| Proposal Number | Subject Category | PI Name | Chandra Time | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | ACTIVE GALAXIES AND QUASARS | Eileen T. Meyer | 90 ks | Uncovering the optical emission in the brightest X-ray Jet |
| TBD | SOLAR SYSTEM AND EXOPLANETS | Kevin France | 18 ks | Shoring Up the Cosmic Shoreline: Improving the Cumulative XUV Irradiance Knowledge of Rocky Worlds DDT Targets |
Subject Category: ACTIVE GALAXIES AND QUASARS
Proposal Number: TBD
Title: Uncovering the optical emission in the brightest X-ray Jet
PI Name: Eileen T. Meyer
Abstract: Despite the fact that jets from actively accreting super-massive black holes were first understood to exist over 40 years ago, we are still in ignorance about many primary aspects of these systems -- including how jets are launched from the black hole itself, to their particle makeup and even the nature of the emission mechanism at high energies. The exquisite spatial resolution of Chandra lead to the discovery that these jets continue to accelerate particles to multi-TeV energies very far from the central black hole, as evidenced by unexpectedly strong X-ray emission on these scales, which remains poorly understood. While Chandra has discovered over 200 X-ray emitting kpc-scale jets, most lack corresponding HST observations, needed to characterize fully the SED and identify the radiation mechanism(s) operating in jets on larger scales. This proposal requests multi- band (IR, optical, UV) observations of the X-ray brightest jet so far discovered, RGB J1512+020A. Hosted by a powerful quasar, tentative ground-based detection of the brightest component in the jet suggests that the radio, optical, and X-rays each belong to a distinct emission component, a signature which has been reported previously in the very low-power jet in M84. These 'optical anomalies' have major implications for our understanding of both jet physics and the impact of jets on their environment. Until the unknown optical and X- ray emission mechanisms are clearly identified, it is impossible to properly measure or account for the impact of jets on their environment.
Subject Category: SOLAR SYSTEM AND EXOPLANETS
Proposal Number: TBD
Title: Shoring Up the Cosmic Shoreline: Improving the Cumulative XUV Irradiance Knowledge of Rocky Worlds DDT Targets
PI Name: Kevin France
Abstract: The JWST Rocky Worlds Director's Discretionary Time (RW DDT) program is studying whether rocky planets orbiting M dwarf stars can retain their atmospheres. The RW DDT is targeting approximately 10 of the most promising small planets for (1) atmospheric detection observations with JWST and (2) measurements of the far- ultraviolet to infrared stellar spectral energy distributions with HST. The RW program is framed around the concept of the Cosmic Shoreline, where a planet's gravity (escape velocity) is compared with the escape-driving XUV energy input from the star. However, measurements or calculations of the stellar XUV flux, critical to placing systems on the Cosmic Shoreline, are *not* part of the RW DDT stellar characterization effort.
We propose to directly support the fundamental goal of the DDT program with a multi-cycle GO+AR program to quantify the stellar XUV environments of the RW target stars and empirically place them on the Cosmic Shoreline. We will do this with (1) new far-ultraviolet + X-ray (Chandra and XMM) observations of the host stars in Cycles 33, 34, and 35 that enable high-quality extreme-ultraviolet calculations and characterization of the full XUV (X-ray + extreme-ultraviolet) irradiance, (2) observation and characterization of stellar flares across the full high-energy spectral band to quantify the contribution of time-variable phenomena to the total ionizing radiation budget, and (3) creation of a high-level stellar data product library to support the community's analysis and interpretation of the terrestrial planet data acquired by the RW DDT program.