Scope of the first CTA Data Challenge

The goal of the :ref:`first CTA Data Challenge <glossary_1dc>` is to enable the CTA Consortium Science Working Groups to derive science benchmarks for the CTA Key Science Projects.

The :ref:`first CTA Data Challenge <glossary_1dc>` should provide quantitative estimates of CTA's science capabilities that will enable the CTA Consortium Science Working Groups to evaluate science trade-offs in the future. The :ref:`first CTA Data Challenge <glossary_1dc>` should also result in numerous show cases, including for example images, spectra and light curves, that can be used to illustrate CTA's science case, and that should enrich the CTA outreach material. And the :ref:`first CTA Data Challenge <glossary_1dc>` should also stimulate the enrichment of the CTA Science Case.

The data distributed in the :ref:`first CTA Data Challenge <glossary_1dc>` are high-level data in form of :ref:`event lists <glossary_eventlist>` and :ref:`instrument response functions <glossary_irf>` (data level 3). The :ref:`event lists <glossary_eventlist>` were simulated from high-level :ref:`instrument response functions <glossary_irf>` that correspond to an ideal CTA with good and stable atmosphere and instrument conditions; only zenith angles of 20 degrees and 40 degrees were simulated. Data are provided for the baseline arrays.

Four Key Science Projects (KSPs) were simulated using realistic pointing patterns as defined in the CTA Science Case document:

• the Galactic Plane Scan (GPS)
• the Galactic Centre Survey (GC)
• the Extragalactic Survey (EGAL)
• an AGN monitoring program (AGN)

The source model used for the simulations is distributed together with the data to the CTA Consortium Science Working Groups, so that analysis results can be compared to the Monte Carlo truth. The same source model was used for all simulations.