Summary

The LSST:UK Science Centre (LUSC) Phase C proposal is due to be submitted to PPRP in April March 2022. This document summarises the process by which the Work Package (WP) content of that proposal will be developed, and includes a call for software development (DEV) WPs, proposals for which should be submitted by 16.00 on Thursday, 20 January 2022. This wiki page will be updated to include a subsequent call for bids to undertake the Phase C Data Release Processing WPs.

Timeline

• 9 November 2021: announcement of call for Phase C DEV proposals

• Late November/Early December 2021: announcement of call for DRP bids

• February 17 January 2022: submission of Phase C Statement of Interest to STFC Science Board

• 20 January 2022: deadline for submission of Phase C DEV proposals

• Late January/Early February 2022: evaluation of Phase C DEV proposals

• Late Early February 2022: selection of Phase C DEV and DRP proposal teams

• April 10 March 2022: submission of Phase C proposal to PPRP

• July 15 or 16 June 2022: appearance at PPRP meeting

• September/October July/August 2022: PPRP visiting panel meeting (if required)

• 6/7 December 2022: consideration of PPRP recommendation by Science Board

• April 2023: start of Phase C

Introduction

In 2014, the LSST:UK consortium submitted to PPRP a proposal that outlined a baseline programme for the LSST:UK Science Centre (LUSC) - the STFC-funded activity in support of UK participation in what is now the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) - and made a specific request for the funding for the first tranche of funding (Phase A), covering initial preparatory work in the period 2015-2019. PPRP subsequently considered the proposal for Phase B (2019-2023) and now it is time to prepare the proposal for Phase C.

The original baseline programme envisaged funding for two strands of PPRP-funded activity, namely LUSC-DAC (preparation and operation of a UK Data Access Centre for hosting, and enabling analysis of, LSST data) and LUSC-DEV (development of software leading to what are now called User-generated Products), plus associated management effort. Both LUSC-DAC and LUSC-DEV were designed to maximise UK scientific return from STFC investment in LSST data rights, which were originally expected to be provided through a subscription model for international partners.

In 2019, the US funding agencies announced that international partners would obtain data rights by making in-kind contributions to LSST operations, rather than paying a subscription, and, during 2019 and 2020, the LSST:UK consortium developed a UK in-kind proposal in conjunction with STFC, the Rubin Observatory and the LSST Science Collaborations. With the adoption of the in-kind model for international contributions, the remainder of the LUSC programme becomes, essentially, the delivery of the UK in-kind package, which offers the UK community a much better data rights deal than was provided by the original subscription model. The UK in-kind proposal included an endorsement from STFC, noting that it outlines the programme for which they intend to seek funding, and we have subsequently shared with STFC a detailed financial plan for whole-lifetime (i.e. 2015-2035) LUSC programme. These funds will be awarded through a series of PPRP bids and, in particular, the Phase C proposal will seek funding for the UK in-kind package for the period 1/4/23-31/3/27.

The LUSC Phase C programme

The Phase C programme will comprise four top-level Work Packages:

• WP1: Management. This covers the funded leadership and management roles - Project Leader, Project Scientist, Project Management, Commissioning Coordinator (~ 2FTE in total) - plus the UK-funded International Programme Coordinator (IPC) role, coordination of the UK contribution to commissioning and the community scientist secondment scheme to start during Phase C.

• WP2: DAC. Operation of the UK Data Access Centre (5 FTE), continuing the LUSC-DAC work undertaken in Phases A and B.

• WP3: DEV. Development of User-generated Products (7 FTE), plus support for EPO software development by the Zooniverse team (1 FTE).

• WP4: DRP. The UK contribution to LSST Data Release Processing (5 FTE).

The allocation of the different WPs to institutions will follow a process similar to that adopted for Phase B, namely:

• WP1: The Consortium Board will confirm the holders of the WP1 leadership and management roles for Phase C, while Aprajita Verma is the IPC funded as part of the UK in-kind package . Proposals for funding to support commissioning work are being considered under a dedicated call process, and the community scientist secondment scheme will be launched via an open call early in Phase C.

• WP2: Work on the DAC WP will continue in Edinburgh;

• WP3: The DEV WPs will be selected via an open call, as detailed below; and

• WP4. Work package descriptions will be provided for the DRP tasks, and institutions will be invited to bid to undertake them, as was the case for the Phase B DAC WPs. A plan for this has been agreed with STFC and our Oversight Committee and is detailed on the DRP call page linked below.

The Calls for the Phase C DEV and DRP WPs

The details of the calls for the Phase C DEV and DRP WPs are described on separate wiki pages:

• The call for proposals for Phase C DEV WPs

• The call for bids to undertake the Phase C DRP WPs.

Announcements regarding these calls will be circulated on the lusc-announce email list and any questions about them can be directed to the Project Leader (@Bob Mann ), Project Scientist (@Stephen Smartt ) or Consortium Board Chair (@Mike Watson ), as appropriate.