DEEP-South: Round-the-Clock Physical Characterization and Survey of Small Solar System Bodies in the Southern Sky

Korea Microlensing Telescope Network (KMTNet) is the first optical survey system of its kind in a way that three KMTNet observatories are longitudinally well-separated, and thus have the benefit of 24-hour continuous monitoring of the southern sky. The wide-field and round-the-clock operation capabilities of this network facility are ideal for survey and the physical characterization of small Solar System bodies. We obtain their orbits, absolute magnitudes (H), three dimensional shape models, spin periods and spin states, activity levels based on the time-series broadband photometry. Their approximate surface mineralogy is also identified using colors and band slopes. The automated observation scheduler, the data pipeline, the dedicated computing facility, related research activity and the team members are collectively called 'DEEP-South' (DEep Ecliptic Patrol of Southern sky). DEEP-South observation is being made during the off-season for exoplanet search, yet part of the telescope time is shared in the period between when the Galactic bulge rises early in the morning and sets early in the evening. We present here the observation mode, strategy, software, test runs, early results, and the future plan of DEEP-South.