13858( 3) - 16-Sep-2014 13:39:02 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 13858 Version: 3 Check-in Time: 16-Sep-2014 13:39:02 STScI Edit Number: 0 Title The environment of the rarest and most energetic supernovae: do pair-instability explosions exist in the nearby Universe? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO 22 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Dr. Annalisa De Cia Weizmann Institute of Science Y CoI: Dr. Ofer Yaron Weizmann Institute of Science N CoI: Dr. Avishay Gal-Yam Weizmann Institute of Science N CoI: Dr. Daniel Perley California Institute of Technology N CoI: Dr. Robert M. Quimby San Diego State University N CoI: Dr. Paul Vreeswijk Weizmann Institute of Science N CoI: Dr. Mark Sullivan University of Southampton N CoI: Dr. Iair Arcavi Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope N Network CoI: Dr. Lin Yan California Institute of Technology N CoI: Prof. Shrinivas R. Kulkarni California Institute of Technology N CoI: Dr. Abraham Loeb Harvard University N CoI: Mr. Tony Pan Harvard University N CoI: Prof. Paolo A. Mazzali Liverpool John Moores University N CoI: Dr. Elena Pian INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste N CoI: Dr. Assaf Horesh Weizmann Institute of Science N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract We propose imaging of the host galaxies of super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe) of the rarest class, SLSN-R. These SNe are several magnitudes brighter than typical core-collapse SNe and their late-time light curves follow the 56Co radioactive decay. The physical process that leads to their explosion is under debate. Observationally, the more likely possibility is that SLSN-R are the product of stars with cores more massive than several tens of solar masses, that explode due to pair-production instability. However, such pair instability supernovae (PISNe) are theoretically easier to form from zero-metallicity population III stars at high redshifts, that could develop the massive cores required. Local pockets of low-metallicity gas or highly dense stellar clusters may allow PISNe to form at low redshift, but this has not been observationally confirmed. Our pilot HST program targeting a single SLSN-R (PTF10nmn) surprisingly showed it occurred well away from the host's most intense star formation, in a lower-metallicity region, up to 10 times lower than would have been measured using ground-based data alone. Here, we propose to target 4 additional SLSNe-R (out of a total of 6 events), all nearby candidate PISNe homogeneously selected from the Palomar Transient Factory wide-field survey, among thousands of classified SNe. The accurate location of these SNe with respect to their host galaxies and star-forming regions can provide invaluable information on the (typical?) environment of these events. This is crucial to both address the question of the existence of PISNe in the nearby Universe and to investigate the physical nature of these rare, extreme and debated explosions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description 13858( 3) - 16-Sep-2014 13:39:02 - [ 2] ------------------------ The targets are 4 host galaxies of superluminous supernovae, each one to be observed for 1 orbit. PTF11hrq and PTF12dam are brighter (V~19.2-19.4) and we will observe them with WCF3/UVIS, with three filters (F625W, F336W and F225W). The two fainter galaxies (iPTF13dcc with V~23.6 and iPTF13ehe with 21) still host the ongoing supernova (equal in brightness or fainter than the galaxy) and we will observe them with ACS with one filter (F625W). We intend to divide each orbit in a few sub-exposures and dither them to correct for cosmic rays and bad pixels. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13858( 3) - 16-Sep-2014 13:39:02 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 PTF11HRQ GALAXY, DWARF COMPACT, RA=00H51M47.2200S, J2000 V = 19.4 +/- 0.5 STAR FORMING REGION DEC=-26D25'10.00" Reference Frame: ICRS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 PTF12DAM GALAXY, DWARF COMPACT, RA=14H24M46.2000S, J2000 V = 19.2 +/- 0.5 STAR FORMING REGION, DEC=+46D13'48.30" STARBURST Reference Frame: ICRS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 IPTF13DCC STAR, SUPERNOVA RA=02H57M2.5000S, J2000 V = 23.6 +/- 0.4 SN still present with DEC=-00D18'44.00" V~23.5 Reference Frame: ICRS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 IPTF13EHE STAR, SUPERNOVA RA=06H53M21.5000S, J2000 V = 21 V > 21, SN still present with DEC=+67D07'56.00" V~21 Reference Frame: ICRS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13858( 3) - 16-Sep-2014 13:39:02 - [ 4] Patterns ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pattern_Number: 1 Primary_Pattern Secondary_Pattern Pattern_Type WFC3-UVIS-DITHER-LINE Pattern_Purpose DITHER Number_Of_Points 2 Point_Spacing 0.145 Line_Spacing Coordinate_Frame POS-TARG Pattern_Orient 46.84 Angle_Between_Sides 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13858( 3) - 16-Sep-2014 13:39:02 - [ 5] Visit: 01 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| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 PTF11HRQ WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K2 F625W FLASH=9 1 400 S PATTERN 1 1 S C-SUB see below (200 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 PTF11HRQ WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K2 F336W FLASH=11 1 450 S PATTERN 1 2 S C-SUB see below (920 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 PTF11HRQ WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K2 F225W FLASH=11 1 700 S PATTERN 1 3 S C-SUB see below (813 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PTF11HRQ 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F625W 1 none none none 1 100.0 S S 2C-SUB PTF11HRQ 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F625W 2 none none none 1 100.0 S S 2C-SUB PTF11HRQ 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F336W 1 none none none 1 460.0 S S 2C-SUB PTF11HRQ 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F336W 2 none none none 1 460.0 S S 2C-SUB PTF11HRQ 3 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F225W 1 none none none 1 400.0 S S 2C-SUB PTF11HRQ 3 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F225W 2 none none none 1 413.0 S S 2C-SUB 13858( 3) - 16-Sep-2014 13:39:02 - [ 6] Visit: 02 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| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 PTF12DAM WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K2 F625W FLASH=9 1 300 S PATTERN 1 1 S C-SUB see below (200 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 PTF12DAM WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K2 F336W FLASH=11 1 300 S PATTERN 1 2 S C-SUB see below (984 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 PTF12DAM WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K2 F225W FLASH=11 1 400 S PATTERN 1 3 S C-SUB see below (866 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PTF12DAM 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F625W 1 none none none 1 100.0 S S 2C-SUB PTF12DAM 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F625W 2 none none none 1 100.0 S S 2C-SUB PTF12DAM 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F336W 1 none none none 1 492.0 S S 2C-SUB PTF12DAM 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F336W 2 none none none 1 492.0 S S 2C-SUB PTF12DAM 3 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F225W 1 none none none 1 433.0 S S 2C-SUB PTF12DAM 3 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-2K F225W 2 none none none 1 433.0 S S 2C-SUB 13858( 3) - 16-Sep-2014 13:39:02 - [ 7] Visit: 03 Visit Requirements: ORIENT 22D TO 39 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 IPTF13DCC ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1 F625W 1 600 S PATTERN 2 1 see below (2195 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IPTF13DCC 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1 F625W 1 none none none 1 548.0 S IPTF13DCC 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1 F625W 2 none none none 1 548.0 S IPTF13DCC 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1 F625W 3 none none none 1 548.0 S IPTF13DCC 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1 F625W 4 none none none 1 551.0 S 13858( 3) - 16-Sep-2014 13:39:02 - [ 8] Visit: 04 Visit Requirements: ORIENT 84D TO 104 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 IPTF13EHE ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1 F625W 1 600 S PATTERN 2 1 see below (2545 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IPTF13EHE 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1 F625W 1 none none none 1 636.0 S IPTF13EHE 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1 F625W 2 none none none 1 636.0 S IPTF13EHE 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1 F625W 3 none none none 1 636.0 S IPTF13EHE 1 ACS/WFC ACCUM WFC1 F625W 4 none none none 1 637.0 S 13858( 3) - 16-Sep-2014 13:39:02 - [ 9] Summary Form for Proposal 13858 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures UVIS2-2K2C-SUB, WFC1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations ACS/WFC, WFC3/UVIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACCUM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters FLASH=11, FLASH=9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements ORIENT 22D TO 39 D, ORIENT 84D TO 104 D, PATTERN 1 1, PATTERN 1 2, PATTERN 1 3, PATTERN 2 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F225W, F336W, F625W ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names IPTF13DCC, IPTF13EHE, PTF11HRQ, PTF12DAM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------