7527(  1) - 12/14/96 00:30  - [  0]

    PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS   ST ScI Use Only
                                                       ID:      7527
                                                       Version: 1
                                                       Check-in Date: 13-Dec-1996
                                                                      18:15:46

1.Proposal Title:
An Archival Study of Nearby, Low- Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei
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2. Scientific Category   3. Proposal For  4. Cycle
AGN/QUASARS                 AR               7
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5. Investigators
                                                                                     Contact?
    PI: Alex Filippenko                   University of California, Berkeley
   CoI: Aaron Barth                       University of California, Berkeley            N
   CoI: Luis Ho                           Center for Astrophysics                       N
   CoI: Chien Peng                        University of California, Berkeley            N
   CoI: Wallace Sargent                   California Institute of Technology            N

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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 programs from Cycles 4 and 5, we plan to integrate data
from the HST archive with those from our ground-based systematic survey of the
nuclei of the 486 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.
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  Data Distribution

  Media:           ELECTRONIC
  Blocking Factor: 10
  Ship To:         PI_Address
  Ship Via:
  Email:                                                              ,
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                                                7527(  1) - 12/14/96 00:30  - [  1]

            Summary Form for Proposal  7527

  Item                         Used in this proposal
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  Proposal Category            AR
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  Scientific Category          AGN/QUASARS
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