Our ambitious proposal is to obtain ultradeep J,H,K observations in a well-studied equatorial field. The unique wide-field capabilties of WFCAM will give a thousand-fold increase in area compared to any previous surveys to this depth, leaving a lasting scientific legacy which will be exploited for many years to come. By choosing a well-studied equatorial region, with existing (and planned) observations across the electromagnetic spectrum, we are aiming to maximise the scientific returns.
Whenever a radically new area of parameter space is explored the scientific benefits often come from unexpected quarters. We believe that determining the abundance and evolution of elliptical galaxies is of fundamental scientific importance, so we have highlighted this particular objective in some detail. A number of additional important scientific goals, mostly related to the high-z Universe, are listed below.