Abstract

The detection and study of transient events on millisecond-to-hours timescales present unique challenges that have left this parameter space relatively unexplored. Within this time duration, there exists a number of predicted classes of outbursting events, including several counterparts to gravitational waves, and several largely serendipitous observational discoveries. The challenges of detecting such quick outbursts include wide-field, deep, short exposure imaging, real-time data reduction, real-time computational and visualisation analysis, and rapid and deep spectroscopic follow-up. Moreover, multi-wavelength observations are needed to overcome the unknown wavelength regimes and evolutionary behaviours of certain classes of theoretical events and counterparts to certain observed events, such as fast radio bursts. We present a viable approach to explore the millisecond-to-hours transient domain that coordinates simultaneous observations at multiple wavelengths using multiple facilities, real-time computational and visualisation techniques, and the necessary observational follow-up programs. We describe the Deeper, Wider, Faster program as a successful example of this approach to follow, and improve upon, for future fast transient detection and study.