11013( 11) - 04-Aug-2009 18:33:01 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 11013 Version: 11 Check-in Time: 04-Aug-2009 18:33:01 STScI Edit Number: 8 Title Continued M31 Monitoring for Black Hole X-ray Nova ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Dr. Michael R. Garcia Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory CoI: Dr. Jose Luis Galache Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical N Observatory CoI: Dr. Manuel Torres Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical N Observatory CoI: Dr. Stephen S. Murray Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical N Observatory CoI: Dr. Francis Primini Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical N Observatory CoI: Dr. Ben Williams University of Washington N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract We have been carring out a Chandra (GO+GTO) and HST (GO) program to find Black Hole X-ray Nova (BHXN) and their optical counterparts in M31 for several years. To date we have found >2 dozen BHXN and 3 HST optical counterparts for these BHXN. Our results suggest a rather high ratio of BH to neutron star (NS) binaries, or a high duty cycle for the BHXN. We propose to continue this program, with the goal of determining the orbital period distribution and duty cycles of these BHXN. Current results yield 3 orbital periods and 3 upper limits. Our proposed observations will ~double the total number of periods and therefore yield sufficient numbers to make a first approximation of the orbital period distribution. The orbital period distribution is the fundamental observable parameter any binary stellar evolution models must match, and the duty cycle is very poorly known but directly influences the binary lifetime. M31 is the only galaxy in which this extra-galactic study of BHXN is feasible. Furthermore, the 2 HST observations will allow us to estimate the orbital period of a single super-Eddington source. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ We will use the ACS camera to obtain images of an active Black Hole X-ray Nova (BHXN) in M31. This BHXNe will be chosen from one of 6 Chandra-ACIS observations (5 from the AO8, plus the last observation from AO7). We will wait until a super-Eddington source is detected (Lx > 3e38 erg/s) to trigger the first HST observation, which will take place ~4 weeks later; this will capture the counterpart in a bright optical state. A second HST observation will be carried out ~6 months later to study the source in quiesence. Real Time Justification ----------------------- 11013( 11) - 04-Aug-2009 18:33:01 - [ 2] Calibration Justification ------------------------- Additional Comments ------------------- As we will not know the exact location of our target until a Chandra observation is completed, we cannot provide final coordinates for our object until about 3 weeks prior to the first observation. As a result, we have currently supplied the coordinates of the nucleus of M31 as a hold position, to be corrected to the final position when we detect the BHXN. This detection will be within 1 degree of the M31 nucleus. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11013( 11) - 04-Aug-2009 18:33:01 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M31-BH UNIDENTIFIED, OPTICAL RA=00H43M20.7100S +/- 1", J2000 V = 25 +/- 5 EMITTER, ULTRAVIOLET DEC=+41D15'31.31" +/- 1" EMITTER, X-RAY EMITTER Reference Frame: Other: Chandra Observation Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 M31-BH-COPY UNIDENTIFIED, OPTICAL RA=00H42M17.3060S +/- 1", J2000 V = 25 +/- 5 EMITTER, ULTRAVIOLET DEC=+41D15'37.21" +/- 1" EMITTER, X-RAY EMITTER Reference Frame: Other: Chandra Observation Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11013( 11) - 04-Aug-2009 18:33:01 - [ 4] Patterns ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pattern_Number: 1 Primary_Pattern Secondary_Pattern Pattern_Type WFPC2-BOX Pattern_Purpose DITHER Number_Of_Points 4 Point_Spacing 0.559017 Line_Spacing 0.559017 Coordinate_Frame POS-TARG Pattern_Orient 26.56505 Angle_Between_Sides 143.1301 Center_Pattern NO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pattern_Number: 2 Primary_Pattern Secondary_Pattern Pattern_Type ACS-WFC-DITHER-BOX Pattern_Purpose DITHER Number_Of_Points 4 Point_Spacing 0.265 Line_Spacing 0.187 Coordinate_Frame POS-TARG Pattern_Orient 20.67 Angle_Between_Sides 69.05 Center_Pattern NO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11013( 11) - 04-Aug-2009 18:33:01 - [ 5] Visit: 15 Visit Requirements: On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exp | Target | Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Num | Name | Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M31-BH WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F439W CR-SPLIT=NO, ATD-GAIN=15, 1 1100.0 S GS ACQ SCENARIO BASE1T3; CLOCKS=YES see below PATTERN 1 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target | Exp |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Cent.|Primary |Secondary |Iteration |CR-SPLIT |Orbit |Duration Name | Num |Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Wave.|Pattern Pos |Pattern Pos |Num |Num |Number | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ M31-BH 1 WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F439W 1 none none none 1 1200.0 S M31-BH 1 WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F439W 2 none none none 1 N/A M31-BH 1 WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F439W 3 none none none 2 1200.0 S M31-BH 1 WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F439W 4 none none none 2 N/A 11013( 11) - 04-Aug-2009 18:33:01 - [ 6] Visit: 16 Visit Requirements: AFTER 15 BY 180.0 D TO 210.0 D On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exp | Target | Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Num | Name | Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M31-BH WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F439W CR-SPLIT=NO, ATD-GAIN=15, 1 1100.0 S GS ACQ SCENARIO BASE1T3; CLOCKS=YES see below PATTERN 1 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target | Exp |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Cent.|Primary |Secondary |Iteration |CR-SPLIT |Orbit |Duration Name | Num |Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Wave.|Pattern Pos |Pattern Pos |Num |Num |Number | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ M31-BH 1 WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F439W 1 none none none 1 1200.0 S M31-BH 1 WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F439W 2 none none none 1 N/A M31-BH 1 WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F439W 3 none none none 2 1200.0 S M31-BH 1 WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F439W 4 none none none 2 N/A 11013( 11) - 04-Aug-2009 18:33:01 - [ 7] Visit: 17 Visit Requirements: GYRO MODE 3GOBAD; BETWEEN 22-AUG-2009:00:00:00 AND 07-SEP-2009:00:00:00 On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exp | Target | Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Num | Name | Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M31-BH-COPY ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC F435W GAIN=2.0, CR-SPLIT=NO 2 545 S PATTERN 2 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target | Exp |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Cent.|Primary |Secondary |Iteration |CR-SPLIT |Orbit |Duration Name | Num |Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Wave.|Pattern Pos |Pattern Pos |Num |Num |Number | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ M31-BH-COPY 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC F435W 1 none 1 none 1 N/A M31-BH-COPY 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC F435W 1 none 2 none 1 N/A M31-BH-COPY 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC F435W 2 none 1 none 1 N/A M31-BH-COPY 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC F435W 2 none 2 none 1 N/A M31-BH-COPY 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC F435W 3 none 1 none 2 N/A M31-BH-COPY 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC F435W 3 none 2 none 2 N/A M31-BH-COPY 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC F435W 4 none 1 none 2 N/A M31-BH-COPY 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC F435W 4 none 2 none 2 N/A 11013( 11) - 04-Aug-2009 18:33:01 - [ 8] Summary Form for Proposal 11013 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures PC1-FIX, WFC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations ACS/WFC, WFPC2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACCUM, IMAGE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters ATD-GAIN=15, CLOCKS=YES, CR-SPLIT=NO, GAIN=2.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements AFTER 15 BY 180.0 D TO 210.0 D, BETWEEN 22-AUG-2009:00:00:00 AND 07-SEP-2009:00:00:00, GS ACQ SCENARIO BASE1T3, GYRO MODE 3GOBAD, PATTERN 1 1, PATTERN 2 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F435W, F439W ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names M31-BH, M31-BH-COPY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------