Roman CCS White Paper: Optimizing the HLTDS Cadence at Fixed Depth

TL;DR

This white paper discusses considerations for optimizing the cadence of the Roman Space Telescope's High Latitude Time Domain Survey, focusing on balancing supernova cosmology and transient science objectives.

Contribution

It compiles key considerations for future cadence optimization studies, without proposing a definitive cadence choice.

Findings

Highlights importance of five-day cadence for mid-redshift SNe

Emphasizes need for careful study to optimize survey for multiple science goals

Provides a framework for future cadence optimization efforts

Abstract

The current proposal for the High Latitude Time Domain Survey (HLTDS) is two tiers (wide and deep) of multi-band imaging and prism spectroscopy with a cadence of five days (Rose et al., 2021). The five-day cadence is motivated by the desire to measure mid-redshift SNe where time dilation is modest as well as to better photometrically characterize the transients detected. This white paper does not provide a conclusion as to the best cadence for the HLTDS. Rather, it collects a set of considerations that should be used for a careful study of cadence by a future committee optimizing the Roman survey. This study should optimize the HLTDS for both SN Ia cosmology and other transient science.