13651( 4) - 09-Oct-2014 19:10:44 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 13651 Version: 4 Check-in Time: 09-Oct-2014 19:10:44 STScI Edit Number: 1 Title Disentangling Signatures of Ultra-high-energy Cosmic Rays from a Unique Gamma-ray Blazar ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO 22 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Dr. Amy Kathryn Furniss Stanford University Y CoI: Dr. Greg Madejski Stanford University Y CoI: Dr. Michele Fumagalli University of Durham N CoI: Dr. David A Williams University of California - Santa Cruz N CoI: Prof. Roger D. Blandford Stanford University Y ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract Blazars have been postulated as possible progenitors of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs; E>1 PeV) for decades. This is particularly compelling in the case of blazars observed as TeV gamma-ray sources, since acceleration of particles to extreme energies must take place there. Unfortunately, convincing evidence supporting this theory has yet to be collected, mainly due to lack of firm measurements of blazar distances. Leveraging a novel technique that we successfully used to robustly pin-down redshifts in four blazars via absorption spectroscopy, we propose HST/COS observations of B2 1215+30, a blazar with the unique potential to address the validity of blazars as acceleration sources of UHECRs. These observations will provide firm limits on the distance to B2 1215+30, which will be used in conjunction with archival observations in the very high energy (VHE; E>100 GeV) band to enable a detailed study of the interaction of UHECRs with the lower-energy extragalactic photon fields along the line of sight between B2 1215+30 and the Earth. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ The seven orbits granted will comprise of a single visit with initial target acquisition followed by three G130M target exposures (FP_POS positions 1, 2 and 3, respectively) and four G160M target exposures (FP_POS positions 1, 2, 3, 4, respectively). The target acquisition involves a 45 second PEAKXD exposure followed by a series of five 60 second PEAKD exposures with 0.9 arcsecond steps, each onto the G130M grating at 1291 angstroms. The first target exposure will immediately follow the target acquisition and cover the remainder of the first orbit (1940 in FP_POS 1). The fourth through ninth target exposures will use the remaining 6 orbits. --------- Additional Comments ---------- This target is a variable target, found to vary by +/- an optical magnitude in the R-band (http://users.utu.fi/kani/1m/ON_325.html). In order to ensure that our measurement will be successful independent of state, we have calculated the proposed observing plan assuming the target is in the faintest state (FUV ~18.5 magnitude). With the safety of the instrument in mind, a check was made on the 13651( 4) - 09-Oct-2014 19:10:44 - [ 2] proposed target acquisition exposures on the chance that the target will be in the brightest state during observations (FUV~16.5). The exposures requested are found to produce no instrumental risk (see below for ETC run numbers). This visit sequence is requested independent of the source magnitude at time of observation. Exposure Time Calculator run with FUV magnitude of 16.5: Exposure 1 ETC Run #: 620592 Exposure 2 ETC Run #: 620593 Exposure 3 ETC Run #: 620594 Exposure 4 ETC Run #: 620595 Exposure 5 ETC Run #: 620595 Exposure 6 ETC Run #: 620596 Exposure 7 ETC Run #: 620596 Exposure 8 ETC Run #: 620596 Exposure 9 ETC Run #:620596 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13651( 4) - 09-Oct-2014 19:10:44 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 QSO-B1215+30 GALAXY, BL LAC, LYMAN RA=12H17M52.0820S +/- 0.1", J2000 V = 15.62 +/- 1.0 3 ALPHA CLOUD DEC=+30D07'0.64" +/- 0.1" Reference Frame: ICRS Comments: This object was generated by the targetselector and retrieved from the SIMBAD database. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13651( 4) - 09-Oct-2014 19:10:44 - [ 4] Visit: 01 Visit Requirements: PCS MODE FINE; GYRO MODE 3GOBAD; SCHED 100% On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: This target is a variable target, found to vary by +/- an optical magnitude in the R-band (http://users.utu.fi/kani/1m/ON_325.html). In order to ensure that our measurement will be successful independent of state, we have alculated the proposed observing plan assuming the target is in the faintest state (FUV ~18.5 magnitude). With the safety of the instrument in mind, a check was made on the proposed target acquisition exposures on the chance that the target will be in the brightest state during observations (FUV~16.5). The exposures requested are found to produce no instrumental risk (see below for ETC run numbers). This visit sequence is requested independent of the source magnitude at time of observation. Exposure Time Calculator with FUV magnitude of 16.5: Exposure 1 ETC Run #: 622524 Exposure 2 ETC Run #: 622525 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 QSO-B1215+3 COS/FUV ACQ/PEA PSA G130M 1291 SEGMENT=BOTH 1 45 S (45 SEQ 1-3 NON-INT 03 KXD S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 QSO-B1215+3 COS/FUV ACQ/PEA PSA G130M 1291 CENTER=FLUX-WT-FLR, 1 60 S (60 03 KD NUM-POS=5.0, SEGMENT=BOTH, S) STEP-SIZE=0.9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 QSO-B1215+3 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1291 BUFFER-TIME=2000, FLASH=YES, 1 1940 S 03 G FP-POS=1, SEGMENT=BOTH (1940 S) Comments: The ~15A gap from ~1280 to 1295 angstroms is acceptable. Three of the four FP-POS positions will be sufficient to account for detector imperfections. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 QSO-B1215+3 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1291 BUFFER-TIME=2000, FLASH=YES, 1 2714 S 03 G FP-POS=2, SEGMENT=BOTH (2714 S) Comments: The ~15A gap from ~1280 to 1295 angstroms is acceptable. Three of the four FP-POS positions will be sufficient to account for detector imperfections. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 QSO-B1215+3 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1291 FLASH=YES, BUFFER-TIME=2000, 1 2714 S 03 G FP-POS=3, SEGMENT=BOTH (2714 S) Comments: The ~15A gap from ~1280 to 1295 angstroms is acceptable. Three of the four FP-POS positions will be sufficient to account for detector imperfections. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 QSO-B1215+3 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1611 BUFFER-TIME=2000, FLASH=YES, 1 2714 S 03 G FP-POS=1, SEGMENT=BOTH see below (2712 S) 13651( 4) - 09-Oct-2014 19:10:44 - [ 5] Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exp | Target | Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Num | Name | Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 QSO-B1215+3 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1611 BUFFER-TIME=2000, FLASH=YES, 1 2714 S 03 G FP-POS=2, SEGMENT=BOTH (2714 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 QSO-B1215+3 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1611 BUFFER-TIME=2000, FLASH=YES, 1 2714 S 03 G FP-POS=3, SEGMENT=BOTH (2714 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 QSO-B1215+3 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1611 BUFFER-TIME=2000, FLASH=YES, 1 2714 S 03 G FP-POS=4, SEGMENT=BOTH (2714 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ QSO-B1215+303 1 COS/FUV ACQ/PEA PSA G130M 1291 none none none none 1 N/A KXD QSO-B1215+303 2 COS/FUV ACQ/PEA PSA G130M 1291 none none none none 1 N/A KD QSO-B1215+303 3 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1291 none none none none 1 N/A G QSO-B1215+303 4 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1291 none none none none 2 N/A G QSO-B1215+303 5 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G130M 1291 none none none none 3 N/A G QSO-B1215+303 6 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1611 none none none none 4 2712.0 S G QSO-B1215+303 7 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1611 none none none none 5 N/A G QSO-B1215+303 8 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1611 none none none none 6 N/A G QSO-B1215+303 9 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G160M 1611 none none none none 7 N/A G 13651( 4) - 09-Oct-2014 19:10:44 - [ 6] Summary Form for Proposal 13651 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures PSA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations COS/FUV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACQ/PEAKD, ACQ/PEAKXD, TIME-TAG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters BUFFER-TIME=2000, CENTER=FLUX-WT-FLR, FLASH=YES, FP-POS=1, FP-POS=2, FP-POS=3, FP-POS=4, NUM-POS=5.0, SEGMENT=BOTH, STEP-SIZE=0.9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements GYRO MODE 3GOBAD, PCS MODE FINE, SCHED 100%, SEQ 1-3 NON-INT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements G130M, G160M ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names QSO-B1215+303 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------