5792( 0) - 07/18/95 18:00 - [ 1] PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID: 5792 Version: ********** Check-in Date: ********** 1.Proposal Title: Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei in Nearby Galaxies ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Category 3. Proposal For 4. Cycle AGN AR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Investigators Contact? PI: Alexei Filippenko University of California, Berkeley CoI: Luis Ho University of California, Berkeley N CoI: Wallace Sargent Caltech N CoI: Aaron Barth University of California, Berkeley N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Abstract The unique capabilities of HST provide us with the opportunity to make significant advances in our understanding of nuclear activity in nearby galactic nuclei. As a continuation of our archival program from Cycle 4, we plan to integrate data from the HST archive with those from our ground-based systematic survey of the nuclei of the 500 brightest northern galaxies. The principal goal of our long- term program is to search for and study the nature of low- luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGNs) in the centers of nearby galaxies. Specific objectives related to the HST data are to : (1) measure the UV continua of LINERs in order to set constraints on their excitation mechanism, (2) measure the line intensities and profiles of UV emission lines of LINERs in order to determine the physical conditions of the line- emitting gas, (3) characterize the isophotal parameters of the nuclei and identify structures such as nuclear point sources, disks, and cusps in the high-resolution images, and (4) investigate the overall stellar content of the nuclei in order to address the connection between nuclear activity and properties of the host galaxy. Once completed, this work can be used to quantify the faint end of the AGN luminosity function, to assess the contribution of LLAGNs to the cosmic soft X-ray background, and to address various issues concerning the evolution of AGNs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ Real Time Justification ----------------------- Calibration Justification ------------------------- Additional Comments ------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5792( 0) - 07/18/95 18:00 - [ 2] Data Distribution Media: 8MM Blocking Factor: 10 Ship To: PI_Address Ship Via: UPS Email: , ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5792( 0) - 07/18/95 18:00 - [ 3] Summary Form for Proposal 5792 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal Category AR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Category AGN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------