Page 1 PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID 3938c Report Date: 09-May-96:18:57 Version: ********** Check-in Date: ********** 1.Proposal Title: FUV EMISSION LINE PROFILES OF W SERPENTIS BINARIES: FUTURE CYCLE CONTINUATION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Category 3. Proposal For 4. Proposal Type 5. Continuation ID STELLAR ASTROPHYSICS GTO/HRS Sub Category ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Principal Investigator Institution Country Telephone Edward Beaver UC, SAN DIEGO USA (619)534-1878 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Abstract We propose to use the HRS at intermediate resolution for the study of FUV emission line profiles in W Ser and RX Cas (both are interacting binaries of the W Serpentis type). The lines of interest are: N V 1240, C II 1335, Si IV 1400, Si II 1533, and C IV 1550. These lines may be observed in these binaries with IUE at low dispersion, but all profile information is lost at this resolution: both of the listed systems are too faint to be observed at IUE high dispersion. The emission lines are believed to arise from a high excitation wind powered by the accretion process. Modelling of observed line profiles will yield information about the physical properties of the mass outflow in these systems, as well as providing insight into a stage of evolution which many close binaries appear to undergo. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Scientific Key Words: INTERACTING BINARIES - W SERPENTIS - RX CAS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Est obs time (hours) pri: 2.00 par: 0 10. Num targs pri: 2 par: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 2 I. GENERAL FORM Proposal 3938c PI: Edward Beaver Proposal Title: FUV EMISSION LINE PROFILES OF W SERPENTIS BINARIES: FUTURE CYCLE CONTINUATION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Proposers: Proposers Institution Country ESA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Edward Beaver UC, SAN DIEGO USA Janet Weiland GENERAL SCIENCES CORPORATION USA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Description of proposed observations. Two W Ser systems ( RX Cas, W Ser) will be observed at medium resolution at five grating settings. We will use grating 2 (CsTe/MgF2 detector) only, with five grating tilts with central wavelengths calculated for optimum observation of N V 1240, C II 1335, Si IV 1400, Si II 1533, and C IV 1550. A signal to noise ratio of about 3-5 in the continuum is expected for the exposures. The observations are to occur post-COSTAR, hence are all scheduled for Cycle 9. Exposure times are calculated assuming COSTAR with MgF2+Al. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Justification of need for HST observations. Both of the W Ser binaries chosen for this proposal are too faint to be observed with IUE at high dispersion. Although these systems may be observed with IUE at low dispersion, all information about the detailed line profile is lost at this resolution. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Description of special scheduling requirements. Orbital ephemerides for RX Cas will need to be updated prior to observation. Ephemerides provided will be valid for one year and will be provided as early in the requested cycle as possible. The observations of RX Cas are to be taken at any orbital phase which falls outside of primary eclipse. The character of the UV spectrum is essentially unchanged with orbital phase, but flux levels are higher outside of primary eclipse. By limiting observations to those outside of primary eclipse, good data is achieved in less integration time. Since the emission line strengths of both W Ser and RX Cas are known to vary from cycle to cycle, it is necessary to observe all line profiles for a given system during a single orbital cycle in order for comparisons of data within a system to be valid. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Data reduction and analysis plans. The exact nature of the line profiles in the W Ser systems is unknown. Expectations are that the lines arise in a high-excitation outflow, in which case the lines may be P-Cygni in nature and preliminary analysis of the profiles can be similar to that which has been performed for profiles observed in the wind outflows from single O and B stars. Ionization and velocity structure of the outflow in the W Ser systems could thus be obtained. However, the two systems chosen for study exhibit a high degree of mass loss, and thus the observed line profiles may be more complex than a simple P-Cygni shape: the emissions may have contributions from more than one source. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. Resources to be supplied by investigator's institution(s). Computer resources for the modelling of the line profiles will be provided by GSC. Page 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13. The HRS at medium resolution will be used to study line profiles of the strongest FUV emissions seen in the W Serpentis systems of RX Cas and W Ser. Lines to be studied are N V 1240, C II 1335, Si IV 1400, Si II 1533 and C IV 1550. The goal of the investigation is to determine the nature of the emission line profiles, and to derive physical parameters of the circumstellar plasma producing these lines. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Address Information Name: EDWARD BEAVER Category: PI Institution: UC, SAN DIEGO Address: CASS DEPT., C-011 City: LA JOLLA State: CA Zip Code: 92093 Country: USA Telephone: 619-534-1878 Telex (or e-mail): 3-5369 (RAPIFAX) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET LIST a) Fixed Targets ID = 3938c [ 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 W-SER W SERPENTIS-TYPE RA=18H09M50.658S +/- 0.33", 2000 1 V=9.2+/-0.5 (GSC6264- INTERACTING BINARY DEC=-15D33'0.17" +/- 0.33", 2 F-CONT(1400)=1.0+/-.2E-13 1358) PLATE-ID=067F ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 RX-CAS W SERPENTIS-TYPE RA=03H07M45.801S+/-0.33", 2000 1 V=9.1+/-0.5 (GSC4313- INTERACTING BINARY DEC=+67D34'38.92"+/-0.33", 2 F-CONT(1400)=1.1+/-.2E-14 0258) PLATE-ID=01MR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 3938c [ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 RX-CAS HRS ACQ 2.0 MIRROR-N2 SEARCH-SIZE=5 1 57.8S 1 2 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 13 FAINT=240 CYCLE 9 / 12-13 LOCATE=YES REQ UPDATE / 12-13 PEAKUP=YES MAP=END-POINT Comments: EXPECT 1200 CTS/200 MSEC. STEP- TIME=0.2 SEE GF5 FOR UPDATE INFO. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 RX-CAS HRS ACCUM 0.25 G160M 1400 STEP-PATT=5 4 8.5M 3 2 2 PHASE 0.50+/-0.35 PERIOD 32.33010D+/ -0.00005D ZERO-PHASE JD2446827.389+/- 0.008D Comments: RX CAS, OUTSIDE OF PRIMARY ECLIPSE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 18 W-SER HRS ACQ 2.0 MIRROR-N2 SEARCH-SIZE=5 1 57.8S 1 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 19 FAINT=1000 -22 LOCATE=YES CYCLE 9/18-22 PEAKUP=YES MAP=END-POINT Comments: EXPECT 5000 CTS/200 MSEC. STEP- TIME=0.2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 19 W-SER HRS ACCUM 0.25 G160M 1243 STEP-PATT=5 2 9M 3 2 1 SEQ 19-22 NO GAP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 20 W-SER HRS ACCUM 0.25 G160M 1335 STEP-PATT=5 2 6.0M 5 2 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21 W-SER HRS ACCUM 0.25 G160M 1400 STEP-PATT=5 2 4.5M 5 2 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 22 W-SER HRS ACCUM 0.25 G160M 1538 STEP-PATT=5 2 2.5M 5 2 1 Comments: W SER, ANY PHASE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary Form for Proposal 3938c [ 6] Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations HRS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACQ ACCUM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters SEARCH-SIZE=5 FAINT=240 LOCATE=YES PEAKUP=YES MAP=END-POINT STEP-PATT=5 FAINT=1000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal for GTO/HRS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S/C Hours 2.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Category STELLAR ASTROPHYSICS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Sub-category ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements ONBOARD ACQ FOR 13; CYCLE 9 / 12-13; REQ UPDATE / 12-13 PHASE 0.50+/-0.35; PERIOD 32.33010D+/-0.00005D; ZERO-PHASE JD2446827.389+/-0.008D ONBOARD ACQ FOR 19-22; CYCLE 9/18-22 SEQ 19-22 NO GAP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements MIRROR-N2 G160M ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names W-SER (GSC6264-1358) RX-CAS (GSC4313-0258) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------