15404( 5) - 09-Nov-2017 20:59:02 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 15404 Version: 5 Check-in Time: 09-Nov-2017 20:59:02 STScI Edit Number: 0 Title Catching the onset of black hole activity in nearby galaxy Mrk 590 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO/DD 25 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Dr. Marianne Vestergaard University of Copenhagen, Niels Bohr Y Institute CoI: Dr. Sandra Raimundo University of Copenhagen, Niels Bohr N Institute CoI: Prof. Bradley M Peterson The Ohio State University N CoI: Dr. Gisella De Rosa Space Telescope Science Institute N CoI: Daniel P. Lawther University of Copenhagen, Niels Bohr N Institute CoI: Dr. Jun Yi (Kevin) Koay Academia Sinica, Institute of Astronomy N and Astrophysics ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract After a 10-year hiatus, Mrk 590 appears to be rekindling its nuclear activity! This offers a very rare opportunity to document the onset of AGN activity as it occurs that can lead to a better understanding of the long-standing issue of how AGNs are fuelled. We request a single observation as soon as possible and a five-visit ToO program triggered by the 0.3-10keV Swift X-ray flux to establish with HST/COS the amount of UV nuclear continuum and line emission at each of the 6 observing epochs, ~3 weeks apart, and thereby probe the AGN accretion state changes with time as the AGN turns on. We currently monitor Mrk 590, in response to two sudden and strong X-ray flares in Sept 2017, following previous minor flares, which indicate that the AGN may soon turn on again. We continue to monitor Mrk 590 with Swift (optical-UV-X-ray continuum), the VLBA (radio continuum) and optical ground-based telescopes. We are missing a ~1000 A< lambda< ~2000A spectrum to characterize the state of the far-UV emission. We aim to establish when a thin accretion disk and the broad emission line region are re-established. Given the nature of this transitory state we cannot wait for the next GO program in Cycle 27. These data will be combined with continuing monitoring with Swift and ground-based telescopes in order to determine the time scales and order in which the emission components appear as the central engine is being re-established. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ We propose to obtain COS low resolution FUV observations of the Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 590 to determine if the AGN thermal emission and broad emission lines have re-appeared in response to the significant increase in X-ray and far-UV emission as detected by Swift when this program is triggered. Using the G140L grating @1105 Ang we will be able to cover the Lya1215, NV1240, Si IV + O IV1400, C IV1549, HeII1640 and CIII]1909 broad emission lines in a single exposure. The grating resolution is adequate to 15404( 5) - 09-Nov-2017 20:59:02 - [ 2] resolve the typical AGN narrow emission components; the width of the [O III]5007 narrow line is FWHM~400 km s-1. As explained in the Phase I, the target has been closely monitored with SWIFT, and in the past 80 days UVW2 fluxes (centroid wavelength 1928) have varied from a minimum of ~2.2e-15 erg s-1 cm-2 Ang-1 to a max of ~4.0 erg s-1 cm-2 Ang-1. Note: the target has already been successfully observed in the same configurations during faint state (PID 13518) ACQUISITION: The target has precise 2MASS coordinates (ICRS reproduced with an error < 0.1"). We plan to use ACQ/IMG NUV MIRRORB and an exp time of 140s. For our ETC calculations we assume a flat continuum in fl normalized to half of the min observed UVW2 flux f_l ~1.1e-15 erg s-1 cm-2 Ang-1 @1928 Ang (http://etc.stsci.edu/etc/results/COS.ta.1030198/). This will ensure acquisition in case of "faint" state. The source will not pose a threat to the detector even if it ends up being 5 times more luminous than the max detected in the past 80 days (http://etc.stsci.edu/etc/results/COS.ta.1030199/). SCIENCE: We use the G140L grating at 1105Ang with FP_POS=ALL. For ETC calculations we assume a flat continuum normalized to the mean observed UVW2 flux in the past 80 days (http://etc.stsci.edu/etc/results/COS.sp.1030204/). Buffer time is set to 2/3 of the ETC buffer time. The source will not pose a threat to the detector even if it ends up being 5 times more luminous than the past 80 days (http://etc.stsci.edu/etc/results/COS.sp.1030205/). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15404( 5) - 09-Nov-2017 20:59:02 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NGC-863 GALAXY, ACCRETION DISK, RA=02H14M33.5790S +/- 0.1", J2000 V = 13.81 UM2=3.5 erg s-1 cm-2 Ang-1 BLR, SEYFERT DEC=-00D46'0.28" +/- 0.1" (pivot wavelength 2246 ang) Reference Frame: ICRS Extended: NO Comments: The source has been monitored with SWIFT, information sent to cs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15404( 5) - 09-Nov-2017 20:59:02 - [ 4] Visit: 01 Visit Requirements: SCHED 100% 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 NGC-863 COS/NUV ACQ/IMA PSA MIRRORB 1 140 S (140 GE S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 NGC-863 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 FP-POS=ALL, BUFFER-TIME=5000 1 474 S G see below (1720 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NGC-863 1 COS/NUV ACQ/IMA PSA MIRRORB none none none none 1 N/A GE NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 1 1 430.0 S G NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 2 1 430.0 S G NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 3 1 430.0 S G NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 4 1 430.0 S G 15404( 5) - 09-Nov-2017 20:59:02 - [ 5] Visit: 02 Visit Requirements: ON HOLD On Hold Comments: Waiting for the trigger from Swift X-ray monitoring that is currently undertaken. PI will trigger the observation on the program website when relevant. We kindly ask for this visit to be scheduled as soon as is possible after the trigger. 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 NGC-863 COS/NUV ACQ/IMA PSA MIRRORB 1 140 S (140 GE S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 NGC-863 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 FP-POS=ALL, BUFFER-TIME=5000 1 474 S G see below (1944 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NGC-863 1 COS/NUV ACQ/IMA PSA MIRRORB none none none none 1 N/A GE NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 1 1 486.0 S G NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 2 1 486.0 S G NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 3 1 486.0 S G NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 4 1 486.0 S G 15404( 5) - 09-Nov-2017 20:59:02 - [ 6] Visit: 03 Visit Requirements: AFTER 02 BY 5 D TO 28 D; ON HOLD FOR 02 On Hold Comments: This visit should occur as soon as possible after 5 days from visit 02 (visit 02 is triggered). However, a time frame up to 28 days is acceptable. Any later and the science goals cannot be achieved. 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 NGC-863 COS/NUV ACQ/IMA PSA MIRRORB 1 140 S (140 GE S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 NGC-863 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 FP-POS=ALL, BUFFER-TIME=5000 1 474 S G see below (1944 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NGC-863 1 COS/NUV ACQ/IMA PSA MIRRORB none none none none 1 N/A GE NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 1 1 486.0 S G NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 2 1 486.0 S G NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 3 1 486.0 S G NGC-863 2 COS/FUV TIME-TA PSA G140L 1105 none none none 4 1 486.0 S G 15404( 5) - 09-Nov-2017 20:59:02 - [ 7] Summary Form for Proposal 15404 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures PSA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations COS/FUV, COS/NUV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACQ/IMAGE, TIME-TAG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters BUFFER-TIME=5000, FP-POS=ALL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements AFTER 02 BY 5 D TO 28 D, ON HOLD , ON HOLD FOR 02, SCHED 100% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements G140L, MIRRORB ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names NGC-863 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------