The Impact of the Astro2010 Recommendations on Variable Star Science

TL;DR

The paper discusses how upcoming large-scale time-domain surveys, guided by Astro2010 recommendations, will revolutionize variable star research by optimizing survey design parameters to maximize scientific returns.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of survey design considerations crucial for enhancing variable star science in the next decade.

Findings

Optimal survey parameters depend on cadence, coverage, and accuracy.

Large-scale surveys will significantly increase data volume and scientific insights.

Design considerations are essential for maximizing scientific potential.

Abstract

The next decade of survey astronomy has the potential to transform our knowledge of variable stars. Stellar variability underpins our knowledge of the cosmological distance ladder, and provides direct tests of stellar formation and evolution theory. Variable stars can also be used to probe the fundamental physics of gravity and degenerate material in ways that are otherwise impossible in the laboratory. The computational and engineering advances of the past decade have made large-scale, time-domain surveys an immediate reality. Some surveys proposed for the next decade promise to gather more data than in the prior cumulative history of astronomy. The actual implementation of these surveys will have broad implications for the types of science that will be enabled. We examine the design considerations for an optimal time-domain photometric survey dedicated to variable star science, including: observing cadence, wavelength coverage, photometric and astrometric accuracy, single-epoch and cumulative depth, overall sky coverage, and data access by the broader astronomical community. The best surveys must combine aspects from each of these considerations to fully realize the potential for the next decade of time-domain science.