Proposals from the following HST scientific categories were accepted by the Cycle 14 HST TAC:
GALAXIES
AGN/QUASARS
| PI Name | Title | Chandra time | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kulkarni | Gamma-Ray Bursts from Start to Finish: A Legacy Approach | GRB TOO 1,GRB TOO 2 | |
| Roberts | ULX counterparts: the key to finding intermediate-mass black holes | M83 IXO 82 | |
| Biretta | HST / Chandra Monitoring of a Dramatic Flare in the M87 Jet | M87 |
Scientific Category: SN, SNR AND ISOLATED NS
Title: Gamma-Ray Bursts from Start to Finish: A Legacy Approach
PI: Kulkarni
Approved Chandra Time (Ksecs): 75
Abstract:
The progenitors of long-duration GRBs are now known to be massive stars. This
result lends credence to the collapsar model, where a rotating massive star ends its
life leaving a black hole or a highly magnetized neutron star, the inner engine. Som
ehow these engines create the most highly relativistic and highly collimated outflows
that we know of, through mechanisms that no current theory can explain. The launch o
f Swift is bringing us into a new era, where we can make broadband observations that
will enable us to study these fascinating physical processes. We propose here an ambi
tious, comprehensive program to obtain the datasets that will become the standard tha
t any successful model for the central engine must explain.
Scientific Category: NORMAL GALAXIES: X-RAY POPULATIONS
Title: ULX counterparts: the key to finding intermediate-mass black holes
PI: Roberts
Approved Chandra Time (Ksecs): 20
Abstract:
Most formation scenarios for supermassive black holes rely on large black hol
es being present in the early universe, formed by the collapse of primordial Populati
on III stars. A relic of this population could still be present in galactic halos at
the current epoch, though no CONCLUSIVE evidence for such a class of "intermediate-ma
ss" black holes has been found. The most likely current candidates are the ultralumin
ous X-ray sources (ULXs), which show tantalising evidence for IMBHs (e.g. extreme X-r
ay luminosities and low accretion disc temperatures). We propose to search for optica
l counterparts to six of the nearest ULXs. We will use this programme as a pathfinder
for future radial velocity measurements, potentially providing the first undisputed
mass constraints for these systems.
Scientific Category: ACTIVE GALAXIES AND QUASARS
Title: HST / Chandra Monitoring of a Dramatic Flare in the M87 Jet
PI: Biretta
Approved Chandra Time (Ksecs): 35
Abstract:
During 2002, HST and Chandra monitoring of the M87 jet detected a dramatic fl
are in knot HST-1 located ~1" from the nucleus. As of late 2004 its brightness has in
creased fifty-fold in the optical band, and continues to increase sharply; the X-rays
show a similarly dramatic outburst. In both bands HST-1 now greatly exceeds the nucl
eus in brightness. (truncated) We propose seven epochs of HST/STIS monitoring during
Cycle 14, as well as seven epochs of Chandra/ACIS observation (5ksec each). We also i
nclude a brief HRC/ACS observations that will be used to gather spectral information
and map the magnetic field structure. [Original HST abstract truncated for Chandra RP
S form; HST proposal # 10617]