Page 1 PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID 3557c Report Date: 09-May-96:18:42 Version: ********** Check-in Date: ********** 1.Proposal Title: POLARIMETRIC OBSERVATIONS OF THE CRAB PULSAR IN THE UV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Category 3. Proposal For 4. Proposal Type 5. Continuation ID STELLAR ASTROPHYSICS GO Sub Category NEUTRON STARS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Principal Investigator Institution Country Telephone Prof. Francis Graham-smith NUFFIELD RADIO ASTRONOMY LAB UK 477-71321 PROFESSOR OF PHYSICS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Abstract The UV polarization of the Crab Pulsar (PSR0531+21) will be observed as a function of pulse phase in order to determine the sweep of position angle across the pulse and the associated variation in percentage polarisation. These observations will test the predictions of the geometrical model of pulsed radiation from the Crab Pulsar. According to the model, the optical and radio emission from the pulsar originate in different regions of the pulsar magnetosphere. The optical emission is part of a continuum which extends without a break from infrared to gamma-rays. The pulse profile and polarisation should be similar over this entire wavelength range because they are determined entirely by the geometry of the emitting region. These observations offer the only known method of determining the geometry of the emitting region. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Est obs time (hours) pri: 14.00 par: 0 10. Num targs pri: 1 par: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Instruments requested: HSP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 2 I. GENERAL FORM Proposal 3557c PI: Prof. Francis Graham-smith Proposal Title: POLARIMETRIC OBSERVATIONS OF THE CRAB PULSAR IN THE UV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Proposers: Proposers Institution Country ESA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pi Francis Graham-Smith NUFFIELD RADIO ASTRONOMY U.K. X LABORATORIES Andrew G. Lyne NUFFIELD RADIO ASTRONOMY U.K. X LABORATORIES S. L. Shemar NUFFIELD RADIO ASTRONOMY U.K. X LABORATORIES James D. Biggs UNIVERSITIES SPACE RESEARCH USA ASSOCIATION Joseph F. Dolan NASA/GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER USA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Justification. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Description of proposed observations. The polarisation of the Crab pulsar will be observed as a function of pulse phase in the F277M filter with a time resolution of 250 microsec. The data will be co-added on the ground modulo the pulsar period as determined simultaneously by radio observations from Jodrell Bank to obtain a polarimetric light curve with approximately 1 msec temporal resolution. The pulsar light curve will be observed in each orientation of the analyzer for 30 minutes at a time. We shall assume that the variation in polarisation and position angle across the pulse does not vary significantly over a two hour period, the time required for a complete measurement of the Q and U Stokes parameters. This observation set will be repeated 6 times to give a polarimetric accuracy of approximately 1% in 1 msec bins around the peak of the pulse for the entire 12 hour observation. The background will be observed at two positions, one 2" N and one 2" S of the pulsar, for 1 hour at each location. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Justification of need for HST observations. UV observations, available only from HST, will effectively double the frequency range over which the sweep of polarisation across the pulse of the Crab pulsar will have been observed. Observations in the UV are needed to verify the theoretical prediction of the geometric model of pulsar emission that the sweep in position angle and associated variation in amount of polarisation will be the same in the UV as in the visual. Any differences between the polarization in the UV and that at the visual and radio frequencies will indicate how the physics of pulsar magnetospheric emission models needs to be refined. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Description of special scheduling requirements. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Description of special calibration exposures. Page 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Data reduction and analysis plans. The data will be folded into approximately 1 msec bins modulo the period of the pulsar as determined simultaneously from radio observations at Jodrell Bank. In the phase regions of the main pulse and interpulse, the intensity may be large enough to allow us to box the data in 0.5 msec bins; in the low intensity phase region between the interpulse and the main pulse, the data will be binned in 5 msec boxes. The constant nebular background will be subtracted before analysis. Standard polarimetric data reduction procedures will be applied to derive the variation of polarisation and position angle as a function of pulse phase, using computer facilities and programs developed by the HSP Team at the Goddard Space Flight Center. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Additional comments or special requests. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Description of previous HST work. Previous HST Time: GTO 1101 "Optical and UV Observations of Radio Pulsars" Establishes the Crab pulsar photometric light curve in the UV. Observations undergoing analysis. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. Resources to be supplied by investigator's institution(s). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Address Information Name: JOSEPH F. DOLAN Category: CON Institution: NASA/GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER Address: MAIL CODE 681 City: GREENBELT State: MD Zip Code: 20771 Country: USA Telephone: (301) 286 5920 Telex (or e-mail): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Name: FRANCIS GRAHAM-SMITH Category: PI Institution: NUFFIELD RADIO ASTRONOMY OBSERVAT Address: JODRELL BANK MACCLESFIELD CHESIRE SK11 9DL City: State: Zip Code: Country: UK Telephone: 477-71321 Telex (or e-mail): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET LIST a) Fixed Targets ID = 3557c [ 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 PSR0531+21 A, 160 RA = 05H 34M 31.94S +/- 2000 1 V=16 CRAB_PULSAR 0.02S, DEC = +22D 00' 52.15" +/- 0.3" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 PSR0531+21- A,160 RA-OFF = +0.00S +/- 0.01S, 2000 1 V=22 NBACKGROUND DEC-OFF = +2.0" +/- 0.1", CRAB_NORTH_B FROM 1 ACKGROUND Comments: BACKGROUND 2" TO NORTH OF CRAB PULSAR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 PSR0531+21- A,160 RA-OFF = +0.00S +/- 0.01S, 2000 1 V=22 SBACKGROUND DEC-OFF = -2.0" +/- 0.1", CRAB_S_BACKG FROM 1 ROUND Comments: BACKGROUND 2" TO SOUTH OF CRAB PULSAR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 3557c [ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 DEFINE # HSP/ SINGLE POL0 F277M SAMPLE- 1 15M 100 1 1 SEQ 1-4 NO GAP POL POL TIME=0.00025 PCS MODE F / 1-4 CYCLE 2 RT-ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ POL90 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ CYCLE 2 RT-ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ POL45 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ CYCLE 2 RT-ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ POL135 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ CYCLE 2 RT-ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 PSR0531+21 HSP/ ACQ 1 5.0M 1 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR POL 5.1-5.3 SEQ 5-5.3 NO GAP CYCLE 2 GROUP 5-9.2 WITHIN 3D Comments: DO NOT SCHEDULE DURING SAA DO NOT SCHEDULE UNTIL POLARIZATION CALIBRATION IS COMPLETE NOTE SAMPLE-TIME = 0.75S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5.1 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5.2 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5.3 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 PSR0531+21 HSP/ ACQ 1 5.0M 1 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR POL 6.1-6.3 SEQ 6-6.3 NO GAP CYCLE 2 Comments: DO NOT SCHEDULE DURING SAA DO NOT SCHEDULE UNTIL POLARIZATION CALIBRATION IS COMPLETE NOTE SAMPLE-TIME = 0.75S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6.1 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 3557c [ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6.2 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6.3 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 PSR0531+21 HSP/ ACQ 1 5.0M 1 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR POL 7.1-7.3 SEQ 7-7.3 NO GAP CYCLE 2 Comments: DO NOT SCHEDULE DURING SAA DO NOT SCHEDULE UNTIL POLARIZATION CALIBRATION IS COMPLETE NOTE SAMPLE-TIME = 0.75S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7.1 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7.2 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7.3 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 PSR0531+21 HSP/ ACQ 1 5.0M 1 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR POL 8.1-8.3 SEQ 8-8.3 NO GAP CYCLE 2 Comments: DO NOT SCHEDULE DURING SAA DO NOT SCHEDULE UNTIL POLARIZATION CALIBRATION IS COMPLETE NOTE SAMPLE-TIME = 0.75S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8.1 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8.2 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8.3 USE POL PSR0531+21 Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 3557c [ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 PSR0531+21 HSP/ ACQ 1 5.0M 1 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR POL 9.1-9.2 SEQ 9-9.2 NO GAP CYCLE 2 Comments: DO NOT SCHEDULE DURING SAA DO NOT SCHEDULE UNTIL POLARIZATION CALIBRATION IS COMPLETE NOTE SAMPLE-TIME = 0.75S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9.1 USE POL PSR0531+21- SBACKGROUND ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9.2 USE POL PSR0531+21- NBACKGROUND Comments: DOING THIS BECAUSE CAN'T USE REPEAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary Form for Proposal 3557c [ 8] Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations HSP/POL ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes SINGLE ^ ACQ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters SAMPLE-TIME ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal for GO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S/C Hours 14.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Category STELLAR ASTROPHYSICS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Sub-category NEUTRON STARS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements SEQ 1-4 NO GAP; PCS MODE F / 1-4; CYCLE 2; RT-ANALYSIS; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 5.1-5.3; SEQ 5-5.3 NO GAP; GROUP 5-9.2 WITHIN 3D; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 6.1-6.3; SEQ 6-6.3 NO GAP; CYCLE 2 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 7.1-7.3; SEQ 7-7.3 NO GAP; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 8.1-8.3; SEQ 8-8.3 NO GAP; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 9.1-9.2; SEQ 9-9.2 NO GAP; ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F277M ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names PSR0531+21 CRAB_PULSAR PSR0531+21-NBACKGROUND CRAB_NORTH_BACKGROUND PSR0531+21-SBACKGROUND CRAB_S_BACKGROUND ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------