Page 1 PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID 3732c Report Date: 09-May-96:18:48 Version: ********** Check-in Date: ********** 1.Proposal Title: SPECTRPOLARIMETRY OF HIGH REDSHIFT QUASARS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Category 3. Proposal For 4. Proposal Type 5. Continuation ID QUASARS & AGN GO Sub Category QUASAR EMISSION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Principal Investigator Institution Country Telephone Chris D. Impey UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA USA 602-621-6522 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Abstract We request 10.0 hours to obtain FOS UV spectropolarimetry of 2 luminous high- redshift normal radio-quiet quasars, selected from a large survey to have exceptional UV brightness and clearly detectable polarization. By obtaining spectropolarimetry to much shorter rest wavelengths than have ever before been measured, these observations offer a unique opportunity to (a) identify the polarizing mechanism(s), and possibly (b) detect the signature of a black hole accretion flow, and (c) make the first test of general relativity outside of the weak-field limit. New measurements of wavelength-dependent optical polarization show two competing models to be consistent with our spectropolarimetry of a dozen quasars. Choosing between these requires the extended spectral coverage (particularly to the shortest wavelengths) which can only be obtained by combining HST data with quasi-simultaneous ground-based polarimetry. The proposed observations will determine whether the polarization is produced by scattering from dust grains or free electrons, and indicate their location and properties. In AGNs where the contamination from starlight is, we can measure, for the first time, the polarization of the strong UV excess. If this component is thermal emission from an accretion flow, we will infer its physical properties (e.g. geometry and opacity), and search for the short wavelength posn. angle rotation predicted by GR. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Est obs time (hours) pri: 10.00 par: 0 10. Num targs pri: 2 par: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Instruments requested: FOS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 2 I. GENERAL FORM Proposal 3732c PI: Chris D. Impey Proposal Title: SPECTRPOLARIMETRY OF HIGH REDSHIFT QUASARS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Proposers: Proposers Institution Country ESA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pi Chris D. Impey UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA USA Matthew A. Malkan U. CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES USA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Description of proposed observations. Two QSOs will observed in spectropolarimetry mode with the blue side of the FOS. Each POLSCAN-B cycle will involve 22 minutes of integration and will fit within a single orbit. Both targets are bright, isolated point sources that can be acquired in ACQ/BINARY mode. The brighter QSO will be observed with both the G190H and G270H gratings, and the fainter QSO with just the G270H grating. Observations can be made in the large 4.3 arcsecond aperture, and QSO positions are accurate enough for reliable acquisition. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Justification of need for HST observations. ST observations are required in order to do polarimtry of the strong ultraviolet continua of bright QSOs down to unprecedented rest wavelengths. Line and continuum polarizations can be measured separately. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Data reduction and analysis plans. Data reduction and analysis will be performed at both Steward Observatory and UCLA, using software created by the FOS spectropolarimetry team at Steward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. Resources to be supplied by investigator's institution(s). Computing support and graduate student support will be available at both Steward Observatory and UCLA. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Address Information Name: CHRIS D. IMPEY Category: PI Institution: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA Address: STEWARD OBSERVATORY UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA City: TUCSON State: AZ Zip Code: 85721 Country: USA Telephone: 602-621-6522 Telex (or e-mail): 467175 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET LIST a) Fixed Targets ID = 3732c [ 3] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 PG1634+706 E,313 RA=16H 34M 51.70S+/-0.10", 1950 Z=1.334 1 V=14.9+/-0.1 PG DEC=+70D 37' 37.0"+/-1.0", 2 F-CONT(3000)=100+/-15E-17 Comments: BRIGHT QUASAR, FOS SPECTROPOLARIMETRY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 PG2302+029 E,313 RA=23H 02M 12.00S+/-0.10", 1950 Z=1.044 1 V=16.0+/-0.1 PG DEC=+02D 55' 34.0"+/-1.0", 2 F-CONT(3000)=43+/-9E-17 Comments: BRIGHT QUASAR, FOS SPECTROPOLARIMETRY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 3732c [ 4] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 PG1634+706 FOS/BL ACQ/ 4.3 MIRROR 1 6.6S 50 2 1 CYCLE 2 / 1.0-5.0 BINARY ONBOARD ACQ FOR 2- 3 Comments: BRIGHT QUASARS, FOS SPECTROPOLARIMETRY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 PG1634+706 FOS/BL ACCUM 4.3 G190H 1600- POLSCAN=8B 4 22M 30 2 1 2300 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 PG1634+706 FOS/BL ACCUM 4.3 G270H 2230- POLSCAN=8B 4 22M 30 2 1 3300 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 PG2302+029 FOS/BL ACQ/ 4.3 MIRROR 1 18.5S 50 2 2 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 5 BINARY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 PG2302+029 FOS/BL ACCUM 4.3 G270H 2230- POLSCAN=8B 6 22M 20 2 2 3300 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary Form for Proposal 3732c [ 5] Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations FOS/BL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACQ/BINARY ACCUM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters POLSCAN=8B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal for GO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S/C Hours 10.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Category QUASARS & AGN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Sub-category QUASAR EMISSION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements CYCLE 2 / 1.0-5.0; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 2-3 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements MIRROR G190H G270H ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names PG1634+706 PG PG2302+029 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------