The metal content of galaxies offers a unique tracer of star formation and galaxy evolution processes. Damped and sub-damped Lyman-alpha absorbers constitute the primary neutral gas reservoir for star formation and provide the most accurate element abundances in distant galaxies. Contrary to model predictions, DLAs appear to be metal-poor at all redshifts, with relatively little metallicity evolution. Surprisingly, we have recently discovered several near-solar or supersolar sub-DLAs at 0.6 < z < 1.5, suggesting that sub-DLAs may contribute much more than DLAs to the cosmic metal budget at these redshifts. However the sub-DLA samples are small, with no sub-DLA metallicity data at 0.01 < z < 0.6 (~40% of the age of the universe). Furthermore, the effect of ionization corrections on sub-DLA metallicities needs to be investigated. Here we propose COS spectroscopy of 5 sub-DLAs at z < 0.6 to measure absorption lines of S II, S III, Si II, Si III, Fe II, Fe III, etc. Our data will yield the first sub-DLA metallicities at low z, clarify the role of ionization in these systems, and help explore the velocity-metallicity correlations in sub-DLAs. Our data will shed light on where sub-DLAs and DLAs fit in the overall picture of galaxy evolution. We will use the COS NUV and FUV channels in TIME-TAG mode with the G130M and G185M gratings, which have the spectral resolution and wavelength coverage necessary for the abundance determinations. All observations will be obtained using the primary science aperture. Our main goal is to measure multiple absorption lines of Fe II, Fe III, S II, S III, Si II, and Si III. In addition, our settings will also cover lines of H I, C II, CII*, NI, N V, O I, O VI, Ar I, Si II*, S IV, and H_2. The central wavelengths have been chosen to cover as many lines of interest as possible. The presence of multiple lines for most ions will help to remove confusion with Ly-alpha forest lines. The exposure times were estimated using the COS online ETC and the FUV/NUV fluxes for the target quasars. The exposure times were designed so as to reach the S/N needed for each object to detect the S II 1253 absorption line to a 3 sigma sensitivity of 10-28 mA (rest frame). We will have much stronger detections of S II 1253 for our objects if the metallicities are near solar. The target acquisitions will be done using the ACQ/SEARCH mode followed by the ACQ/IMAGE mode, with the NUV configuration, using exposure times designed to give a S/N of at least 40. Given the estimated coordinate accuracies for our targets, we will use a scan-size of 2 and the associated default setting of flux-weighted centroiding in the ACQ/SEARCH exposures. The deafult step-size of 1.767" will be used in the ACQ/SEARCH exposures. Each TIME-TAG exposure will be split into two exposures taken at different FP-POS settings to reduce the effect of fixed-pattern noise and thus to improve flat-fielding. The FP-POS values will be distributed as evenly as possible, in order to help reduce the damage caused by Lyman alpha airglow on the detectors. QUASAR ABSORPTION LINES AND IGM 12 false 0.0 0.0 false false false false SUPPORTED GALAXY QSO J2000 J2000 NUV=17.81, FUV=18.29 GALAXY QUASAR J2000 J2000 NUV=17.50, FUV=18.36 GALAXY QUASAR J2000 J2000 NUV=15.84, FUV=16.51 GALAXY QSO J2000 J2000 NUV=17.52 GALAXY QUASAR J2000 J2000 NUV=15.73, FUV=16.47 COS/FUV Spectroscopic No No G130M 1327 COS/FUV Spectroscopic No No G130M 1300 COS/NUV Spectroscopic No No G185M 1850 COS/NUV Spectroscopic No No G185M 1953 COS/FUV Spectroscopic No No G160M 1623 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 20.2. CASM was run in Phase II mode. (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "01" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20120712" :date "23-Jul-2012 13:38:55.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 2 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 3 :saa-model "31" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 556912 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "01" :obset-id "01" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "01" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2888 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 48 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3216.0 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "01" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 2994 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 38 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3216.0 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "01" :orbit-number 3 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 2994 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 366 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3216.0 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 3 1 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "02" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20120712" :date "23-Jul-2012 13:41:46.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 2 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 3 :saa-model "31" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 556912 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "02" :obset-id "02" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "02" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2888 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 48 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3216.0 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "02" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 2994 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 38 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3216.0 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "02" :orbit-number 3 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 2994 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 366 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3216.0 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 3 1 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. 1331411250000 94.7912451773783 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "03" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "08-Jul-2011 13:45:07.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 2 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 5 :saa-model "31" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 904944 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "03" :obset-id "03" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 3008 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 50 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3341 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3119 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3341 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 3 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3119 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3341 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 4 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3119 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3341 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "03" :orbit-number 5 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3119 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 352 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3341 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 5 0 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. 1331951812000 91.0 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "04" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "08-Jul-2011 13:45:11.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 2 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 5 :saa-model "32" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 887568 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "04" :obset-id "04" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "04" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2916 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "04" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "04" :orbit-number 3 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "04" :orbit-number 4 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "04" :orbit-number 5 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 352 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 5 0 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. 1331871369000 91.0 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "05" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "08-Jul-2011 13:45:15.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 1 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 4 :saa-model "32" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 713552 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "05" :obset-id "05" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "05" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2916 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "05" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "05" :orbit-number 3 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "05" :orbit-number 4 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3027 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 352 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3249 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 4 0 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. 1343779940000 118.0 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "06" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "08-Jul-2011 13:45:18.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 1 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 4 :saa-model "32" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 730928 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "06" :obset-id "06" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "06" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2900 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 50 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "06" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3011 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "06" :orbit-number 3 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3011 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "06" :orbit-number 4 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3011 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 352 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 4 0 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. 1339333670000 118.0 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "07" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "08-Jul-2011 13:45:21.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 1 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 3 :saa-model "32" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 556912 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "07" :obset-id "07" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "07" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2900 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 50 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "07" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3011 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "07" :orbit-number 3 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3011 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 352 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3234 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 3 0 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. 1334346452000 256.0 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "08" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "08-Jul-2011 13:45:24.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 2 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 5 :saa-model "32" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 887568 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "08" :obset-id "08" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "08" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2912 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3245 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "08" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3023 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3245 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "08" :orbit-number 3 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3023 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3245 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "08" :orbit-number 4 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3023 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3245 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "08" :orbit-number 5 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3023 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 352 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3245 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 5 0 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 19.3. CASM was run in Phase II mode. 1334260258000 256.0 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "09" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20110509" :date "08-Jul-2011 13:45:28.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 1 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 4 :saa-model "32" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 713552 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "09" :obset-id "09" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "09" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 333 :si-vis-utilization 2912 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3245 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "09" :orbit-number 2 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3023 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3245 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "09" :orbit-number 3 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3023 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 40 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3245 :pcs-gap 0 ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 12536 :visit-id "09" :orbit-number 4 :pcs-time 222 :si-vis-utilization 3023 :al-overhead-at-end 0 :internal-dur-at-end 352 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3245 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 4 0