9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 1] PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID: 9829 Version: 6 Check-in Date: 09-Jun-2003 09:09:14 1.Proposal Title: HST / Chandra Monitoring of a Dramatic Flare in the M87 Jet ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Proposal For 3. Cycle GO 12 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Investigators Contact? PI: Dr. John A. Biretta Space Telescope Science Institute CoI: Dr. Daniel Harris Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical N Observatory CoI: Dr. Eric S. Perlman University of Maryland Baltimore County N CoI: Dr. William B. Sparks Space Telescope Science Institute N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Abstract As the nearest galaxy with an optical jet, M87 affords an unparalleled opportunity to study extragalactic jet phenomena at the highest resolution. During 2002, HST and Chandra monitoring of the M87 jet have detected a dramatic flare in knot HST-1 located ~1" from the nucleus. Its brightness has increased ten-fold in the optical band, and continues to increase, and the X-rays show a similarly dramatic outburst. In both bands this HST-1 now rivals the nucleus in brightness. To our knowledge this is the first incidence of an optical or X-ray outburst from a jet region which is spatially distinct from the core source; this presents an unprecedented opportunity to study the processes responsible for non-thermal variability and the X-ray emission. We propose four epochs of HST/ACS monitoring during Cycle 12, as well as seven epochs of Chandra/ACIS observation (5ksec each). We also include a brief STIS observation that will be used with prior STIS data to measure proper motions, and ACS polarimetry to map the magnetic field structure. The results of this investigation are of key importance not only for understanding the nature of the X- ray emission of the M87 jet, but also for understanding flares in blazar jets, which are highly variable, but where we have never before been able to resolve the flaring region in the optical or X-rays. These observations will allow us to test synchrotron emission models for the X-ray outburst, constrain particle acceleration and loss timescales, and study the jet dynamics associated with this flaring component. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 2] Observations Description ------------------------ Visits 1-4: ACS/HRC observations are made at roughly 3 month intervals, and should be contemporary with planned Chandra observations. Images taken in 3 filters so as to allow derivation of optical spectral indicies. A large dither is used to avoid data loss due to the occulting finger. Visit 5: ACS/HRC polarimetry is performed in F606W so as to derive the magnetic field configuation of the jet, and especially region HST-1. Visit 6: Proper motions of knots in the M87 Jet. We will obtain STIS NUV/F25QTZ images of the jet using a setup which exactly duplicated previous monitor observations. A single orbit is required. The superluminal knots in region HST-1 which have estimated fluxes 2 * 10^-18 erg cm^-2 s^-1 AA^-1 at 3000Angstrom\ (assuming a nu^-1 spectrum found in nearby knots) will have SNR=24 in 2400 sec. Sub-exposures will be dithered to improve PSF sampling by the 0.024" pixels and minimize detector artifacts. There should be no bright object issues for the M87 nucleus or jet. The optimal schedule for the observations is during July 2003, so as to maintain a one-year interval from our previous STIS monitor epoch. Real Time Justification ----------------------- Calibration Justification ------------------------- Additional Comments ------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M87-JET GALAXY, JET, KNOT, RA=12H30M48.82S +/- 0.1", J2000 Z = V = 16.7 RADIO GALAXY DEC=+12D23'30.89" +/- 0.1", 0.0043 PLATE-ID=00IY Coordinate Source: HST_IMAGE Comments: Pointing for knot F near middle of jet. Slightly different from position used in 9705 which was 2" north of jet. 2 M87-NUCLEUS GALAXY, JET, NUCLEUS, RA=12H30M49.39S +/- 0.1", J2000 Z = V = 16.7 RADIO GALAXY DEC=+12D23'27.81" +/- 0.1", 0.0043 PLATE-ID=00IY Coordinate Source: GUIDE_STAR_CATALOG 9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 4] Patterns ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pattern_Number: 1 Primary_Pattern Secondary_Pattern Pattern_Type ACS-HRC-DITHER-LINE Pattern_Purpose DITHER Number_Of_Points 2 Point_Spacing 1.8896 Coordinate_Frame POS-TARG Pattern_Orient 7.53 Center_Pattern NO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 5] Visit: 01 Visit Priority: Visit Requirements: PCS MODE FINE SCHED 100% ORIENT 296.0D TO 311.0 D BETWEEN 10-NOV- 2003:00:00:00 AND 05-DEC-2003:00:00:00 On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Please schedule as close as possible to Chandra observation on 15 Nov 2003. Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exposure| Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Number | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F220W CR-SPLIT=2 1 710 S POS TARG 1, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F220W CR-SPLIT=2 1 710 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F475W CR-SPLIT=2 1 76 S POS TARG 1, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F475W CR-SPLIT=2 1 76 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F814W CR-SPLIT=2 1 50 S POS TARG 1, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F814W CR-SPLIT=2 1 50 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 6] Visit: 02 Visit Priority: Visit Requirements: PCS MODE FINE ORIENT 270.0D TO 285.0 D BETWEEN 06-FEB-2004:00:00:00 AND 17- FEB-2004:00:00:00 On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Please schedule as close as possible to Chandra observation on 11 Feb 2004. Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exposure| Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Number | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F220W CR-SPLIT=2 1 710 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F220W CR-SPLIT=2 1 710 S POS TARG 7, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F475W CR-SPLIT=2 1 76 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F475W CR-SPLIT=2 1 76 S POS TARG 7, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F814W 1 50 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F814W 1 50 S POS TARG 7, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 7] Visit: 03 Visit Priority: Visit Requirements: PCS MODE FINE SCHED 100% ORIENT 120.0D TO 135.0 D BETWEEN 05-MAY- 2004:00:00:00 AND 16-MAY-2004:00:00:00 On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Please schedule as close as possible to Chandra observation on 10 May 2004. Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exposure| Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Number | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F220W CR-SPLIT=2 1 710 S POS TARG 1, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F220W CR-SPLIT=2 1 710 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F475W CR-SPLIT=2 1 76 S POS TARG 1, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F475W CR-SPLIT=2 1 76 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F814W 1 50 S POS TARG 1, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F814W 1 50 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 8] Visit: 04 Visit Priority: Visit Requirements: PCS MODE FINE SCHED 100% ORIENT 95.0D TO 110.0 D BETWEEN 28-JUL- 2004:00:00:00 AND 10-AUG-2004:00:00:00 On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Please schedule as close as possible to Chandra observation on 6 Aug 2004. Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exposure| Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Number | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F220W CR-SPLIT=2 1 710 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F220W CR-SPLIT=2 1 710 S POS TARG 7, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F475W CR-SPLIT=2 1 76 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F475W CR-SPLIT=2 1 76 S POS TARG 7, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F814W 1 50 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F814W 1 50 S POS TARG 7, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 9] Visit: 05 Visit Priority: Visit Requirements: PCS MODE FINE SCHED 100% SAME ORIENT AS 01 ORIENT 296.0D TO 311.0 D BETWEEN 10-NOV-2003:00:00:00 AND 05-DEC-2003:00:00:00 GROUP 05, 01 WITHIN 2.0D 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 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F606W, CR-SPLIT=2 1 228 S POS TARG 1, 0 C POL0V ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F606W, CR-SPLIT=2 1 228 S POS TARG 4, 0 C POL0V ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F606W, CR-SPLIT=2 1 228 S POS TARG 1, 0 C POL60V ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F606W, CR-SPLIT=2 1 228 S POS TARG 4, 0 C POL60V ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F606W, CR-SPLIT=2 1 228 S POS TARG 1, 0 C POL120V ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F606W, CR-SPLIT=2 1 228 S POS TARG 4, 0 C POL120V ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F606W CR-SPLIT=2 1 75 S POS TARG 1, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8 M87-JET ACS/HR ACCUM HRC F606W CR-SPLIT=2 1 75 S POS TARG 4, 0 C ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 10] Visit: 06 Visit Priority: Visit Requirements: SCHED 100% ORIENT 100.0D TO 120.0 D BETWEEN 20-JUL-2003:00:00:00 AND 15- AUG-2003:00:00:00 On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: 8140 at ORIENT=110D Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exposure| Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Number | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 M87-NUCLEUS STIS/N ACCUM F25QTZ MIRROR 1 580 S POS TARG -7, 7 UV-MAM A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 M87-NUCLEUS STIS/N ACCUM F25QTZ MIRROR 1 580 S POS TARG -6.496, 6.748 UV-MAM A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 M87-NUCLEUS STIS/N ACCUM F25QTZ MIRROR 1 580 S POS TARG -6.244, 6.244 UV-MAM A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 M87-NUCLEUS STIS/N ACCUM F25QTZ MIRROR 1 580 S POS TARG -6.748, 6.496 UV-MAM A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9829( 6) - 06/09/03 09:11 - [ 11] Summary Form for Proposal 9829 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures HRC F25QTZ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations ACS/HRC STIS/NUV-MAMA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACCUM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters CR-SPLIT=2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal Category GO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements PCS MODE FINE SCHED 100% ORIENT 296.0D TO 311.0 D BETWEEN 10-NOV-2003 00 00 00 AND 05-DEC-2003 00 00 00 POS TARG 1, 0 POS TARG 4, 0 PCS MODE FINE ORIENT 270.0D TO 285.0 D BETWEEN 06-FEB-2004 00 00 00 AND 17-FEB-2004 00 00 00 POS TARG 7, 0 PCS MODE FINE SCHED 100% ORIENT 120.0D TO 135.0 D BETWEEN 05-MAY-2004 00 00 00 AND 16-MAY-2004 00 00 00 PCS MODE FINE SCHED 100% ORIENT 95.0D TO 110.0 D BETWEEN 28-JUL-2004 00 00 00 AND 10-AUG-2004 00 00 00 PCS MODE FINE SCHED 100% SAME ORIENT AS 01 ORIENT 296.0D TO 311.0 D BETWEEN 10-NOV-2003 00 00 00 AND 05-DEC-2003 00 00 00 GROUP 05, 01 WITHIN 2.0D SCHED 100% ORIENT 100.0D TO 120.0 D BETWEEN 20-JUL-2003 00 00 00 AND 15-AUG-2003 00 00 00 POS TARG -7, 7 POS TARG -6.496, 6.748 POS TARG -6.244, 6.244 POS TARG -6.748, 6.496 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F220W F475W F814W F606W,POL0V F606W,POL60V F606W,POL120V F606W MIRROR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names M87-JET M87-NUCLEUS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------