14046( 2) - 02-Mar-2015 15:20:31 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 14046 Version: 2 Check-in Time: 02-Mar-2015 15:20:31 STScI Edit Number: 0 Title Testing for a Recoiling Supermassive Black Hole in the Giant Core of BCG 2261 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO 22 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Dr. Sarah Burke-Spolaor Jet Propulsion Laboratory Y CoI: Dr. Marc Postman Space Telescope Science Institute N CoI: Dr. Tod R. Lauer National Optical Astronomy Observatory, N AURA CoI: Dr. Leonidas Moustakas Jet Propulsion Laboratory N CoI: Dr. Kayhan Gultekin University of Michigan N CoI: Dr. Joseph Lazio Jet Propulsion Laboratory N CoI: Dr. Holland Ford The Johns Hopkins University N CoI: Dr. Abraham Loeb Harvard University N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract We request 8 orbits for STIS spectroscopic observations of three compact knots near the center of the brightest cluster galaxy in Abell 2261 (BCG2261) to directly test for the presence of a recoiling supermassive black hole (SMBH). BCG2261's exceptionally large, flat core is thought to have been formed by scouring from a binary SMBH inspiral, with additional broadening effects caused by a recoiling SMBH after the binary's coalescence. A radio jet in the system indicates recent or current active nucleus activity, and appears to point to an origin in one of the off-center stellar concentrations (knots). All of the knots are candidates for a "cloaked" SMBH. Theory predicts that an ejected SMBH should carry a cloak of tightly bound stars with it. The stellar cloak would resemble a globular cluster or dwarf galaxy, but would have a high velocity dispersion. The presence of the off-center knots, the galactic core morphology, and the radio jet tentatively imply that one knot is likely to be cloaking a recoiling SMBH. Our proposed HST/STIS observations will test of the presence of a SMBH in the knots by seeking high-dispersion absorption lines and evidence for active nucleus emission. If any such signature is found, BCG2261 will represent the first direct observational support for three preeminent theoretical speculations: that scouring forms cores, that SMBHs may recoil after coalescence, and that recoil can strongly influence core formation and morphology. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ Observe compact galaxies ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14046( 2) - 02-Mar-2015 15:20:31 - [ 2] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 BCGKNOTS123 GALAXY, DWARF COMPACT, RA=17H22M27.1400S, J2000 V = 20.8 +/- 0.06 Knot 1: 22.15, Knot MULTIPLE NUCLEI DEC=+32D07'57.59" 2: Reference Frame: ICRS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14046( 2) - 02-Mar-2015 15:20:31 - [ 3] Visit: 01 Visit Requirements: ORIENT 130.5D TO 136 D; ORIENT 310.5D TO 316 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 BCGKNOTS123 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR ACQTYPE=DIFFUSE, CHECKBOX=5.0, 1 270 S (270 DIFFUSE-CENTER=FLUX-CENTROID S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 BCGKNOTS123 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=2 1 1000 S see below (1264 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 BCGKNOTS123 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=2 1 2400 S POS TARG null, 0.2 see below (2762 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 BCGKNOTS123 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=2 1 2400 S POS TARG null, -0.2 see below (2762 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 BCGKNOTS123 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=2 1 1000 S POS TARG null, -0.4 see below (2762 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BCGKNOTS123 1 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR none none none none 1 N/A BCGKNOTS123 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 1 1 632.0 S BCGKNOTS123 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 2 1 632.0 S CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 1 N/A CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 1 N/A BCGKNOTS123 4 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 1 2 1381.0 S BCGKNOTS123 4 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 2 2 1381.0 S CCDFLAT 5 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 2 N/A CCDFLAT 5 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 2 N/A 14046( 2) - 02-Mar-2015 15:20:31 - [ 4] 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BCGKNOTS123 6 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 1 3 1381.0 S BCGKNOTS123 6 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 2 3 1381.0 S CCDFLAT 7 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 3 N/A CCDFLAT 7 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 3 N/A BCGKNOTS123 8 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 1 4 1381.0 S BCGKNOTS123 8 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 2 4 1381.0 S CCDFLAT 9 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 4 N/A CCDFLAT 9 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 4 N/A 14046( 2) - 02-Mar-2015 15:20:31 - [ 5] Visit: 02 Visit Requirements: ORIENT 130.5D TO 136 D; ORIENT 310.5D TO 316 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 BCGKNOTS123 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR ACQTYPE=DIFFUSE, CHECKBOX=5.0, 1 270 S (270 DIFFUSE-CENTER=FLUX-CENTROID S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 BCGKNOTS123 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=2 1 1000 S see below (1264 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 BCGKNOTS123 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=2 1 2400 S POS TARG null, 0.2 see below (2762 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 BCGKNOTS123 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=2 1 2400 S POS TARG null, -0.2 see below (2762 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 BCGKNOTS123 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=2 1 1000 S POS TARG null, -0.4 see below (2762 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BCGKNOTS123 1 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR none none none none 1 N/A BCGKNOTS123 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 1 1 632.0 S BCGKNOTS123 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 2 1 632.0 S CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 1 N/A CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 1 N/A BCGKNOTS123 4 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 1 2 1381.0 S BCGKNOTS123 4 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 2 2 1381.0 S CCDFLAT 5 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 2 N/A CCDFLAT 5 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 2 N/A 14046( 2) - 02-Mar-2015 15:20:31 - [ 6] 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BCGKNOTS123 6 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 1 3 1381.0 S BCGKNOTS123 6 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 2 3 1381.0 S CCDFLAT 7 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 3 N/A CCDFLAT 7 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 3 N/A BCGKNOTS123 8 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 1 4 1381.0 S BCGKNOTS123 8 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none none 2 4 1381.0 S CCDFLAT 9 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 4 N/A CCDFLAT 9 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X0.5 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 4 N/A 14046( 2) - 02-Mar-2015 15:20:31 - [ 7] Summary Form for Proposal 14046 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures 50CCD, 52X0.5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations STIS/CCD ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACCUM, ACQ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters ACQTYPE=DIFFUSE, CHECKBOX=5.0, CR-SPLIT=2, DIFFUSE-CENTER=FLUX-CENTROID ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements ORIENT 130.5D TO 136 D, ORIENT 310.5D TO 316 D, POS TARG null, -0.2, POS TARG null, -0.4, POS TARG null, 0.2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements G750L, MIRROR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names BCGKNOTS123, CCDFLAT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------