12953( 3) - 06-Aug-2013 15:41:37 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 12953 Version: 3 Check-in Time: 06-Aug-2013 15:41:37 STScI Edit Number: 0 Title Catching AGN in Deep Minimum States to Unveil Their Core Environment ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO 20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Dr. Norbert Schartel European Space Agency - ESTEC Y CoI: Dr. Maria Santos-Lleo European Space Agency - ESTEC N CoI: Dr. Luigi Gallo Saint Mary's University N CoI: Dr. Stefanie Komossa Max-Planck-Institut fur Radioastronomie N CoI: Dr. Giovanni Miniutti Centro de Astrobiologia (CSIC/INTA) Inst. N Nac. de Tec. Aero. CoI: Dr. Dirk Grupe The Pennsylvania State University N CoI: Prof. Andrew C. Fabian University of Cambridge N CoI: Dr. Smita Mathur The Ohio State University Y ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract The deep minimum state of AGNs is characterized by a strongly suppressed or even absent primary continuum. As the continuum disappears weak spectral features like relativistic iron lines or narrow soft X-ray emission lines from ionised plasmas become highly significant and their parameters can be determined. Therefore deep minimum states offer unique possibilities to investigate in detail the physics of the reprocessed components in AGN, including the immediate vicinity of the supermassive black hole. Applying our experience (several deep minimum observations) we propose two triggered 10ks XMM snapshot, one 80ks XMM follow-up and one HST (2 orbit) observation of an AGN in deep minimum state. We will identify deep minimum states based on Swift and XMM-Newton slew observations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ We will use COS/FUV to observe UV absorption lines in the spectrum of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC-958 (2 consecutive orbits). We will use G130M grating to observe the Lya and NV lines and the G160M to observe the C IV emission line. The AGN is currently in a low state, with a measured flambda_0=1.e-14 erg/s/cm2/Ang at lambda=1800 Ang. Since the AGN emission is evolving with time, we are considering large uncertainties on the target flux: for our ETC calculations we are considering a flat spectrum normalized respectively to flambda_0, and, for the limiting cases, to flambda_max=1.e-13 erg/s/cm2/Ang, and flambda_min=2.e-15 erg/s/cm2/Ang. ACQUISITION: The target has precise 2MASS coordinates (ICRS reproduced with an error < 0.1"). We are acquiring the target using an ACQ/PEAKXD+ACQ/PEAKD sequence with the G130M grating and an exposure time of 33 seconds. With these settings we will be able to successfully acquire the target (S/N~40) even if the flux is five times fainter than the one currently observed. At the same time, the target 12953( 3) - 06-Aug-2013 15:41:37 - [ 2] acquisition will be safe even if the source is ten times brighter than expected. Configuration Flux EXP time Max cts/s/pix Total rate Buffer Time COS ETC ID G130M/1327 flambda_min 33 s 0.096 419 561 COS.sa.524960 G130M/1327 flambda_max 33 s 0.116 2627 675 COS.sa.524962 EXPOSURES: To ensure a continuous coverage of the wavelengths of interest we are adopting two different central wavelengths per grating: G130M, cen-wave=1309, 1327; G160M, cen-wave=1577, 1600. For each setting, we are further considering two different FP-POS (G130M/1309, FP-POS=1, 2; G130M/1327, FP-POS=3, 4; G160M/1577, FP-POS=1, 2; G160M/1600, FP-POS=3, 4) in order to appropriately correct for COS grid wires and improve the flat fielding. During our first orbit we will execute 4x426 s exposures (total exposure time of 1952 s) with the G130M grating, while during our second orbit we will execute 4x573 s exposures (total exposure time of 2292 s) with the G160M grating. Using a flat continuum spectrum normalized to flambda_0 for our ETC simulations, we obtain a resulting S/N~11.5 per resolution elements for both configurations (S/N~8 in the gap regions). To further test the safety of the observations we have run ETC simulations after normalizing the flat spectrum to flambda_max: Configuration Flux EXP time Max cts/s/pix Total rate Buffer Time COS ETC ID G130M/1327 flambda_max 426 s 0.116 3427 688 COS.sp.525081 G160M/1577 flambda_max 573 s 0.021 2182 1080 COS.sp.525083 Real Time Justification ----------------------- We have been monitoring AGNs with Swift and in the XMM Slew Survey to identify possible targets which are in the ``deep minimum'' state, i.e. with flux over an order of magnitude lower than during ROSAT observations. From these candidates we will choose two targets for short snap-shot observations with XMM-Newton. If we indeed find them to be in the deep minimum state, we will trigger a long XMM observation and the HST observation. We will notify STScI when we choose our initial target which will likely be the HST target. This will be confirmed after the short XMM observations. The long XMM observation and the HST observations will be coordinated; this is necessary to observe the target at about the same flux state. The two observations can be within a week of each other. Calibration Justification ------------------------- Additional Comments ------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12953( 3) - 06-Aug-2013 15:41:37 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 NGC-985 GALAXY, BLR, SEYFERT RA=02H34M37.8820S +/- 0.1", J2000 V = 14.28 flambda=1.e-14 erg/s/cm2/Ang DEC=-08D47'17.02" +/- 0.1" @ 1800 Ang Reference Frame: ICRS Comments: This object was generated by the targetselector and retrieved from the SIMBAD database.This object was generated by the targetselector and retrieved from the SIMBAD database. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12953( 3) - 06-Aug-2013 15:41:37 - [ 4] Visit: 01 Visit Requirements: SCHED 100% 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| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NGC-985 COS/FUV ACQ/PEA PSA G130M 1327 1 33 S (33 KXD S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 NGC-985 COS/FUV ACQ/PEA PSA G130M 1327 CENTER=FLUX-WT-FLR, 1 33 S (33 KD NUM-POS=5.0, STEP-SIZE=0.9 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 NGC-985 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1327 FP-POS=3, BUFFER-TIME=316, 1 426 S (426 G FLASH=YES S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 NGC-985 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1327 FP-POS=4, BUFFER-TIME=315, 1 425 S (425 G FLASH=YES S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 NGC-985 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1309 FP-POS=1, BUFFER-TIME=316, 1 426 S (426 G FLASH=YES S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 NGC-985 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1309 FP-POS=2, BUFFER-TIME=314, 1 424 S (424 G FLASH=YES S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 NGC-985 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1577 FP-POS=1, BUFFER-TIME=463 1 573 S (573 G S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 NGC-985 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1577 FP-POS=2, BUFFER-TIME=462 1 572 S (572 G S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 NGC-985 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1600 FP-POS=3, BUFFER-TIME=463 1 573 S (573 G S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10 NGC-985 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1600 FP-POS=4, BUFFER-TIME=458 1 568 S (568 G S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NGC-985 1 COS/FUV ACQ/PEA PSA G130M 1327 none none none none 1 N/A KXD NGC-985 2 COS/FUV ACQ/PEA PSA G130M 1327 none none none none 1 N/A KD NGC-985 3 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1327 none none none none 1 N/A G 12953( 3) - 06-Aug-2013 15:41:37 - [ 5] 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NGC-985 4 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1327 none none none none 1 N/A G NGC-985 5 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1309 none none none none 1 N/A G NGC-985 6 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1309 none none none none 1 N/A G NGC-985 7 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1577 none none none none 2 N/A G NGC-985 8 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1577 none none none none 2 N/A G NGC-985 9 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1600 none none none none 2 N/A G NGC-985 10 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1600 none none none none 2 N/A G 12953( 3) - 06-Aug-2013 15:41:37 - [ 6] Summary Form for Proposal 12953 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures PSA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations COS/FUV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACQ/PEAKD, ACQ/PEAKXD, TIME-TAG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters BUFFER-TIME=314, BUFFER-TIME=315, BUFFER-TIME=316, BUFFER-TIME=458, BUFFER-TIME=462, BUFFER-TIME=463, CENTER=FLUX-WT-FLR, FLASH=YES, FP-POS=1, FP-POS=2, FP-POS=3, FP-POS=4, NUM-POS=5.0, STEP-SIZE=0.9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements SCHED 100% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements G130M, G160M ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names NGC-985 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------