8288( 4) - 07/27/99 12:57 - [ 1] PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID: 8288 Version: 4 Check-in Date: 18-Feb-1999 07:46:10 1.Proposal Title: UV brightest known intermediate redshift QSO:, A z=1.15 DLA and metals in the Ly Alpha forest ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Proposal For 3. Cycle GO 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Investigators Contact? PI: Dieter Reimers Universitat Hamburg CoI: Ana de la Varga Hamburger Sternwarte N CoI: Dr. Lutz Wisotzki Hamburger Sternwarte N CoI: Sebastian Lopez Hamburger Sternwarte N CoI: Dr. Hans-Juergen Hagen Hamburger Sternwarte N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Abstract We propose to observe with STIS the DLA system at z = 1.15 and the Ly Alpha forest in HE 0515-4414, with V = 14.9 and z = 1.71 the brightest known QSO above z = 1.5 (also in the UV with a flux of > 5x10^-15 erg/cm^2/s^1/Angstrom). We plan to observe the unabsorbed range from 2300 to 3100 Angstrom at a resolution of ~ 30 000 with the following aims: (i) to detect the Ly Alpha forest at z < 1.5 in order to investigate the evolution of metallicity in the Ly Alpha forest by means of optical spectra at extremely high resolution and S/N covering CIV (z = 1 to 1.5) and SiIV (1.3 to 1.5); (ii) to determine element abundances in the damped Ly Alpha system at z = 1.15 from ions not accessible from the ground ( HI, SII, SIII, PII, PV, SiIII, SiIV, CII, CIII, OI, NII, NI, ArI, etc.). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8288( 4) - 07/27/99 12:57 - [ 2] Observations Description ------------------------ We propose to take a STIS E230M medium resolution (30 000) Echelle spectrum in the range 2300 to 3100 Angstrom (one setting). A S/N around 15 is necessary to be able to detect broad, weak LyAlpha lines with log N(H\I) >= 14.5 in the UV. With a flux over 5x10^-15 erg/cm^2/s/Angstrom (IUE) in the whole range, an exposure time of ~ 3x10^4 seconds is required, according to the STIS exposure time calculator, which corresponds to 11 orbits (including STIS overheads and reacquisition) Real Time Justification ----------------------- None Optical observations of HE 0515-4414 have been succesfully conducted with CASPEC/ESO 3.6 m in the spectral range 3300- 8500 Angstrom at R<= 30 000 and S/N <= 55 (de la Varga & Reimers 1997, de la Varga et al. 1998). Very high S/N observations are planned between 3200 and 4200 Angstrom (CIV forest) with UVES at VLT/UT2. Probably the observations can be already done in the UVES science verification phase in winter 99/00, since it is the brightest intermediate redshift QSO known in which the CIV "forest" can be observed and, therefore, constitutes an privileged target. Calibration Justification ------------------------- Additional Comments ------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Data Distribution Paper Products: NO Media: ELECTRONIC Blocking Factor: 10 Ship To: PI_Address Ship Via: Email: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8288( 4) - 07/27/99 12:57 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 HE0515-4414 GALAXY, QSO RA=05H 17M 07.53S +/- 0.08S, J2000 Z=1.71 V = 14.9 DEC=-44D 10' 55.3" +/- 1", PLATE F(2700)=5+/-1e-15 -ID=00AJ 8288( 4) - 07/27/99 12:57 - [ 4] Visit: 01 Visit Priority: Visit Requirements: GROUP 1-3 WITHIN 30D On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exposure| Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Number | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 HE0515-4414 STIS/C ACQ F28X50L MIRROR 1 1 S ONBOARD ACQ FOR 2-3 CD P ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 HE0515-4414 STIS/N ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E230M 2707 1 2500 S UV-MAM A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 HE0515-4414 STIS/N ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E230M 2707 3 3000 S UV-MAM A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8288( 4) - 07/27/99 12:57 - [ 5] Visit: 02 Visit Priority: Visit Requirements: On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exposure| Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Number | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 HE0515-4414 STIS/C ACQ F28X50L MIRROR 1 1 S ONBOARD ACQ FOR 2-3 CD P ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 HE0515-4414 STIS/N ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E230M 2707 1 2500 S UV-MAM A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 HE0515-4414 STIS/N ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E230M 2707 3 3000 S UV-MAM A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8288( 4) - 07/27/99 12:57 - [ 6] Visit: 03 Visit Priority: Visit Requirements: On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exposure| Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Number | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 HE0515-4414 STIS/C ACQ F28X50L MIRROR 1 1 S ONBOARD ACQ FOR 2-3 CD P ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 HE0515-4414 STIS/N ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E230M 2707 1 2500 S UV-MAM A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 HE0515-4414 STIS/N ACCUM 0.2X0.2 E230M 2707 2 3000 S UV-MAM A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8288( 4) - 07/27/99 12:57 - [ 7] Summary Form for Proposal 8288 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures F28X50LP 0.2X0.2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations STIS/CCD STIS/NUV-MAMA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACQ ACCUM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal Category GO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements GROUP 1-3 WITHIN 30D ONBOARD ACQ FOR 2-3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements MIRROR E230M ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names HE0515-4414 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wavelengths 2707 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------