DP0.2 will introduce an ability to access image data through all three Aspects of the Science Platform.
Calibrated single-visit images (known as Processed Visit Images or PVIs), single-visit difference images, deep coadds in all six filter bands, and "best-seeing" coadds (used for difference imaging) in all six filter bands will be available. (Raw images will likely be available only through the Notebook Aspect, at first.) Individual image artifacts from single visits will correspond to single CCDs from the (simulated) focal plane; those from coadds will be of comparable size and on-sky area.
Mechanisms for retrieving both complete images and cutouts around designated points will be available. The cutout service is a preliminary version and will not at first support bulk requests for large numbers of cutouts, though this capability is planned to be available later.
High-level perspective
In the Notebook Aspect, the primary means of accessing images will be through the Rubin data access middleware's "Butler" Python class. Recipes will be provided for using the Butler to directly retrieve images into memory, as well as to query about the existence of images and retrieve references to them. With additional options, the Butler can also be used to retrieve cutouts.
In the API Aspect, an IVOA-standard "ObsTAP" service will be accessible via PyVO-based ADQL queries. This service can be accessed from within a Python program in the Notebook Aspect, or, with an additional recipe for performing the necessary authentication, from external computers. ObsTAP queries retrieve image metadata; using the results of these queries it is then possible to retrieve the actual archival image artifacts (FITS files) or to invoke an IVOA-standard "SODA" cutout service.
The Portal Aspect will use the above API Aspect services to provide a graphical user interface for querying about, and viewing, images.