Presto-Color: An LSST Cadence for Explosive Physics & Fast Transients [IMA]

http://arxiv.org/abs/1812.03146


We propose a cadence for the LSST survey in which three visits are obtained per night: two different filters within a short time window (e.g., g&i or r&z within < 0.5hours) and a repeat of one of those filters with a longer time window (e.g., >1.5 hours). We colloquially refer to this as the “Presto-Color” strategy (quick-color). This observing strategy delivers both the color and lightcurve evolution of transients on the same night. This will enable us to identify and characterize fast transients – or fast features of longer timescale transients – such as rapidly-declining supernovae (SNe), kilonovae (KNe), and the signatures of SN ejecta interacting with binary companion stars or circumstellar material. Such extragalactic transients are intrinsically rare, thus LSST could dramatically improve our understanding of their origin and properties. This cadence can be implemented as a Mini-Survey or as part of a Wide-Fast-Deep survey on selected portions of the extragalactic sky.

Read this paper on arXiv…

F. Bianco, M. Graham, M. Drout, et. al.
Mon, 10 Dec 18
23/57

Comments: Contribution in response of the Call for White Papers on LSST Cadence Optimization