A Report on the Spectroscopic Observations Needed to Support LSST Research

NOAO hosted a workshop, ‘Spectroscopy in the Era of LSST’, earlier this year to explore the requirements for the likely kinds of spectroscopic capabilities needed to follow-up or complement the LSST imaging research program. Four broad science topics were considered: time domain science, Galactic structure and stellar populations, galaxies and AGN, and dark energy and cosmology. The conclusions of the workshop are presented in a report now available at the conference website and the arXiv astrophysics preprint archive.

The report is framed as a synthesis of highly desired spectroscopic capabilities that meet needs across all four topics. A table presents requirements in a format that provides a framework for discussing their future development. NOAO will be working with the community in the months ahead on prioritizing and implementing an approach to developing the spectroscopic capabilities needed to support LSST research. Please contact Tom Matheson (matheson@noao.edu) for further information.