literature_scout

mode: subagent — runs after @session_bootstrapper, before @planner.

What it does

Searches ADS/arXiv for LSS methodology papers relevant to the task via the mcp-ads-arxiv MCP server (an external companion by estevesjh, installed separately — see Configuration) and returns a structured Science Context Block that feeds parameter resolution's scb authority tier (see Parameter resolution).

Runs a light (abstracts-only) search by default, to avoid burning the context window of the small local model driving the rest of the roster; a deep mode with full-text fetch exists but isn't the default.

A third citation mode is dispatched only by @cosmotron, only after REVIEW: PASS, as part of the optional CITATIONS GATE: given a list of session-specific methodology strings (e.g. "stellar density template deprojection") plus the components the fixed citation registry already covers, it does one abstracts-only search per string and returns a ## Session citations block — never re-citing what's already covered.

Why a live MCP server, not a local corpus

Literature context comes from the live ADS/arXiv MCP server plus static skills, rather than a local embeddings/corpus index — no index to keep in sync, and results reflect the current literature rather than a snapshot.