design, cost and schedule. The DRM should be=20
planned in sufficient detail that it is possible to specify the total data=
=20
product of the telescope, the parameter space surveyed, and the predictable=
=20
discovery set.
THE CURRENT DOCUMENT DISCUSSES OBSERVING STRATEGY, BUT DOES=20
NOT ADOPT A REFERENCE MISSION AS SUCH. REVIEWING THE PROJECTS'=20
REFERENCE MISSIONS COULD BE UNDERTAKEN IN 2006.
5. Establish the scientific relationship between LSST and other major=20
facilities (for example SNAP, Gemini, GAIA, GSMT, VISTA etc)
THIS TASK MIGHT BE DELEGATED TO SMALL SUBGROUPS, WHICH COULD=20
REPORT TO FUTURE SWG MEETINGS.
6. Identify any priorities for technology development.=20
DETECTOR AND FILTER DEVELOPMENT ARE VITAL. THE TWO PROJECTS=20
SEEM TO BE ADDRESSING THESE MATTERS. DATA STORAGE IS DRIVEN BY=20
THE IT INDUSTRY.
7. Provide scientific assessments of design concepts and implementation=20
plans for their impact on the overall scientific performance. This includes=
=20
the calibration plan and the data management plan.
REVIEW OF CALIBRATION PLANS SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN BEFORE EACH=20
PROJECT GOES INTO OPERATION. DATA MANAGEMENT MAY BE A PROJECT=20
RESPONSIBILITY, BUT DATA ACCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY IS A HIGH=20
PRIORITY MATTER FOR ADVICE BY THE SWG.
8. Assemble appropriate community-wide partnerships for preparation of any=
=20
proposals to NSF and NASA for funding activities related to LSST.
THE PROJECTS HAVE NOT NEEDED THE SWG'S ADVICE IN THIS AREA.
SUMMARY
THE SWG=92S FUTURE ROLE IS STILL CAPTURED QUITE WELL BY THE ORIGINAL CHARGE.=
=20
THE COMPOSITION OF THE SWG WILL EVOLVE, AS SOME MEMBERS MIGRATE TO SACS=20
FOR PANSTARRS AND LSST CORPORATION, AND OTHER MEMBERS ARE ADDED TO FILL GAPS=
=20
IN EXPERTISE. THERE WOULD SEEM TO BE A NEED FOR AN ANNUAL SWG MEETING,=20
PROBABLY TO REVIEW PARTICULAR TOPICS, SUCH AS THOSE IDENTIFIED ABOVE.
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