Assigned ID: 784 ----- Attempting Submission 1 (Fri Feb 26 23:20:44 GMT 2010) ----- ToO activation of PTF11dij. Added as a new fixed target and assigned to Visit 1. ----- Attempting Submission 1 (Fri Jul 09 00:52:52 GMT 2010) ----- ----- Attempting Submission 2 (Wed May 18 05:20:40 GMT 2011) ----- Exploring the Bright Side of Massive Stellar Death with NUV Spectroscopy A new class of stellar outbursts dwarfing the most powerful supernovae observed in the past century has recently been uncovered by wide field optical imaging surveys. With peak luminosities in excess of 10^44 erg/s and total radiative outputs greater than 10^51 erg, these events push the limits of conventional supernova explosion theory. One possibility is that these luminous supernovae (LSNe) are triggered by the electron-positron pair instability, and they may thus represent local analogs of the first stellar explosions to shape the universe. Another is that an additional source of power, such as that provided by spin-down of a nacent magnetar, adds energy into the ejecta after the initial supernova explosion. Near UV spectroscopy from HST/STIS can help break the observational degereracy to reveal the true physical origin of these events. We propose a non-disruptive ToO program for STIS spectroscopy to follow-up new LSNe discoveries in Cycle 18 supplemented with Swift UV photometry and ground based optical imaging and spectroscopy from the Keck and Palomar observatories.
Our goal is to acquire NUV spectra of three luminous supernovae (M < -21) to help uncover their physical origin. Our targets will be supplied by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) survey, although we could include discoveries from ROTSE-III or elsewhere in exceptional circumstances. We will choose three of these for NUV spectroscopy provided that they meet the following selection requirements: 1) rising r-band flux consistent with a LSNe, 2) spectroscopically confirmed LSNe classification and redshift, and 3) Swift UVW1 (2600 A) flux greater than F_lambda = 1e-16. Existing data show that LSNe evolve slowly (weeks to month time scales), although some events evolve faster. PTF will first detect LSNe outbursts around 2 months prior to r-band maximum. Optical spectroscopic classification is typically performed with in 2 weeks of this, but often considerably sooner (1-2 days). Swift follow-up observations will occur no later than 5 days from this (allowing for analysis and additional photometric information). We will update our Phase II with the coordinates of select targets meeting the above criteria immediately following positive Swift results, allowing 10 to 15 days for the observations to be inserted into the HST queue. Of course sooner observations will improve the scientific return and are welcome provided they do not disrupt the HST schedule. If subsequent measurements by Swift indicate the UVW1 flux is rising and above F_lambda = 3e-16 and the observability window is larger than 40 days for HST and 60 days from the ground, we will trigger the multi-epoch NUV spectral follow-up sequence. The spectral features of LSNe are broadened by about 10^4 km/s, and may therefore be studied with low spectral resolution. This combined with the need for significant wavelength coverage makes STIS preferable to COS. We will use the MAMA detector owing to its greater sensitivity over the CCD for wavelengths short of 2500 A. Using the SCP 06F6 spectra and our existing Swift photometry, we find that ~4500 s exposures are required to reach a S/N of 10 in the key line features (after binning to R~100) if the UVW1 flux is F_lambda = 1e-16. HOT STARS 12 false 0.0 0.0 false false false false SUPPORTED STAR SUPERNOVA J2000 EXT-STAR SUPERNOVA Luminous supernova not yet discovered Target drawn from PTF search field EXT-STAR SUPERNOVA Luminous supernova not yet discovered Target drawn from PTF search field EXT-STAR SUPERNOVA Luminous supernova not yet discovered Target drawn from PTF search field EXT-STAR SUPERNOVA Luminous supernova not yet discovered Target drawn from PTF search field EXT-STAR SUPERNOVA Luminous supernova not yet discovered Target drawn from PTF search field STIS/NUV-MAMA Spectroscopic No No G230L 2376 STIS/NUV-MAMA Spectroscopic No No G230L 2376 STIS/NUV-MAMA Spectroscopic No No G230L 2376 STIS/NUV-MAMA Spectroscopic No No G230L 2376 STIS/NUV-MAMA Spectroscopic No No G230L 2376 STIS/NUV-MAMA Spectroscopic No No G230L 2376 /private/var/folders/Rp/Rp9wjHYYGCibKIi9xvLZkU+++TI/-Tmp-/OPVisit9152785632249076140.xml The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.0. CASM was run in Phase II mode. NUV spectrum of PTF11dij (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "01" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20100902" :date "17-May-2011 22:20:23.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 0 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 2 :saa-model "24" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 174416 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "01" :obset-id "01" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "01" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2924 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 115 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3257 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "01" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3035 :al-overhead-at-end 85 :internal-dur-at-end 396 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3257 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 2 0 /private/var/folders/Rp/Rp9wjHYYGCibKIi9xvLZkU+++TI/-Tmp-/OPVisit3048204886882750341.xml The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.0. CASM was run in Phase II mode. NUV spectrum of LSN-TOO2 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "02" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20100902" :date "17-May-2011 22:20:24.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 0 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 2 :saa-model "24" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 174416 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "02" :obset-id "02" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "02" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2901 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 115 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "02" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3012 :al-overhead-at-end 85 :internal-dur-at-end 396 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 2 0 Target of opportunity /private/var/folders/Rp/Rp9wjHYYGCibKIi9xvLZkU+++TI/-Tmp-/OPVisit8511739157216731061.xml The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.0. CASM was run in Phase II mode. NUV spectrum of LSN-TOO3 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "03" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20100902" :date "17-May-2011 22:20:25.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 0 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 2 :saa-model "24" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 174416 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "03" :obset-id "03" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2901 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 115 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3012 :al-overhead-at-end 85 :internal-dur-at-end 396 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 2 0 Target of opportunity /private/var/folders/Rp/Rp9wjHYYGCibKIi9xvLZkU+++TI/-Tmp-/OPVisit6842124947123787944.xml The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.0. CASM was run in Phase II mode. NUV spectrum of LSN-MONITORING1 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "04" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20100902" :date "17-May-2011 22:20:26.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 0 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 2 :saa-model "24" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 174416 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "04" :obset-id "04" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "04" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2901 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 115 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "04" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3012 :al-overhead-at-end 85 :internal-dur-at-end 396 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 2 0 Target of opportunity /private/var/folders/Rp/Rp9wjHYYGCibKIi9xvLZkU+++TI/-Tmp-/OPVisit8043521841409742542.xml The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.0. CASM was run in Phase II mode. NUV spectrum of LSN-MONITORING2 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "05" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20100902" :date "17-May-2011 22:20:27.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 0 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 2 :saa-model "24" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 174416 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "05" :obset-id "05" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "05" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2901 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 115 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "05" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3012 :al-overhead-at-end 85 :internal-dur-at-end 396 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 2 0 Target of opportunity /private/var/folders/Rp/Rp9wjHYYGCibKIi9xvLZkU+++TI/-Tmp-/OPVisit6943233132229050680.xml The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.0. CASM was run in Phase II mode. NUV spectrum of LSN-MONITORING3 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "06" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20100902" :date "17-May-2011 22:20:28.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 0 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 2 :saa-model "24" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 174416 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "06" :obset-id "06" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "06" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2901 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 115 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12223 :visit-id "06" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3012 :al-overhead-at-end 85 :internal-dur-at-end 396 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 2 0 Target of opportunity