Page 1 PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID 5477 Report Date: 18-Jul-95:17:29 Version: ********** Check-in Date: ********** 1.Proposal Title: SPECTRAL INDEX MAPPING AND SECULAR CHANGES IN THE JET OF M87: CYCLE4 HIGH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Category 3. Proposal For 4. Proposal Type 5. Continuation ID QUASARS & AGN GO Sub Category JETS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Principal Investigator Institution Country Telephone Dr. Ferdinando D. Macchetto STSCI USA 301-338-4790 DIVISION HEAD, SPD ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Abstract We propose to map the optical-to-UV spectrum of the M87 jet at ~0.1" resolution using WFPC2 and the FOC. At this resolution it will be possible, for the first time, to map the optical spectral indices and "break frequency" both along and across an extragalactic jet. Preliminary comparison of 372 nm FOC data and 2 cm VLA data indicate the optical emission is more concentrated in the knots than the radio emission. Detailed study of the optical spectrum itself will help elucidate the physical causes of this effect, and perhaps reveal the sites of particle acceleration (if any). Variations in the frequency of the optical spectral break may show how the magnetic field varies with distance from the center of the jet. We will also compare 1991 FOC data with the Cycle 4 observations to search for secular changes or motions in the jet. Typical speeds found with VLA observations range from ~0.5c and up to 3c, which is within current HST measurement capabilities. An optical determination of the velocity field will help confirm the radio result and better constrain speed of the jet fluid. Since the optical emission is more concentrated near the jet axis than the radio emission, the optical data will also show whether there are strong velocity variations across the jet. Secular changes in luminosity or polarization are also likely as the knots move, which will provide information on the evolution of the electron energy distribution and magnetic fields. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Est obs time (hours) pri: 10.87 par: 0 10. Num targs pri: 1 par: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Instruments requested: FOC WF/PC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 2 I. GENERAL FORM Proposal 5477 PI: Dr. Ferdinando D. Macchetto Proposal Title: SPECTRAL INDEX MAPPING AND SECULAR CHANGES IN THE JET OF M87: CYCLE4 HIGH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Proposers: Proposers Institution Country ESA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. Ferdinando D. Macchetto STSCI USA X Dr. William B Sparks STSCI USA Dr. John Biretta STSCI USA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Description of proposed observations. We propose FOC and WFPC2 observations of the nucleus, jet and counter-jet of M87. Direct FOC images will be taken in the F140W and F320W ultraviolet filters, with and without neutral density. To cover the whole jet we need three different pointings in the 512x512 format. The WFPC2 observations will be taken with the F555W and F785LP filters, including also the counter-jet. Orientation will be chosen so that the counter-jet emission region falls on one of the WF CCDs, thus affording higher signal-to-noise ratio for this weak feature. Also polarization images (F555W) through each quad of the polarizer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Justification of need for HST observations. The observations require the highest spatial resolution for measurement of small proper motions, for obtaining usefully resolved Faraday rotation-free and wavelength independent polarization maps, for comparison with existing VLA data and to discriminate the nuclear point source from its surroundings. The far-UV imaging unique to HST also allows us to probe the most energetic electron populations at the highest resolution currently possible. In addition, the extreme stability of the space environment is a strong asset in measurements of this type. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Description of special scheduling requirements. Interactive observations needed to locate the jet accurately within the restricted FOC field of view. The FOC orientation requirements will allow a greater overlapping between the different exposures. The WFPC orientation requirements are necessary to place the jet in PC1 and the counter-jet in any of the wide field cameras. Please execute the WFPC2 and FOC observations within one month of each other. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Description of special calibration exposures. INT FLATs to measure reseaux positions before and after observations to accurately model the FOC geometric distorsion. All exposures have to taken within a month because of expected proper motion of the jet. Constraints on the orientation and the stability of the require consecutive exposures for the FOC. For the same reasons the set of WFPC2 observations is required without gap. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Additional comments or special requests. none ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Description of previous HST work. Miscellaneous FOC GTO observations of M87 jet. Cycle 2 proposal 3594 to conduct single wavelength polarization observations of the M87 jet. Detailed images and spectral index maps of M87 showing both striking similarity between radio and optical data, and also clear differences. Optical emission is more centrally concentrated, and more localized in the knots than the radio emission. Page 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. Resources to be supplied by investigator's institution(s). The STScI supplies network connections and a common workstation-based computing environment (printers, hard-copier, fileserver with shared diskspace). The proposers have or will have workstations obtained from previous grants which might require upgrade and continuing maintenance. No dedicated research assistants or students are available, and such staff must be proposed for and funded. In addition, we would support a post-doc with funding provided by this proposal. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Address Information Name: Ferdinando D. Macchetto Category: PI Institution: STSCI Address: 3700 SAN MARTIN DRIVE City: BALTIMORE State: MD Zip Code: 21218 Country: USA Telephone: 301-338-4790 Telex (or e-mail): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET LIST a) Fixed Targets ID = 5477 [ 4] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial |Acqui|FLX| Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. |Prblm|REF| | | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M87-JET-POS1 E,315 RA = 12H 28M 17.407S +/- 1950 Z = EXT NGC4486 0.01S, 0.0043 DEC = 12D 40' 02.50" +/- 0.1" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 M87-JET-POS2 E,315 RA = 12H 28M 16.984S +/- 1950 Z = EXT NGC4486 0.1S, 0.0043 DEC = 12D 40' 05.00" +/- 0.1" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 M87-JET-POS3 E,315 RA = 12H 28M 16.550S +/- 1950 Z = EXT NGC4486 0.1S, 0.0043 DEC = 12D 40' 07.22" +/- 0.1" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 M87-NUC E,315 RA = 12H 28M 17.57S +/- 1950 Z = EXT NGC4486 0.01S, 0.0043 DEC = 12D 40' 01.749" +/- 0.01" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 5477 [ 5] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 | 11 | 12 |13 |14| 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Line | Seq | Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | S/N |Flx|Pr| Special Number | Name | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| |Rel. Time|Ref| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 DEF INTFLAT FOC/96 RESEAU 512X512 CLEAR 1 DEF 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 SEQ 1-15 NO GAP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F342W 1 5M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS1 INT ACQ FOR 11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F140W 3 30M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F342W 1 32M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F342W, 1 30M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS1 F2ND ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F342W, 1 30M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS1 F4ND ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15 DEF INTFLAT FOC/96 RESEAU 512X512 CLEAR 1 DEF 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 19 DEF INTFLAT FOC/96 RESEAU 512X512 CLEAR 1 DEF 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 SEQ 19-25 NO GAP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 20 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F342W 1 5M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS2 INT ACQ FOR 21 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F140W 3 32M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 24 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F342W 2 32M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 25 DEF INTFLAT FOC/96 RESEAU 512X512 CLEAR 1 DEF 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 29 DEF INTFLAT FOC/96 RESEAU 512X512 CLEAR 1 DEF 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 SEQ 29-33 NO GAP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 30 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F342W 1 5M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS3 INT ACQ FOR 31 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 31 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F140W 3 32M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 32 DEF M87-JET- FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F342W 3 32M 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 POS3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 33 DEF INTFLAT FOC/96 RESEAU 512X512 CLEAR 1 DEF 1 CYCLE 4 FOCM87 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 5477 [ 6] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 | 11 | 12 |13 |14| 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Line | Seq | Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | S/N |Flx|Pr| Special Number | Name | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| |Rel. Time|Ref| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 34 USE ORIENT 10D +/- 15D FOCM87 SELECT 1 OF 34 OR 35 OR 36 OR 37 Comments: JET PA 291D ALONG AN FOC DIAGONAL. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 35 USE ORIENT 100D +/- FOCM87 15D ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 36 USE ORIENT 190D +/- FOCM87 15D ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 37 USE ORIENT 280D +/- FOCM87 15D ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 41 DEF M87-NUC WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F555W 1 30S 1 CYCLE 4 / 41.0- M87WF3 44.0 SEQ 41.0-44.0 NO GAP ORIENT 296D +/- 15D Comments: COUNTER-JET ON WF3 POS TARG to POS TARG -10.0,- get nucleus closer to apex Jet 10.0 pa 291D intended to run from apex diag across PC1, i.e. along U3, this sequence. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42 DEF M87-NUC WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F555W 4 10M 1 ORIENT 296D +/- M87WF3 15D POS TARG -10.0,- 10.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 43 DEF M87-NUC WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F814W 1 30S 1 ORIENT 296D +/- M87WF3 15D POS TARG -10.0,- 10.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 44 DEF M87-NUC WFPC2 IMAGE PC1-FIX F814W 4 10M 1 ORIENT 296D +/- M87WF3 15D POS TARG -10.0,- 10.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 45 DEF M87-NUC WFPC2 IMAGE WF2-FIX F555W 2 4M 1 CYCLE 4 / 45.0- M87POL 47.1 SEQ 45.0-47.1 NO GAP SAME ORIENT FOR 45.1-47.1 Comments: JET AND COUNTER JET ON WF2 AS 45.0 WITHOUT POL. POS TARG -6.0,+6.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 5477 [ 7] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 | 11 | 12 |13 |14| 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Line | Seq | Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | S/N |Flx|Pr| Special Number | Name | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| |Rel. Time|Ref| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 45.1 DEF M87-NUC WFPC2 IMAGE WF2-FIX F555W, 3 10M 1 POS TARG -6.0,+6.0 M87POL POLQ Comments: JET AND COUNTER JET ON WF2 WITH POL. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 46 DEF M87-NUC WFPC2 IMAGE WF3-FIX F555W, 2 4M 1 POS TARG -6.0,-6.0 M87POL POLQ Comments: JET AND COUNTER JET ON WF3 WITHOUT POL. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 46.1 DEF M87-NUC WFPC2 IMAGE WF3-FIX F555W, 3 10M 1 POS TARG -6.0,-6.0 M87POL POLQ Comments: JET AND COUNTER JET ON WF3 WITH POL. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 47 DEF M87-NUC WFPC2 IMAGE WF4-FIX F555W, 2 4M 1 POS TARG +6.0,-6.0 M87POL POLQ Comments: JET AND COUNTER JET ON WF4 WITHOUT POL. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 47.1 DEF M87-NUC WFPC2 IMAGE WF4-FIX F555W, 3 10M 1 POS TARG +6.0,-6.0 M87POL POLQ Comments: JET AND COUNTER JET ON WF4 WITH POL. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 70 USE M87WF3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 80 USE M87POL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary Form for Proposal 5477 [ 8] Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations FOC/96 WFPC2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes RESEAU IMAGE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal for GO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S/C Hours 10.87 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Category QUASARS & AGN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Sub-category JETS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements CYCLE 4; SEQ 1-15 NO GAP INT ACQ FOR 11 CYCLE 4 SEQ 19-25 NO GAP; INT ACQ FOR 21 SEQ 29-33 NO GAP; INT ACQ FOR 31 ORIENT 10D +/- 15D; SELECT 1 OF 34 OR 35 OR 36 OR 37 ORIENT 100D +/- 15D; ORIENT 190D +/- 15D; ORIENT 280D +/- 15D; CYCLE 4 / 41.0-44.0; SEQ 41.0-44.0 NO GAP; ORIENT 296D +/- 15D; POS TARG -10.0,-10.0 CYCLE 4 / 45.0-47.1; SEQ 45.0-47.1 NO GAP; SAME ORIENT FOR 45.1-47.1 AS 45.0; POS TARG -6.0,+6.0 POS TARG -6.0,-6.0 POS TARG +6.0,-6.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements CLEAR F342W F140W F342W,F2ND F342W,F4ND F555W F814W F555W,POLQ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names M87-JET-POS1 NGC4486 M87-JET-POS2 M87-JET-POS3 M87-NUC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------