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The latest news from the Science Operations Center (SOC) for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
Roman2023 Conference June 20-23: Roman Science Inspired by Emerging JWST Results
The first year of science from JWST is already providing transformative scientific results on a wide range of topics that are relevant and synergistic with Roman’s survey capabilities. This conference will focus on how emerging results from JWST are reshaping the scientific landscape and how this impacts the planning for both Roman’s community-defined Core Community Surveys and competed General Astrophysics Surveys. Virtual registration closes on June 9th. See the conference webpage for more information.
Roman at AAS in Albuquerque, June 4-8
Roman SOC staff will be attending the upcoming American Astronomical Society Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Please visit the STScI booth to talk with SOC staff and learn more about Roman mission. Tyler Desjardins will give a talk on Big Data, Big Science: Overview of the Roman Space Telescope in the Exhibitor Theater on Tuesday, June 6th at 2:00 PM. Please also see the Roman SOC iPosters during the Tuesday, June 6th session at 5:30 PM:
- Andrea Bellini presents The Roman Space Telescope Science Operation Center: Simulation Tools (230.03)
- Tyler Desjardins presents The Roman Space Telescope Science Operations Center: Wide Field Instrument Data Processing and Products (230.01)
- Javier Sánchez presents The Roman Space Telescope Science Operations Center: News and updates (230.02)
See Roman at AAS for more details about Roman events at the AAS.
Core Community Survey White Papers Due June 16
Roman’s Core Community Surveys (CCS) will be defined by committees composed of community members who collectively reflect the range of astrophysics the community wants to see enabled. These definition committees will be charged with working with the broader astronomical community to define CCS that maximize the science enabled while meeting the Roman Mission’s science requirements in cosmology and exoplanet demographics. A recent STScI newsletter article summarizes more than 100 science pitches submitted as the first step in the community surveys definition process. The next opportunity for community input is the submission of more technically-focused CCS white papers, due June 16. The white papers are intended to compile CCS science drivers, quantify the observational strategies that will enable and optimize different science investigations, and provide metrics or figures of merit that can be used by the CCS definition committees to assess whether an observational strategy will enable a particular investigation.
Roman Technical Reports
- Roman-STScI-000502: Simulating Cosmic Rays for the Roman Wide Field Instrument, John Wu, Javier Sanchez, Stefano Casertano, Tyler Desjardins
- Roman-STScI-000480: Identification of an Algorithm to Simulate Image Persistence of the Roman Wide Field Instrument, Javier Sanchez, John F. Wu, Tyler Desjardins, Andrea Bellini, Stefano Casertano, Eddie Schlafly
- Roman-STScI-000396: Characterization of Roman Detectors Darks Data Acquired with Leach and ACADIA Controllers, Andreea Petric, Stefano Casertano, John Wu, Rachael Beaton, Andrea Bellini, Richard Cosentino, Tyler Desjardins, Anton Koekemoer, Russell Ryan
- Roman-STScI-000481: The Background Spectra for the Roman/WFI Exposure Time Calculator, Russell Ryan, John MacKenty
- Roman-STScI-000457: Roman SOC Science Validation Report for SOC Release 1 PSS, Max Mutchler, Gisella De Rosa
- Roman-STScI-000456: Roman SOC Science Validation Report for SOC Release 1 DMS, Tyler Desjardins, Andrea Bellini, Richard Cosentino, Samantha L Hoffmann, Javier Sánchez
Introducing the Roman User Documentation System (RDox)
The initial release for the Roman User Documentation System (RDox) website at STScI goes live in early summer. RDox now contains articles on simulations tools useful for learning about the capabilities of the Roman Space Telescope, including image simulations from STIPS, simulating PSFs with WebbPSF (not just for JWST!), and the exposure time calculator in Pandeia. Additions and updates to RDox will continue as an ongoing effort to document the Roman Space Telescope in support of new science as Roman approaches launch and beyond.
Roman SOC Contract Extended to 2027
NASA has awarded a contract to the STScI to continue acting as the Science Operations Center (SOC) for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The contract covers the period through launch, commissioning, and the first year of operations. One of STScI’s new responsibilities under the contract will be to engage and coordinate the scientific community in the process of defining the Roman core surveys. The scientific community will have multiple opportunities to contribute to the design of the core community surveys observation planning. Short science pitches have already been received, and the white paper submission process is ongoing. Community input will also be gathered from workshops and meetings. Committees will be formed to synthesize all the different inputs and finalize the definition of the core community surveys. Final recommendations will be provided to the NASA Roman Project in early 2025.
Besides engaging the scientific community in the definition of Roman’s core community surveys, STScI is also responsible for the systems that will schedule and archive all mission observations, and that will process the imaging data from the Wide Field Instrument (WFI). Please see the full NASA press release for more details.
