The continuing excitement of more simulated LSST surveys

Updated in this release:

• A more realistic database of the expected seeing conditions. This means the median atmospheric seeing is increased from ~0.6" to 0.7". Seasonal seeing variation should be more realistic as well
• We restrict the camera rotation to prevent tracking beyond rotator limits
• Refactored the configuration scripts to include more documentation and better readability
• Incorporated a new class to ensure cross-platform repeatability (always compare floats at a fixed precision rather than machine precision which can vary)
• Improved default DDF behavior (lower airmass observations)
• Refactored rolling cadence basis functions, resulting in more uniform final a survey
• Adjusted the default behavior for when filters are loaded into the filter changer

Scheduling deep drilling fields so they are optimized for AGN studies.

This includes taking u and g filter observations at high airmass so DCR can be measured.

We try some different DDF strategies, making longer DDF observing seasons, execuiting only in dark time, and leaving the u filter mounted for longer.

Scheduling deep drilling fields so they are optimized for the Dark Energy Science Collaboration.

Simulations using a footprint that masks out high extinction regions. The sims use a rolling cadence that emphasizes half the sky, as well we a version that alternates observing north and south each day.

The baseline survey that all the other experiments use as a template starting point. We include baseline simulations that have visits with 1x30s exposures and 2x15s exposures.

Unlike previous baseline simulations, we now take more observations in pairs (previously u and y filter observations were unpaired).

Note the baseline survey with 2 snaps does not quite read the SRD requirements for number of visits in the WFD area.

Experiments where we cover the bulge to different depths and use different cadences.

Scheduling deep drilling fields so they include the planned Euclid fields.

Running the baseline strategy with different survey footprints.

We experiment with different strategies of how we take observations in pairs.

Testing rolling cadences where we divide the WFD area into 2, 3, or 6 bands. These all perform regular full-sky coverage at the start and end of the survey.

In addition to the usual baseline, we cover the survey footprint with shorter exposures.

We set the camera rotator to +/- 45 degrees so diffraction spikes lie along rows and columns of the CCDs

We take some time at the end of the night to attempt to observe a third observations of regions that have already been observed twice.

We test limiting the number of filters available in/near twilight

Executing a NEO search strategy in twilight time.

Testing taking 60s u-filter exposures (to lift u observations above readnoise dominated regime)

Testing different u-pairing strategies and varying how long the u filter is mounted.

Uses variable exposure times so observations have similar limiting depths.

Mostly illustrative tests where we look at performance with different levels of weather downtime and maintenance downtime.

Mostly illustrative to see how performance varies as we change the requested WFD depth.

More illustrative runs to show that adding observations to the galactic plane does not change the WFD depth much.