14791( 6) - 08-Aug-2016 13:33:55 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 14791 Version: 6 Check-in Time: 08-Aug-2016 13:33:55 STScI Edit Number: 0 Title Assessing the dependency of the fine structure constant on gravity using hot DA white dwarfs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO 24 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Prof. Martin Barstow University of Leicester Y CoI: Prof. John Barrow University of Cambridge N CoI: Prof. John K. Webb University of New South Wales N CoI: Dr. Julian Carlo Berengut University of New South Wales N CoI: Mr. Darren Dougan University of New South Wales N CoI: Ms. Jiting HU University of New South Wales N CoI: Prof. Wim Ubachs Vrije Universitet Amsterdam N CoI: Mr. Mario Dapra Vrije Universitet Amsterdam N CoI: Dr. Edcel Salumbides Vrije Universitet Amsterdam N CoI: Dr. Jay B. Holberg University of Arizona N CoI: Dr. Sarah Casewell University of Leicester N CoI: Dr. Matthew Burleigh University of Leicester N CoI: Mr. Simon Joyce University of Leicester N CoI: Dr. Simon Paul Preval University of Strathclyde N CoI: Dr. Nicole Reindl University of Leicester N CoI: Matthew Bainbridge University of Leicester N CoI: Dr. Thomas R. Ayres University of Colorado at Boulder N CoI: Mr. Vladimir Dzuba University of New South Wales N CoI: Prof. Victor Flambaum University of New South Wales N CoI: Mr. Vincent Dumont University of New South Wales N CoI: Dr. Gillian Nave National Institute of Standards and N Technology ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract Variation of fundamental constants is a common theme of many theories of quantum gravity and Grand Unification. Using spectra obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope, it has been shown by Berengut et al. (2013), and Bagdonaite et al. (2014), that it is possible to place strong constraints on gravitational variations of the fine structure constant (alpha), and the proton to electron mass ratio (mu) in white dwarf stars. As part of the UV initiative, we propose to observe four hot DA white dwarf stars using STIS with the E140H grating, totalling 12 orbits. These four stars have been chosen so as to have a wide range of masses, allowing a full exploration of the compactness parameter space (M/R). We will measure several absorption features of Fe V and Ni V, and extract any potential variation in alpha in a manner similar to Berengut et al. (2013). This proposal will be a significant advance in the effort to detect gravitational variations in alpha. A confirmed detection of alpha variation would have extensive consequences for fundamental physics, cosmology, and would also signal the breakdown of Einstein's Equivalence principle, and hence, general relativity. Furthermore, a 14791( 6) - 08-Aug-2016 13:33:55 - [ 2] null detection would also allow strong limits to be placed on any potential alpha variation in a strong gravitational field. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ FUV MAMA Echelle spectra of three White Dwarf stars will be observed with the E140H grating, with settings 1307 & 1416. Visit A0 star: WD2211-495 Target acquisition using the 50CCD aperture Orbit 1 E140H spectrum with cen. wave. setting 1307 using the 0."2x0."2 slit During earth block: GO wavecal exposures with cen. wave. setting 1307 using the 0."2x0."09 slit Orbit 2 E140H spectrum with cen. wave. setting 1416 using the 0."2x0."2 slit During earth block: GO wavecal exposures with cen. wave. setting 1416 using the 0."2x0."09 slit Visit C0 star: WD0621-376 (REJ0623-371) Target acquisition using the 50CCD aperture Orbit 1&2 E140H spectrum with cen. wave. setting 1307 using the 0."2x0."2 slit During earth blocks: GO wavecal exposures with cen. wave. setting 1307 using the 0."2x0."09 slit Orbit 3&4 E140H spectrum with cen. wave. setting 1416 using the 0."2x0."2 slit During earth blocks: GO wavecal exposures with cen. wave. setting 1416 using the 0."2x0."09 slit Visit D0 star: WD0455-28 Target acquisition using the 50CCD aperture Orbit 1, 2, 3: E140H spectrum with cen. wave. setting 1307 using the 0."2x0."2 slit During earth blocks: GO wavecal exposures with cen. wave. setting 1307 using the 0."2x0."09 slit Visit D1 star: WD0455-28 Target acquisition using the 50CCD aperture Orbit 1, 2, 3: E140H spectrum with cen. wave. setting 1416 using the 0."2x0."2 slit During earth blocks: GO wavecal exposures with cen. wave. setting 1416 using the 0."2x0."09 slit ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14791( 6) - 08-Aug-2016 13:33:55 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 WD2211-495 STAR, DA RA=22H14M11.9140S +/- 1.0", J2000 V = 0. V = 11.57 IUE fluxes: 1.4E-11 @ 130 nm, DEC=-49D19'27.26" +/- 1.0" 1.1E-11 @ 140nm Reference Frame: ICRS Comments: ICRS coordinates and proper motions from SIMBAD; verified against 2MASS coordinates (epoch 1999.65) Epoch of Position RA proper motion (seconds of time/yr) DEC Proper Motion (arcsec/yr) Annual Parallax (arcsec) 2000 7.978181294891844E-4 -0.06620000000000001 0. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 WD0621-376 STAR, DA RA=06H23M12.6080S +/- 1.0", J2000 V = 0. V = 12.42 IUE fluxes: 9E-12 @ 130 nm, DEC=-37D41'27.96" +/- 1.0" 7E-12 @ 140nm Reference Frame: ICRS Comments: ICRS coordinates and proper motions from SIMBAD; verified against 2MASS coordinates (epoch 1999.88) Epoch of Position RA proper motion (seconds of time/yr) DEC Proper Motion (arcsec/yr) Annual Parallax (arcsec) 2000 0.005450818164914834 -0.0037 0. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 WD0455-282 STAR, DA RA=04H57M13.3180S +/- 1.0", J2000 V = 0. V = 13.92 IUE fluxes: 1.6E-12 @ 130 nm, DEC=-28D07'52.74" +/- 1.0" 1.2E-12 @ 140nm Reference Frame: ICRS Comments: ICRS coordinates and proper motions from SIMBAD; verified against 2MASS coordinates (epoch 1998.98) Epoch of Position RA proper motion (seconds of time/yr) DEC Proper Motion (arcsec/yr) Annual Parallax (arcsec) 2000 0.00396884214396962 0.010199999999999999 0. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14791( 6) - 08-Aug-2016 13:33:55 - [ 4] Visit: A0 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 WD2211-495 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR 1 0.1 S (0.1 S) Comments: time to saturation 0.5s; SNR= 220 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 WD2211-495 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 WAVECAL=NO 1 2610 S SEQ 2-3 NON-INT -MAMA (2610 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 NONE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 LAMP=LINE 1 300 S (300 QESIPARM TARGTYPE HITM2 -MAMA S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 WD2211-495 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 WAVECAL=NO 1 2966 S SEQ 4-5 NON-INT -MAMA (2966 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 WAVE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 1 300 S (300 -MAMA 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WD2211-495 1 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR none none none none 1 N/A WD2211-495 2 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 none none none none 1 N/A -MAMA NONE 3 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 none none none none 1 N/A -MAMA WD2211-495 4 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 none none none none 2 N/A -MAMA WAVE 5 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 none none none none 2 N/A -MAMA 14791( 6) - 08-Aug-2016 13:33:55 - [ 5] Visit: C0 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 WD0621-376 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR 1 0.1 S (0.1 S) Comments: time to saturation 1.0s; SNR= 148 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 WD0621-376 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 WAVECAL=NO 1 2525 S SEQ 2-3 NON-INT -MAMA (2525 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 NONE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 LAMP=LINE 1 300 S (300 QESIPARM TARGTYPE HITM2 -MAMA S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 WD0621-376 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 WAVECAL=NO 1 3002 S SEQ 4-5 NON-INT -MAMA (3002 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 NONE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 LAMP=LINE 1 300 S (300 QESIPARM TARGTYPE HITM2 -MAMA S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 WD0621-376 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 WAVECAL=NO 1 2881 S SEQ 6-7 NON-INT -MAMA (2881 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 WAVE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 1 300 S (300 -MAMA S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 WD0621-376 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 WAVECAL=NO 1 3002 S SEQ 8-9 NON-INT -MAMA (3002 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 WAVE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 1 300 S (300 -MAMA 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WD0621-376 1 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR none none none none 1 N/A WD0621-376 2 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 none none none none 1 N/A -MAMA NONE 3 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 none none none none 1 N/A -MAMA WD0621-376 4 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 none none none none 2 N/A -MAMA 14791( 6) - 08-Aug-2016 13:33:55 - [ 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NONE 5 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 none none none none 2 N/A -MAMA WD0621-376 6 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 none none none none 3 N/A -MAMA WAVE 7 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 none none none none 3 N/A -MAMA WD0621-376 8 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 none none none none 4 N/A -MAMA WAVE 9 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 none none none none 4 N/A -MAMA 14791( 6) - 08-Aug-2016 13:33:55 - [ 7] Visit: D0 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 WD0455-282 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR 1 0.1 S (0.1 S) Comments: time to saturation 4.0s; SNR= 71 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 WD0455-282 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 WAVECAL=NO 1 2487 S SEQ 2-3 NON-INT -MAMA (2487 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 NONE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 LAMP=LINE 1 300 S (300 QESIPARM TARGTYPE HITM2 -MAMA S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 WD0455-282 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 WAVECAL=NO 1 2964 S SEQ 4-5 NON-INT -MAMA (2964 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 NONE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 LAMP=LINE 1 300 S (300 QESIPARM TARGTYPE HITM2 -MAMA S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 WD0455-282 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 WAVECAL=NO 1 2964 S SEQ 6-7 NON-INT -MAMA (2964 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 NONE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 LAMP=LINE 1 300 S (300 QESIPARM TARGTYPE HITM2 -MAMA 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WD0455-282 1 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR none none none none 1 N/A WD0455-282 2 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 none none none none 1 N/A -MAMA NONE 3 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 none none none none 1 N/A -MAMA WD0455-282 4 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 none none none none 2 N/A -MAMA NONE 5 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 none none none none 2 N/A -MAMA WD0455-282 6 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1307 none none none none 3 N/A -MAMA NONE 7 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1307 none none none none 3 N/A -MAMA 14791( 6) - 08-Aug-2016 13:33:55 - [ 8] Visit: D1 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 WD0455-282 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR 1 0.1 S (0.1 S) Comments: time to saturation 4.0s; SNR= 71 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 WD0455-282 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 WAVECAL=NO 1 2487 S SEQ 2-3 NON-INT -MAMA (2487 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 WAVE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 1 300 S (300 -MAMA S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 WD0455-282 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 WAVECAL=NO 1 2964 S SEQ 4-5 NON-INT -MAMA (2964 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 WAVE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 1 300 S (300 -MAMA S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 WD0455-282 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 WAVECAL=NO 1 2964 S SEQ 6-7 NON-INT -MAMA (2964 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 WAVE STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 1 300 S (300 -MAMA 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WD0455-282 1 STIS/CCD ACQ 50CCD MIRROR none none none none 1 N/A WD0455-282 2 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 none none none none 1 N/A -MAMA WAVE 3 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 none none none none 1 N/A -MAMA WD0455-282 4 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 none none none none 2 N/A -MAMA WAVE 5 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 none none none none 2 N/A -MAMA WD0455-282 6 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E140H 1416 none none none none 3 N/A -MAMA WAVE 7 STIS/FUV ACCUM 0.2X0.09 E140H 1416 none none none none 3 N/A -MAMA 14791( 6) - 08-Aug-2016 13:33:55 - [ 9] Summary Form for Proposal 14791 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures 0.2X0.09, 0.2X0.2, 50CCD ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations STIS/CCD, STIS/FUV-MAMA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACCUM, ACQ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters LAMP=LINE, WAVECAL=NO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements QESIPARM TARGTYPE HITM2, SEQ 2-3 NON-INT, SEQ 4-5 NON-INT, SEQ 6-7 NON-INT, SEQ 8-9 NON-INT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements E140H, MIRROR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names NONE, WAVE, WD0455-282, WD0621-376, WD2211-495 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------