Page 1 PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID 4942c Report Date: 09-May-96:20:11 Version: ********** Check-in Date: ********** 1.Proposal Title: ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI - CYC2HIGH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Category 3. Proposal For 4. Proposal Type 5. Continuation ID QUASARS & AGN GTO/HSP 1099 Sub Category ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Principal Investigator Institution Country Telephone Robert C. Bless WISCONSIN, UNIVERSITY OF USA (608)262-1715 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Abstract The discovery of QSO's and (other) active galactic nuclei have radically altered the classical view of galactic evolution as a slow process occuring over cosmological time-scales. From the growing body of observations there are many varied theories developing to explain these highly energetic phenomena. To be successful, a theory must explain the large amplitude, rapid variations in both flux and polarization that characterize these objects. Variability in all parts of the spectrum has been observed, in some cases on time scales as short as minutes, placing constraints on the volume over which the phenomenon occurs. Observations on even shorter time scales would significantly affect these constraints. This program will monitor the intensity and linear polarization of the radiation emitted by AGN's and relate the results to the structure of their nuclei and the nature of their central power source. Revision History: Prepared for future cycles submission--BJW 4/22/92; ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Scientific Key Words: QUASARS; BL LAC OBJECTS; ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Est obs time (hours) pri: 9.63 par: 0 10. Num targs pri: 33 par: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12. Special sched req: Real Time obs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 2 I. GENERAL FORM Proposal 4942c PI: Robert C. Bless Proposal Title: ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI - CYC2HIGH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Proposers: Proposers Institution Country ESA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ G. W. Van Citters NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION USA 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Description of proposed observations. The wavelength dependence of linear polarization, its associated position angle, and the intensity of the radiation emitted by active galactic nuclei will be monitored over several different timescales (seconds to months). Representatives of different members of several classes of AGN's will be monitored: BL Lac objects; quasars, including those which are X-ray sources, are radio loud, possess super-liminal expansion, etc.; Seyfert Galaxies; and AGN's possessing a jet morphology. The shortest timescales over which photometric or polarimetric fluctuations are observed to occur can be related to the maximum scales size of the emitting region. Cycle 0 (SV/GTO) observations: None ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Justification of need for HST observations. (1) UV observations, accessible only to ST, are expected to reveal more information about the objects than observations in the visual region. The energy source is presumed to involve high energy phenomena; hence, the higher the energy of the photons one observes, the fewer intermediate steps are required between the energy source and the emission of the observed photon. Fewer intermediate steps imply that more direct inferences can be made about the energy source itself. (2) UV measurents of the wavelength dependence of polarization will effectively double the frequency interval over which we have polarimetric information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Data reduction and analysis plans. Intrinsic polarization can be distinguished from polarization impressed on a beam of radiation by its travel through the interstellar or intergalactic medium by means of its (a) temporal variability (interstellar and intergalactic polarization can vary only on timescales of millenia); (b) wavelength dependence (different from that impressed on the radiation by the ISM or the IGM); or (c) variation in magnitude or position angle vs. distance from the active central region of the object under study, if resolvable. The methods of distinguishing between various source mechanisms emitting the observed radiation once the intrinsic polarization is known are too detailed to merit exposition here, but typical methods of analysis are outlined in the following references: - Aligned grains causing optical polarization in Type I Seyferts: Martin et al., 1982. - Shot-like flaring of independent sources of randomly oriented strong optical polarization in BL Lac objects: Moore et al., 1982. Page 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12. Observing the polarization of active extragalactic objects is Scientific Objective 5 of the HSP CEI specifications: "Determination of the wavelength and time dependence of polarization in . . . , QSO's, active galactic nuclei, etc." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13. The intensity and linear polarization of the radiation emitted by a representative sample of active galactic nuclei (including BL Lac objects, quasars and Seyfert galaxies) will be monitored on timescales ranging from seconds to months. The results will be used to determine the structure of the nuclei of active extragalactic objects and the nature of their central power source. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Address Information Name: ROBERT C. BLESS Category: PI Institution: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Address: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN 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): 89675 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET LIST a) Fixed Targets ID = 4942c [ 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 BL-LAC ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS RA = 22H 02M 43.27S +/- 2000 1 0.1S, DEC = +42D 16' 40.3"+/-1" Comments: POSREF = DOLAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 4942c [ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 0.7 DEFINE # HSP/ ACQ 1 40S 15 1 # ACQP POL 0.05S ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 DEFINE # HSP/ SINGLE POL0 # 1 180S 100 1 # SEQ 1-4 NON-INT POL POL CYCLE 3 /1.000- 43.2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 ^ # ^ ^ POL90 # ^ ^ ^ # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 ^ # ^ ^ POL45 # ^ ^ ^ # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 ^ # ^ ^ POL135 # ^ ^ ^ # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 35.9 USE BL-LAC 2 ONBOARD ACQ FOR ACQP 38.000-39.000 SEQ 35.900-39.000 NO GAP CYCLE 3 / 35.900- 43.2000 PCS MODE FINE / 35.900-43.2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 38 USE POL BL-LAC F277M 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 39 USE POL BL-LAC F277M 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40.05 USE BL-LAC 2 ONBOARD ACQ FOR ACQP 40.100-40.200 SEQ 40.050-40.200 NO GAP AFTER 35.900 BY 2D +/- 0.1D ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40.1 USE POL BL-LAC F277M 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40.2 USE POL BL-LAC F277M 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 41.05 USE ^ 2 ONBOARD ACQ FOR ACQP 41.100-41.200 AFTER 40.050 BY 2D +/- 0.1D SEQ 41.050-41.200 NO GAP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 41.1 USE POL BL-LAC F277M 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 41.2 USE POL BL-LAC F277M 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 4942c [ 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42.05 USE BL-LAC 2 ONBOARD ACQ FOR ACQP 42.100-42.200 AFTER 41.050 BY 2D +/- 0.1D SEQ 42.050-42.200 NO GAP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42.1 USE POL BL-LAC F277M 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42.2 USE POL BL-LAC F277M 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 43.05 USE BL-LAC 2 ONBOARD ACQ FOR ACQP 43.100-43.200 AFTER 42.050 BY 2D +/- 0.1D SEQ 43.050-43.200 NO GAP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 43.1 USE POL BL-LAC F277M 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 43.2 USE POL BL-LAC F277M 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary Form for Proposal 4942c [ 7] Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations HSP/POL ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACQ SINGLE ^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal for GTO/HSP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S/C Hours 9.63 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Category QUASARS & AGN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Sub-category ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements SEQ 1-4 NON-INT; CYCLE 3 /1.000-43.2; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 38.000-39.000; SEQ 35.900-39.000 NO GAP; CYCLE 3 / 35.900-43.2000; PCS MODE FINE / 35.900-43.2000; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 40.100-40.200; SEQ 40.050-40.200 NO GAP; AFTER 35.900 BY 2D +/- 0.1D; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 41.100-41.200; AFTER 40.050 BY 2D +/- 0.1D; SEQ 41.050-41.200 NO GAP; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 42.100-42.200; AFTER 41.050 BY 2D +/- 0.1D; SEQ 42.050-42.200 NO GAP; ONBOARD ACQ FOR 43.100-43.200; AFTER 42.050 BY 2D +/- 0.1D; SEQ 43.050-43.200 NO GAP; ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements # F277M ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names BL-LAC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------