13497( 11) - 20-Jun-2013 22:42:30 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 13497 Version: 11 Check-in Time: 20-Jun-2013 22:42:30 STScI Edit Number: 9 Title A smoking gun for a neutron star merger in a short GRB? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO/DD 20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Prof. Nial R. Tanvir University of Leicester Y CoI: Prof. Jens Hjorth University of Copenhagen, Niels Bohr N Institute CoI: Dr. Andrew J. Levan The University of Warwick N CoI: Dr. Klaas Wiersema University of Leicester N CoI: Dr. Andrew S. Fruchter Space Telescope Science Institute N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract The nature of short duration gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) represents one of the great unsolved mysteries of astrophysics today. While a favoured model for their origin is in the merger of two compact objects (e.g. neutron stars) this lacks a smoking gun to date. However, these mergers are expected to create r-process elements and radioactive nickel, visible as a faint, fast transient in the days following the burst, a so-called kilonova. Recent calculations suggest much energy comes out in the near-infrared in the days following the initial burst. Here we propose for such a search in the burst GRB 130603B, the first short-GRB to have a firm redshift established directly from the afterglow. At z~0.3 the faint transient is expected to peak a few days after the burst at a H-band magnitude of ~25. Only HST has the sensitivity to detect this source, and the resolution to cleanly resolve it within its host galaxy. Our modest observations will locate, or place strong constraints on the nature of any radioactive transient associated with an prime SGRB, and may finally solve the mystery of the origin of SGRBs. If found, it will also establish that there is an alternative, un-beamed electromagnetic counterpart to binary neutron star mergers, which will have great value in the future in localising gravitational wave sources. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ We propose to obtain two visits of observations, targetted at GRB 130603B in two filters, one in the optical (F606W) and one in the infrared (F160W). These observations will map the evolution of the SED of the GRB with time to levels much fainter than possible from the ground, and effectively remove host galaxy contamination. In each filter we will obtain a single orbit of observation split across a 4 point dither pattern. We will place the target in ACS at the CTE1 aperture to minimize any CTE effects, in the IR it will be placed at the standard aperture close to the chip centre. Real Time Justification ----------------------- We ask for visits 1 and 2 to be scheduled as soon as possible. Visits 3 and 4 should then follow several weeks later. 13497( 11) - 20-Jun-2013 22:42:30 - [ 2] Calibration Justification ------------------------- Additional Comments ------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13497( 11) - 20-Jun-2013 22:42:30 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 GRB130603B UNIDENTIFIED, GAMMA RAY RA=11H28M48.1600S, J2000 V = 20 +/- 1 EMITTER, STAR FORMING DEC=+17D04'18.00" REGION, X-RAY EMITTER Reference Frame: Other: Swift ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13497( 11) - 20-Jun-2013 22:42:30 - [ 4] Patterns ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pattern_Number: 1 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pattern_Number: 2 Primary_Pattern Secondary_Pattern Pattern_Type WFC3-IR-DITHER-BOX-MIN Pattern_Purpose DITHER Number_Of_Points 4 Point_Spacing 0.572 Line_Spacing 0.365 Coordinate_Frame POS-TARG Pattern_Orient 18.528 Angle_Between_Sides 74.653 Center_Pattern NO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13497( 11) - 20-Jun-2013 22:42:30 - [ 5] Visit: A1 Visit Requirements: ORIENT 106D TO 110 D; BEFORE 15-JUN-2013:00:00:00 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| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 GRB130603B ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1-FIX F606W 1 475 S POS TARG -15, 30; GS ACQ see below SCENARIO ONEB1B3; (2216 S) 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GRB130603B 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1-FIX F606W 1 none none none 1 554.0 S GRB130603B 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1-FIX F606W 2 none none none 1 554.0 S GRB130603B 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1-FIX F606W 3 none none none 1 554.0 S GRB130603B 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1-FIX F606W 4 none none none 1 554.0 S 13497( 11) - 20-Jun-2013 22:42:30 - [ 6] Visit: A2 Visit Requirements: SAME ORIENT AS A1; AFTER W1 BY 20 D TO 40 D; GROUP A2, W2 WITHIN 1D 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 GRB130603B ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1-FIX F606W 1 475 S POS TARG -15, 30; GS ACQ see below SCENARIO ONEB1B3; (2216 S) 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GRB130603B 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1-FIX F606W 1 none none none 1 554.0 S GRB130603B 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1-FIX F606W 2 none none none 1 554.0 S GRB130603B 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1-FIX F606W 3 none none none 1 554.0 S GRB130603B 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1-FIX F606W 4 none none none 1 554.0 S 13497( 11) - 20-Jun-2013 22:42:30 - [ 7] Visit: W1 Visit Requirements: BEFORE 15-JUN-2013:00:00:00 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| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 GRB130603B WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR-FIX F160W NSAMP=14, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS50 1 DEF GS ACQ SCENARIO BASE1B3; CUM (2611.753 PATTERN 2 1 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GRB130603B 1 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR-FIX F160W 1 none none none 1 N/A CUM GRB130603B 1 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR-FIX F160W 2 none none none 1 N/A CUM GRB130603B 1 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR-FIX F160W 3 none none none 1 N/A CUM GRB130603B 1 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR-FIX F160W 4 none none none 1 N/A CUM 13497( 11) - 20-Jun-2013 22:42:30 - [ 8] Visit: W2 Visit Requirements: SAME ORIENT AS W1; AFTER W1 BY 20 D TO 40 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| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 GRB130603B WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR-FIX F160W NSAMP=14, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS50 1 DEF GS ACQ SCENARIO BASE1B3; CUM (2611.753 PATTERN 2 1 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GRB130603B 1 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR-FIX F160W 1 none none none 1 N/A CUM GRB130603B 1 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR-FIX F160W 2 none none none 1 N/A CUM GRB130603B 1 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR-FIX F160W 3 none none none 1 N/A CUM GRB130603B 1 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR-FIX F160W 4 none none none 1 N/A CUM 13497( 11) - 20-Jun-2013 22:42:30 - [ 9] Summary Form for Proposal 13497 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures IR-FIX, WFC1-FIX ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations ACS/WFC, WFC3/IR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACCUM, MULTIACCUM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters NSAMP=14, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS50 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements AFTER W1 BY 20 D TO 40 D, BEFORE 15-JUN-2013:00:00:00, GROUP A2, W2 WITHIN 1D, GS ACQ SCENARIO BASE1B3, GS ACQ SCENARIO ONEB1B3, ORIENT 106D TO 110 D, PATTERN 1 1, PATTERN 2 1, POS TARG -15, 30, SAME ORIENT AS A1, SAME ORIENT AS W1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F160W, F606W ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names GRB130603B ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------