Opportunities in AI/ML for the Rubin LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration

This repository contains the LaTeX source for the AI for DESC Task Force white paper, which presents an overview of artificial intelligence and machine learning integration into the LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC).

An interactive version of this chord diagram showing the connections between DESC science applications, AI/ML methodologies, and shared challenges is available at: https://lsstdesc.org/AI_For_DESC/figures/chord-diagram.html

Overview

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will produce unprecedented volumes of heterogeneous astronomical data—images, catalogs, and alerts—that challenge traditional analysis pipelines. DESC aims to derive robust constraints on dark energy and dark matter from these data, requiring methods that are statistically powerful, scalable, and operationally reliable.

This white paper:

• Surveys the current landscape of AI/ML across DESC's primary cosmological probes
• Identifies key methodological research priorities
• Examines emerging technologies (foundation models, LLM-driven agentic systems)
• Outlines infrastructure, coordination, and risk management strategies

Paper Structure

Building the Document

The document uses the LSST DESC Note LaTeX class. To compile:

pdflatex main.tex
bibtex main
pdflatex main.tex
pdflatex main.tex

Repository Structure

├── main.tex                 # Main document
├── refs.bib                 # Bibliography
├── authors.tex              # Author list
├── contributors.tex         # Contributor acknowledgments
├── sections/
│   ├── executive_summary.tex
│   ├── introduction.tex
│   ├── sec3_ai_in_desc.tex
│   ├── sec4_methodology.tex
│   ├── sec5_emerging.tex
│   ├── sec6_infrastructure.tex
│   ├── sec7_coordination.tex
│   ├── sec8_risks_challenges.tex
│   └── conclusion.tex
├── figures/                 # Figures and diagrams
├── desc-tex/                # LSST DESC LaTeX class files
└── arxiv/                   # arXiv submission version