The DKIST Operations Lifecycle: From Proposal Preparation to Completion

Abstract:

The 4-m aperture Daniel Ken Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST), formerly known as the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST), will be the largest ground-based solar telescope when construction is completed in 2019. Community access to the facility and its high-resolution optical and infrared instrumentation suite will be provided through a proposal merit and approval process, optimizing DKIST for high-impact scientific use and emphasizing a high operational efficiency of the facility. 
In this presentation we provide a high-level overview of, and guide through, the planned phases of the operations lifecycle relevant to anyone wishing to make use of this facility. The lifecycle is initiated by the preparation and submission of scientific proposals by Principal Investigators, and concluded by the successful execution of all observations relevant to an approved proposal, as well as storage and management of acquired data and metadata.