Page 1 PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID 3807c Report Date: 09-May-96:18:51 Version: ********** Check-in Date: ********** 1.Proposal Title: MINKOWSKI'S OBJECT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Category 3. Proposal For 4. Proposal Type 5. Continuation ID GALAXIES & CLUSTERS GO Sub Category STARBURSTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Principal Investigator Institution Country Telephone Kenneth C. Chambers INSTITUTE FOR ASTRONOMY, UNI USA 808-956-8566 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Abstract Minkowski's Object is the best low redshift example of a rare phenomena - a starburst triggered by a radio jet. Our recent IUE observations of MO (Chambers et al. 1992) have detected Lyman alpha emission and SIV and CIV absorption, confirming that Minkowski's Object is undergoing a spectacular starburst. Ultraviolet and high spatial resolution images by HST will provide an extraordinary view of this potentially very important physical process. We propose to trace spatially the star formation history along the path of the shock front. We will model this stellar chromography with the recent stellar population synthesis code of Charlot and Bruzual 1991. With this tool, and multi- color HST data we will be able to: (1) investigate the nature of the star burst and its stellar population, (2) date the evolution and thus the speed of propagation of star formation outward with the radio jet, and (3) study the details of the jet interaction with the star forming regions at the bow shock. This will provide absolutely unique data on stellar populations, the propogation of radio jets in dense media, and on starbursts triggered by radio jets. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Est obs time (hours) pri: 8.00 par: 0 10. Num targs pri: 1 par: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Instruments requested: FOC WF/PC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 2 I. GENERAL FORM Proposal 3807c PI: Kenneth C. Chambers Proposal Title: MINKOWSKI'S OBJECT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Proposers: Proposers Institution Country ESA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pi Kenneth C. Chambers INSTITUTE FOR ASTRONOMY, U.S.A. UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII Stephane Charlot STSCI USA Wil J. Van Breugel IGGP USA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Description of proposed observations. In order to investigate the details of the detonation wave of starformation we need spatially resolved spectral energy distributions from the UV to the near-IR. It is crucial to obtain UV images where we are sensitive to the hottest and youngest population of stars, but also B-V colors to examine the 4000 A break, and I to distinguish any older underlying stellar population from a red supergiant population. Thus we plan to take 5 broad band images, UV15,UV22,BVI and one narrow band image centered on H-alpha and NII to determine the morphology of the very strong line emission. This will enable us to construct spectral energy distributions as a function of distance along the path of star formation wave. If necessary, we can also spatially average over the object in the direction perpendicular to color gradient; i.e. if necessary we can sacrifice HST's spatial resolution in ONE DIRECTION in order to obtain sufficient signal to noise. We will use the FOC/48 and filters F150W,F220W,F439W for UV15,UV22, and B images. We will use the PC and filters F569W, F791W for V, I colors and F664N to image the H-alpha emission line. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Justification of need for HST observations. Ultraviolet and high spatial resolution images by HST are crucial to disentagle the features of this unique and potentially very important object. Only in the space ultraviolet can we image directly the hottest and youngest star forming regions. The barely resolved (from the ground) bright optical blue star forming region along the leading edge of the radio jet is a prime target for HST observations. We have pursued all possible avenues available from the ground and space: (i) 16 hour IUE integration, (ii) high resolution VLA radio maps of total intensity and polarization, (iii) VLA maps of neutral hydrogen, (iv) ground based broad and narrow band images, and (v) near infrared images. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Description of special scheduling requirements. Justify any real-time or special scheduling requirements or requests such as special ORIENTs etc. here. ( May need to include special ORIENT info, or GROUP WITHIN or NO GAP requests in Question 3, above, also. ) The ORIENT requirement is in order to fit the oblong shaped object in the field of view. The FOC images all need to be taken at the exact same ORIENT so they can be combined unambigously. The same is true for the PC images, but the PC and FOC can be taken at different position angles. In both cases, the intent is to place the axis of each detector at a position angle of 36 degrees east of north. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Description of special calibration exposures. Justify uninterupted exposures or use of dark time: The dark time is required for the FOC F150W filter in order to limit the geo coronal Lyman alpha. This is preferable to putting in the LP130 filter which will pull down the transmission by 40% at a crucial wavelength. Page 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Data reduction and analysis plans. We have two conflicting objectives, ginven the current mirror aberation problem with HST: the highest possible spatial resolution, and the best photometry possible. Thus we expect to experiment with all available deconvolution algorithms, since some will be better for different objectives than others (i.e. maximum resolution vs. photometry vs. surface brightness). For each algorithm (e.g. Wiener filter, Lucy-Richardson, Maximum Entropy) we will have to try various PSF's (observed and modeled). We can also put some constrains on surface brightness emission from our ground based images of these objects. Simulations of the registration, cosmic ray, and deconvolution algorithms with artifical data and models of the underlying profiles will be necessary to test our results. All of the HST optical images will be related to (i) comparable resolution VLA radio maps of total intensity and polarization, (ii) VLA maps of neutal hydrogen, (iii) ground based broad-band and narrow band images, (iv) ground based infra-red images, (v) our IUE spectra. The color gradients will be extensively modeled with the stellar population synthesis code of Charlot and Bruzual (1991). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Additional comments or special requests. No additional comments. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Description of previous HST work. Description of previous HST data. (a) P2438, "The Most Distant Galaxies", PI, George Miley. Proposal P2438 is not related to this proposal (3807) (b) Some of the observations have taken place, and Chambers has recalibrated the data, and begun deconvolution and analysis of the data. (c) No publications have been submitted yet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. Resources to be supplied by investigator's institution(s). The major part of the reduction will take place at the University of Hawaii, where IRAF/STSDAS is installed, and normal institutional support is available. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Address Information Name: KENNETH C. CHAMBERS Category: PI Institution: INSTITUTE FOR ASTRONOMY Address: UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII 2680 WOODLAWN DRIVE City: HONOLULU State: HI Zip Code: 96822 Country: USA Telephone: 808-956-8566 Telex (or e-mail): 723-8459 UHAST HR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET LIST a) Fixed Targets ID = 3807c [ 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 MINKOWSKI- E, RA = 01H 25M 47.33S +/- 1S, 2000 1 V = 17.0 +/- 0.1 OBJECT 318, DEC = -01D 22' 19.98" +/- 2 B-V = 0.1 +/- 0.1 320 1", PLATE-ID=00WT Comments: MINKOWSK'S OBJECT IS A PECULIAR STARBURST INTERACTING WITH A RADIO JET FROM ANOTHER GALAXY (NGC 541) IN THE CLUSTER ABELL 194. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 3807c [ 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 MINKOWSKI- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X102 F165W 1612 PIXEL=50X25 3 1900S 10 1 1 CYCLE 2 / 1-3 OBJECT 4 6300S 2 SAME ORIENT FOR 2- 3 AS 1 ORIENT 69D +/- 15D /1-3 Comments: CAN USE COARSE TRACK IF NO FINE LOCK GUIDE STARS AVAILABLE. ORIENT CAN ALSO BE 159D, 249D, OR 339D ALL +/- 15D. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 MINKOWSKI- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X102 F220W 2201 PIXEL=50X25 3 2000S 10 1 1 OBJECT 4 6300S 2 Comments: CAN USE COARSE TRACK IF NO FINE LOCK GUIDE STARS AVAILABLE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 MINKOWSKI- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X102 F430W 3960 PIXEL=50X25 1 2000S 10 1 1 OBJECT 4 2200S 2 Comments: CAN USE COARSE TRACK IF NO FINE LOCK GUIDE STARS AVAILABLE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 MINKOWSKI- PC IMAGE PC5 F569W 5609 CR-SPLIT=NO 3 700S 10 1 1 CYCLE 2 / 4-6 OBJECT 2200S 2 SAME ORIENT FOR 5- 6 AS 4 GROUP 4-6 WITHIN 7D ORIENT 36D +/- 15D Comments: ALL PC IMAGES TO BE TAKEN WITH /4-6 SAME SPACECRAFT ORIENTATION. TARGET IN CENTER OF PC5. CAN USE COARSE TRACK IF NO FINE LOCK GUIDE STARS AVAILABLE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 MINKOWSKI- PC IMAGE PC5 F791W 7935 CR-SPLIT=NO 3 700S 10 1 1 OBJECT 2200S 2 Comments: TARGET SHOULD BE PLACED IN CENTER OF PC5. COARSE TRACK CAN BE USED IF NO FINE LOCK GUIDE STARS AVAILABLE. ORIENT CAN ALSO BE 216D +/- 15D USING PC7 APERTURE OR 306D +/- 15D USING PC6 APERTURE FOR 4-6. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 MINKOWSKI- PC IMAGE PC5 F664N 6638 CR-SPLIT=NO 3 350S 10 1 1 OBJECT 1000S 2 Comments: TARGET SHOULD BE PLACED IN CENTER OF PC5. COARSE TRACK CAN BE USED IF NO FINE LOCK GUIDE STARS AVAILABLE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary Form for Proposal 3807c [ 6] Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations FOC/96 PC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes IMAGE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters PIXEL=50X25 CR-SPLIT=NO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal for GO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S/C Hours 8.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Category GALAXIES & CLUSTERS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Sub-category STARBURSTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements CYCLE 2 / 1-3; SAME ORIENT FOR 2-3 AS 1; ORIENT 69D +/- 15D /1-3; CYCLE 2 / 4-6; SAME ORIENT FOR 5-6 AS 4; GROUP 4-6 WITHIN 7D; ORIENT 36D +/- 15D /4-6; ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F165W F220W F430W F569W F791W F664N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names MINKOWSKI-OBJECT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------