Page 1 PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID 4037c Report Date: 09-May-96:19:06 Version: ********** Check-in Date: ********** 1.Proposal Title: REMNANT STARS IN SUPERNOVA REMNANTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Category 3. Proposal For 4. Proposal Type 5. Continuation ID STELLAR ASTROPHYSICS GTO/HSP 3251 Sub Category ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Principal Investigator Institution Country Telephone Robert C. Bless WISCONSIN, UNIVERSITY OF USA (608)262-1715 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Abstract The low frequency of occurrence of identified neutron stars located in supernova remnants (SNR's) is an unexplained embarassment to our generally accepted theories of stellar evolution and neutron star formation. We propose to search recent SNR's for any remnant star associated with them, and to study the photometric variability of known examples of neutron stars which are remnants of supernovae. The results will place important constraints on the mechanisms by which neutron stars originate. Revision History: Prepared for augmentation submission--Dolan 5/8/92; ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Scientific Key Words: SUPERNOVA REMNANTS; NEUTRON STARS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Est obs time (hours) pri: 26.22 par: 0 10. Num targs pri: 10 par: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 2 I. GENERAL FORM Proposal 4037c PI: Robert C. Bless Proposal Title: REMNANT STARS IN SUPERNOVA REMNANTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Proposers: Proposers Institution Country ESA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Robert C. Bless WISCONSIN, UNIVERSITY OF USA Joseph F. Dolan NASA, GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT USA CENTER James L. Elliot MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF USA TECHNOLOGY Edward L. Robinson TEXAS, UNIVERSITY OF USA Richard L. White SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE USA INSTITUTE G. W. Van Citters NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION USA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Description of proposed observations. Searches for remnant stars at the center of recent SNR's would be conducted by the HSP in conjunction with the WFC and possibly the FOS. A WFC deep image of the SNR in the UV would reveal any suitably placed central images. These images would then be observed serially by the HSP in a wide bandwidth filter and the data analyzed for pulsation by fast Fourier transform methods. Observations in 3 different UV filters would allow the star to be plotted on a color-color diagram. Candidates with a hot color temperature or pulsation could be confirmed by an FOS spectrum. A neutron star spectrum would be expected to be a blue, featureless continuum a la the Crab nebula pulsar, but SS433 has a spectrum dominated by emission lines with relativistic velocity offsets and wavelength variations apparent from day to day. Hence, any candidate with an unusual spectrum would merit further study. Cycle 0 (SV/GTO) Observations: 1H 4M ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Justification of need for HST observations. (1) remnant stars are known from presently available upper limits on most SNR central stars to be fainter than V = 20; searching for a fainter star requires the limiting magnitude available only on ST. (2) remnant stars are expected to have spectra which peak strongly in the UV. This wavelength region is available for faint objects only on ST. (3) one method of identifying remnant stars searches for their pulsational periods which are expected to be in the sub-second to second range. Freedom from noise induced by atmospheric scintillation makes the HSP the most efficient and sensitive instrument available to detect such periodicities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Data reduction and analysis plans. Deep images of SNR's in the UV will be analyzed to determine whether any suitably placed central images exist. The HSP photometric observations of these candidates will be analyzed by power spectrum analysis methods to determine if any pulsation exists (as it does in the Crab Nebula and 1E2259+586). Three filter photometry will be analyzed to determine the color temperature of the candidate in a color-color diagram; candidate stars with a hot color temperature will be confirmed by an FOS spectrum. Neutron star spectra are expected to be blue, featureless continua, as in the Crab Nebula, but SS433 has a spectrum dominated by emission lines with relativistic velocity offsets and wavelength variations apparent from day to day. Any candidate with an unusual spectrum will be studied further photometrically. Wide bandwidth photometric observations will be analyzed by power spectrum analysis methods for pulsation in the source. Photometric observations will also be Page 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12. Searching for the remnant stars in supernova remnants is directly related to Scientific Objective 2 specified in the HSP CEI specifications, "searches for optical counterparts to radio pulsars". This program is also related to Scientific Objective 5, "determination of the wavelength and time dependence of polarization in compact binaries, white dwarfs. . . etc.". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13. Recent supernova remnants will be searched for any remnant star associated with them. The photometric variability of neutron stars which are remnant stars of supernova explosions will be monitored. The results will be used to place constraints upon the mechanisms by which neutron stars can originate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Address Information Name: ROBERT C. BLESS Category: PI Institution: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Address: SPACE ASTRONOMY LAB. City: MADISON State: WI Zip Code: 53706 Country: USA Telephone: 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 = 4037c [ 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 SS433 V1343- REMNANT STAR IN SNR RA = 19H 11M 49.5S +/- 0.1S, 2000 BKG 1 V=14 AQL DEC = +04D 58' 58" +/- 1" Comments: POSREF = DOLAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 LMC-N49 GAMMA-RAY BURST SOURCE RA = 05H 26M 01S +/- 1S, 2000 ^ DEC = -66D 04' 39" +/- 1" Comments: POSREF = DOLAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 4037c [ 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 2M # 1 # ACQP POL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 0.6 DEFINE # HSP/ ACQ 1 2M # 1 # ACQ2 UV2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 DEFINE # HSP/ SINGLE 1.0 F140LP SAMPLE- 1 10M 1 # PULSE UV2 TIME=0.0000108 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 ^ # HSP/ ^ 1.0 F160LP ^ ^ ^ # UV2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 DEFINE # HSP/ SINGLE POL0 # SAMPLE-TIME=0.1 ^ 180S ^ SEQ 3-6 NO GAP POL POL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 ^ # ^ ^ POL90 # ^ ^ ^ ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 ^ # ^ ^ POL45 # ^ ^ ^ ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 DEFINE # HSP/ SINGLE POL135 # SAMPLE-TIME=0.1 1 180S 1 # POL POL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7.1 DEFINE # WFC IMAGE ALL F336W 1 20M ^ WBLUE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 DEFINE # WFC IMAGE ALL F702W 1 20M # WFIND ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10.9 USE SS433 10 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 11 ACQ2 0.6S CYCLE 3 / 10.9- 24.1 PCS MODE F / 10.9- 24.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11 USE SS433 1 PHASE 0.635 +/- PULSE 0.001 OF REF 12.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11.1 USE ^ 10 ^ ONBOARD ACQ FOR ACQ2 0.6S 11.2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11.2 USE ^ ^ REPEAT 11.1-11.2 PULSE EVERY 3.28D +/- 0.1D FOR 2 MORE TIMES Comments: AFTER 11 BY 3.28D +/- 0.1D. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11.9 USE SS433 10 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 12 ACQ2 0.6S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 4037c [ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 USE SS433 ^ PHASE 0.000 +/- PULSE 0.001 ZERO-PHASE JD 2443562.27 +/- 0.39D PERIOD 162.532D +/- 0.062D ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12.05 USE SS433 10 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR ACQ2 0.6S 12.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12.1 USE SS433 1 PHASE 0.131 +/- PULSE 0.001 OF REF 12.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12.15 USE SS433 10 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR ACQ2 0.6S 12.2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12.2 USE SS433 1 PHASE 0.311 +/- PULSE 0.001 OF REF 12.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12.25 USE SS433 10 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 13 ACQP 0.6S - 16 SEQ 12.25-16 NO GAP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 USE POL SS433 F216M X5 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14 ^ ^ F237M X5 ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15 ^ ^ F277M X4 ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 16 USE POL SS433 F327M X3 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 16.05 USE SS433 10 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR ACQP 0.6S 16.1 REPEAT 16.05-16.1 EVERY 2.19D +/- 0.1D FOR 4 MORE TIMES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 16.1 USE POL SS433 F277M X4 2 Comments: AFTER 15 BY 2.19D +/- 0.1D. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 16.45 USE SS433 10 1 ONBOARD ACQ FOR ACQP 0.6S 16.5 REPEAT 16.45-16.5 EVERY 27.25D + /- 1.5D FOR 4 MORE TIMES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 4037c [ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 16.5 USE POL SS433 F277M X4 2 Comments: AFTER 15 BY 27.25D +/- 1.5D. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 24 USE LMC-N49 2 SEQ 24-24.1 WFIND ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 24.1 USE ^ ^ WBLUE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary Form for Proposal 4037c [ 8] Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations HSP/POL HSP/UV2 ^ WFC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACQ SINGLE ^ IMAGE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters SAMPLE-TIME=0.0000108 SAMPLE-TIME=0.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal for GTO/HSP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S/C Hours 26.22 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Category STELLAR ASTROPHYSICS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Sub-category ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements SEQ 3-6 NO GAP; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 11; CYCLE 3 / 10.9-24.1; PCS MODE F / 10.9-24.1; PHASE 0.635 +/- 0.001 OF REF 12.0; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 11.2; REPEAT 11.1-11.2 EVERY 3.28D +/- 0.1D FOR 2 MORE TIMES; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 12; PHASE 0.000 +/- 0.001; ZERO-PHASE JD 2443562.27 +/- 0.39D; PERIOD 162.532D +/- 0.062D; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 12.1; PHASE 0.131 +/- 0.001 OF REF 12.0; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 12.2; PHASE 0.311 +/- 0.001 ONBOARD ACQ FOR 13 - 16; SEQ 12.25-16 NO GAP; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 16.1; REPEAT 16.05-16.1 EVERY 2.19D +/- 0.1D FOR 4 MORE TIMES; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 16.5; REPEAT 16.45-16.5 EVERY 27.25D +/- 1.5D FOR 4 MORE TIMES; SEQ 24-24.1; ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F140LP F160LP # F336W F702W F216M F237M F277M F327M ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names SS433 V1343-AQL LMC-N49 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------