Page 1 PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID 1096c Report Date: 09-May-96:16:09 Version: ********** Check-in Date: ********** 1.Proposal Title: GRAVITATIONAL LENSES PART I ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Category 3. Proposal For 4. Proposal Type 5. Continuation ID QUASARS & AGN GTO/HSP 3 Long Term yrs Sub Category ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Principal Investigator Institution Country Telephone Robert C. Bless WISCONSIN, UNIVERSITY OF USA (608)262-1715 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Abstract Photometric and polarimetric observations will be made of systems whose properties are ascribed to the effect of a gravitational lens. The similarity of the images in the previously unobserved UV region of the spectrum, both photometrically and polarimetrically, is necessary for these objects to be gravitational lens systems; any differences found will be carefully studied to determine what constraints they put on the system. Systems whose properties appear consistent with a point mass deflector (i.e., a black hole) will be monitored to determine whether photometric or polarimetric variability exists in the images. The distance to the deflecting mass in this case can be related to the path length difference between the two image paths from the imaged quasar to the observer. The path length difference can be derived directly from the time difference between the same variation occurring in each image. The parallaxes of objects at E+3 Mpc distances are of obvious importance to a ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Scientific Key Words: GRAVITATIONAL LENSES; BLACK HOLES; HUBBLE CONSTANT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Est obs time (hours) pri: 5.07 par: 0 10. Num targs pri: 4 par: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 2 I. GENERAL FORM Proposal 1096c PI: Robert C. Bless Proposal Title: GRAVITATIONAL LENSES PART I ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Proposers: Proposers Institution Country ESA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ G. W. Van Citters NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION USA Edward L. Robinson TEXAS, UNIVERSITY OF USA Richard L. White SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE USA INSTITUTE Robert C. Bless WISCONSIN, UNIVERSITY OF USA James L. Elliot MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF USA TECHNOLOGY Joseph F. Dolan NASA, GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT USA CENTER ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Description of proposed observations. The operational method of determing Delta T would be to: - determine if the quasar image more distant from the deflecting mass varies photometrically or polarimetrically; - if so, detect some characteristic signature in the variation; (Timescales on the order of weeks are the optimum ones sought for the purpose of this program.) - monitor the other image until the variation with this characteristic signature is detected; then - observe the second image well enough to identify the variation as identical to the one previously observed in the first image. Note: STScI had to divide this program into two program, 1096 and 1391. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Justification of need for HST observations. (1) Observations in the UV, accessible only to ST, will effectively double the frequency range over which the similarity of the images' broad-band spectral and polarimetric properities can be examined. (2) The reliable identification of individual variations requires accurate photometry or polarimetry. The images are faint enough that the increased signal to noise available with ST/HSP over ground -based photmetry (polarimetry) may make the difference between identifying an individual variation and remaining uncertain to whether a variation seen in one image is really identical to that observed in the other. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Data reduction and analysis plans. Standard data reduction procedures will be applied to both the photometric and polarimetric data. Measurements of any photmetric quantity or normalized Stokes parameter will be compared to the same quantity measured at a different time, i.e., relative and not absolute measurements will be made. An analysis will concentrate on the detection of characteristic signatures in any variability detected. The derivation of the parallax of the deflecting mass from an observed time delay is out lined in Sec. 2. above. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12. The gravitational lens program is directly related to the third scientific objective of HSP listed in the CEI specifications: "Measurement of the time scales of fastest variablity of . . . Quasi-Stellar Objects (QSO's) to determine their characteristic dimensions", and also the fifth scientific objective, "Determination of the wavelength and time dependence of polarization in . . . QSO's active galactic nuclei, etc.". Page 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13. Photometric and polarimetric observations will be made of gravitational lens systems whose properties suggest that a black hole may be the deflecting mass. If the lensed quasar is variable, a characteristic signature in the variation will be sought and the delayed image monitored to determine the path length difference between images by a "time-of-flight" measurement. The parallax of the deflecting mass may then be determined. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Address Information Name: ROBERT C. BLESS Category: PI Institution: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Address: SPACE ASTRONOMY LAB. 1150 UNIVERSITY AVE. City: MADISON State: WI Zip Code: 53706 Country: USA Telephone: (608)262-1715 Telex (or e-mail): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Name: JOSEPH F. DOLAN Category: CON Institution: NASA, GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER Address: CODE 681 City: GREENBELT State: MD Zip Code: 20771 Country: USA Telephone: (301)286-5920 Telex (or e-mail): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET LIST a) Fixed Targets ID = 1096c [ 4] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial |Acqui|FLX| Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. |Prblm|REF| | | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 QSO2345+007A GRAVITATIONALLY LENSED RA = 23H 45M 45.9S +/- 0.1S, 1950 1 V=18.8 QUASAR DEC = +0D 40' 40.4" +/- 0.5" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 QSO2345+007B GRAVITATIONALLY LENSED RA-OFF= -0.410S +/- 0.007S, 1950 1 V=20.2 QUASAR DEC-OFF= -3.9" +/- 0.1", FROM 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 25 QSO2345+007B SKY BACKGROUND LOCATION RA-OFF= +0.0S +/- 0.01S, ^ 1 V=22 KG DEC-OFF= -5.0" +/- 0.01", FROM 1, ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 1096c [ 5] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 | 11 | 12 |13 |14| 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Line | Seq | Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | S/N |Flx|Pr| Special Number | Name | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| |Rel. Time|Ref| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 0.5 DEFINE # HSP/ ACQ 1 3M # 1 # ACQP POL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 0.6 DEFINE # HSP/ ACQ 1 1M # 1 # ACQ2 UV2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 DEFINE # HSP/ SINGLE 1.0-C F140LP # 1 2M 100 1 # PHOT UV2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 DEFINE # ^ STAR- 1.0-B F248M # ^ ^ ^ # PHOT1 SKY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 DEFINE # ^ ^ 1.0-A F284M # ^ ^ ^ # PHOT2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 DEFINE # HSP/ STAR- POL0 F277M # 1 200S 100 1 # SEQ 5-11 NO GAP POL POL SKY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 ^ # ^ ^ POL90 ^ # ^ 200S 100 1 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 ^ # ^ ^ POL45 ^ # ^ 200S 100 1 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11 DEFINE # HSP/ STAR- POL135 F277M # 1 200S 100 1 # POL POL SKY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 29.9 USE QSO2345+007 X2 10 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 33 ACQP A 0.9S CYCLE 3 /29.9-38 PCS MODE FINE / 29.9-38 Comments: A AND B ARE BOTH IN 10" ACQUISITION FIELD. ONLY ONE ACQUISITION IS NEEDED FOR BOTH. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 33 USE POL ^ SAMPLE-TIME=1 X5 1 SEQ 29.9-38 NO GAP SKY-SAMPLE=0.3 SPOILER- ANGLE=21 SPOILER- SPREAD=10 Comments: OTHER SPOILER-ANGLES ARE 34, 101, 119, 279 AND 296. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 33.5 USE QSO2345+007 X2 15 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 34 ACQ2 A 0.3S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 34 USE QSO2345+007 1 PHOT A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 1096c [ 6] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 | 11 | 12 |13 |14| 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Line | Seq | Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | S/N |Flx|Pr| Special Number | Name | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| |Rel. Time|Ref| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 34.2 USE QSO2345+007 SKY-APER=1.0-A 1 PHOT1 A SAMPLE-TIME=1 SKY-SAMPLE=0.1 SPOILER- ANGLE=33 SPOILER- Comments: OTHER SPOILER-ANGLES ARE 82, 92 SPREAD=10 , 234, 285 AND 349. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 34.3 USE QSO2345+007 SKY-APER=1.0-B 1 PHOT2 A SAMPLE-TIME=1 SKY-SAMPLE=0.1 SPOILER- ANGLE=33 SPOILER- Comments: OTHER SPOILER-ANGLES ARE 82, 92 SPREAD=10 , 234, 285 AND 349. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 34.35 USE QSO2345+007 1 PHOT BKG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 34.4 USE QSO2345+007 1 PHOT1 BKG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 34.45 USE QSO2345+007 1 PHOT2 BKG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 36 USE QSO2345+007 X4 15 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 37 ACQ2 B 0.6S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 37 USE QSO2345+007 1 PHOT B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 37.01 USE QSO2345+007 SKY-APER=1.0-A 1 PHOT1 B SAMPLE-TIME=1 SKY-SAMPLE=0.1 SPOILER- ANGLE=38 SPOILER- Comments: OTHER SPOILER-ANGLES ARE 99, SPREAD=10 104, 162 AND 166. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 37.02 USE QSO2345+007 SKY-APER=1.0-B 1 PHOT2 B SAMPLE-TIME=1 SKY-SAMPLE=0.1 SPOILER- ANGLE=38 SPOILER- Comments: OTHER SPOILER-ANGLES ARE 99, SPREAD=10 104, 162 AND 166. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 1096c [ 7] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 | 11 | 12 |13 |14| 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Line | Seq | Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | S/N |Flx|Pr| Special Number | Name | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| |Rel. Time|Ref| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 37.5 USE QSO2345+007 X3 15 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 38 ACQP B 0.45S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 38 USE POL ^ SAMPLE-TIME=1 X5 ^ SKY-SAMPLE=0.3 SPOILER- ANGLE=83 SPOILER- SPREAD=10 Comments: OTHER SPOILER-ANGLES ARE 200, 241, 252, 315 AND 336. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary Form for Proposal 1096c [ 8] Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations HSP/POL HSP/UV2 ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACQ SINGLE STAR-SKY ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters SAMPLE-TIME=1 SKY-SAMPLE=0.3 SPOILER-ANGLE=21 SPOILER-SPREAD=10 SKY-APER=1.0-A SKY-SAMPLE=0.1 SPOILER-ANGLE=33 SKY-APER=1.0-B SPOILER-ANGLE=38 SPOILER-ANGLE=83 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal for GTO/HSP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S/C Hours 5.07 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Category QUASARS & AGN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Sub-category ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements SEQ 5-11 NO GAP; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 33; CYCLE 3 /29.9-38; PCS MODE FINE / 29.9-38; SEQ 29.9-38 NO GAP; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 34; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 37; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 38; ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F140LP F248M F284M F277M ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names QSO2345+007A QSO2345+007B QSO2345+007BKG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------