Understanding the properties of the gas that lies in the environments of galaxies is essential for understanding their formation and evolution. This gas may include a variety of structures, such as infalling high-velocity clouds, tidal debris, material ejected in galactic winds, and gas stripped from dwarf galaxies. Near the Milky Way, OVI associated with HI high-velocity clouds (HVCs) has provided strong evidence for the presence of an extended and hot (~ 1 million K) corona. At high redshifts, strong and weak MgII absorbers have been hypothesized to serve as a proxy for detecting these high velocity clouds. Characterizing the properties of the OVI absorption associated with these MgII absorbers is therefore a highly effective tool to push the study of the galactic environment to higher redshifts. High resolution absorption line spectra, which allow us to determine velocities, metallicity, and ionization conditions, will allow us to carry out such study. Previously, we used Cycle 9 STIS E230M near-UV spectra to locate and analyze the CIV associated with 11 MgII absorbers (both strong and weak) in galaxies at 0.4< z<1.0, and we conducted extensive photoionization modeling on these systems. Although model parameters were clear for the low ionization gas, there are ambiguities in the case of the high ionization phase. Here we propose to use the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) in the far-UV to obtain spectra covering OVI and other needed diagnostics (Lyman series, CIII), with sufficient S/N to discriminate between photoionization and collisional ionization for these systems. The high efficiency of COS will allow us to carry out these observations in 11 orbits. Our goal is to observe 4 QSOs/AGN with sufficiently high S/N ratios (S/N >~ 10 per resolution element) in order to detect various UV absorption in already confirme MgII absorption systems. For all the lines of sight we use the imaging acquisition exposures (SEARCH, IMAGE) with MIRROR B, and the grating G160M and/or G185M for the science exposures to cover O vi λλ1031, 1037 and as many other transitions as possible. The spectral resolution of these gratings is high enough to resolve these absorption profiles into multiple narrower components. We use the 3 and 4 FP-SPLIT mode to reduce fixed pattern noise and avoid having important lines fall on grid wires. Also, we used the ETC on the HST/COS website to calculate the necessary exposure times to obtain spectra with, at least, S/N=10 per resolution element. UV fluxes are included as "Other Fluxes". QUASAR ABSORPTION LINES AND IGM 12 false 0.0 0.0 false false false false SUPPORTED GALAXY QSO This object was generated by the targetselector and retrieved from the SIMBAD database. J2000 J2000 0.65E-14 ergs/s/cm2/A GALAXY QSO This object was generated by the targetselector and retrieved from the SIMBAD database. J2000 J2000 0.5E-14 ergs/s/cm2/A GALAXY QSO This object was generated by the targetselector and retrieved from the SIMBAD database. J2000 J2000 0.35E-14 ergs/s/cm2/A GALAXY QSO J2000 J2000 0.4E-14 ergs/s/cm2/A COS/FUV Spectroscopic No No G160M 1577 COS/NUV Spectroscopic No No G185M 1900 COS/FUV Spectroscopic No No G160M 1600 COS/NUV Spectroscopic No No G185M 1953 COS/NUV Spectroscopic No No G185M 1921 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "01" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "31-Jan-2012 22:20:57.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 0 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 1 :saa-model "31" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 174032 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "01" :obset-id "01" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "01" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2916 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 428 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 1 0 Calculated for 0.5*F(1700)=0.325E-14 erg/cm2/s/A COS ETC result for S/N=40 (default setting) is 49.9 sec (id COS.ta.352636). Count rate entire detector: 887.266 c/sec. Calculated for 0.5*F(1700)=0.325E-14 erg/cm2/s/A COS ETC result for S/N=40 (default setting) is 49.9 sec (id COS.ta.352636). Count rate entire detector: 887.266 c/sec. 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 4523 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 4523 sec The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "02" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "31-Jan-2012 22:22:07.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 1 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 2 :saa-model "32" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 330576 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "02" :obset-id "02" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "02" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 3058 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 116 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3391 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "02" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3169 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 428 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3391 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 2 0 Calculated for 0.5*F(1700)=0.25E-14 erg/cm2/s/A COS ETC result for S/N=40 (default) is 67.7 sec (id COS.ta.352643). Count rate entire detector: 874.814 c/sec Calculated for 0.5*F(1700)=0.25E-14 erg/cm2/s/A COS ETC result for S/N=40 (default) is 67.7 sec (id COS.ta.352643). Count rate entire detector: 874.814 c/sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1773 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1773 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1773 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1773 sec The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "03" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "01-Feb-2012 16:15:48.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 2 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 6 :saa-model "31" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 956752 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "03" :obset-id "03" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2916 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 116 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 116 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 3 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 116 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 4 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 116 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 5 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 116 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 6 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 428 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 6 0 Calculated for 0.5*F(1700)=0.175E-14 erg/cm2/s/A COS ETC result for S/N=40 is 88.0731 (id COS.ta.352647). Count rate entire detector: 866.702 c/sec Calculated for 0.5*F(1700)=0.175E-14 erg/cm2/s/A COS ETC result for S/N=40 is 88.0731 (id COS.ta.352647). Count rate entire detector: 866.702 c/sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 8737 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 8737 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 8737 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 8737 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 8737 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 8737 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1796 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1796 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1796 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1796 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1796 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1796 sec The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "04" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "31-Jan-2012 22:24:08.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 1 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 2 :saa-model "32" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 330576 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "04" :obset-id "04" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "04" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2968 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 116 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3301 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12466 :visit-id "04" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3079 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 428 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3301 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 2 0 Calculated for 0.5*F(1700)=0.2E-14 erg/cm2/s/A COS ETC result for S/N=40 (default) is 73.5 sec (id COS.ta.352654). Count rate entire detector: 872.019 c/sec Calculated for 0.5*F(1700)=0.2E-14 erg/cm2/s/A COS ETC result for S/N=40 (default) is 73.5 sec (id COS.ta.352654). Count rate entire detector: 872.019 c/sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1775 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1775 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1775 sec 2/3rds of buffer time at twice nominal flux is 1775 sec