Towards a BRICS Optical Transient Network (BRICS-OTN)
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Towards a BRICS Optical Transient Network (BRICS-OTN) David A.H. Buckley & Vanessa A. McBride South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) PO Box 9, Observatory 7935, Cape Town, South Africa Ulisses Barres de Almeida Brazilian Center for Physics Research (CBPF) Rua Dr. Xavier Sigaud 150, Rio de Janeiro 22290-180, Brazil Boris Shustov Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences (INASAN) 119017, Pyatnitskaya str., 48 , Moscow, Russia Alexei Pozanenko & Alexander Lutovinov Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IKI), 84/32 Profsoyuznaya Str, Moscow, Russia Amitesh Omar Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) Manora Peak, Nainital-263001 arXiv:2011.02892v1 [astro-ph.IM] 5 Nov 2020 Uttarakhand, India 1 Jayant Murthy & Margarita Safonova Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) II Block, Koramangala, Bangalore 560 034, India Liu Jifeng & Roberto Soria National Astronomical Observatories, CAS (NAOC) 20A Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China 28 September 2020 This paper accepted to the Journal \Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences" as part of the Proceedings for the BRICS Astronomy Workshop − BAWG 2019 −, held in Rio de Janeiro, 29 Sep - 2 Oct 2019. Abstract This paper is based on a proposal submitted for a BRICS astron- omy flagship program, which was presented at the 2019 meeting of the BRICS Astronomy Working Group, held in Rio de Janeiro from 29 September to 2 October 2019. The future prospects for the detection and study of transient phenomena in the Universe heralds a new era in time domain astronomy. The case is presented for a dedicated BRICS- wide flagship program to develop a network of ground-based optical telescopes for an all-sky survey to detect short lived optical transients and to allow follow-up of multi-wavelength and multi-messenger tran- sient objects. This will leverage existing and planned new facilities within the BRICS countries and will also draw on the opportunities presented by other multi-wavelength space- and ground-based facili- ties that exist within the BRICS group. The proposed optical network would initially perform followup observations on new transients using existing telescopes. This would later expand to include a new global network of ∼70 wide-field 1-m telescopes which will cover the entire sky, simultaneously, with a cadence of less than a few hours. This re- alization would represent a ground-breaking and unique global capa- bility, presenting many scientific opportunities and associated spin-off benefits to all BRICS countries. 2 Transients in the local Universe 383 −24 45 Luminous Supernovae 10 SCP06F6 SN2005ap SN2008es PTF09cnd −22 SN2006gy PTF09cwl PTF09atu 44 PTF10cwr 10 SN2007bi −20 Thermonuclear Supernovae 43 SN2002bj 10 ] V −18 ] 1 − PTF10bhp Core−Collapse Supernovae 42 PTF11bij 10 −16 .Ia Explosions PTF09dav PTF10iuv SN2005E SN2008ha −14 41 Ca−rich SN2008S 10 Transients PTF10acbp Peak Luminosity [erg s NGC300OT Peak Luminosity [M −12 PTF10fqs Luminous 40 Red 10 Novae −10 P60−M82OT−081119 M85 OT Transients in the local Universe V838 Mon 383 Classical Novae 39 M31 RV 10 −8 P60−M81OT−071213 −24 45 3810 −6 Luminous Supernovae 10 0 1 2 10 TransientsTransients in the in10 localtheSCP06F6 local Universe Universe 10 383383 logTransients ( Characteristic in the local Timescale Universe [day][sec]) 383 SN2005ap SN2008es PTF09cnd −22 1 2 3 SN2006gy 4 5 6 7 −24 45 −24 PTF09cwl PTF09atu 451044 Figure−24 4. Framework of Cosmic Explosions in the YearPTF10cwr 2011 (Kasliwal Luminous 2011).Luminous Note Supernovae Supernovae that until 200545 (Fig.1010 1), Luminous Supernovae 10 SCP06F6SCP06F6 - we only knew about three classes (denoted by gray bands).SCP06F6 In the past six years, systematic searches, SN2005apSN2007biSN2008esSN2008es PTF09cnd −22 (G CA SN2005apSN2008es PTF09cnd serendipitous−22 discoveries and archival searches have uncoveredSN2005ap a plethoraSN2006gySN2006gy of novel,PTF09cnd rare transients. 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Detecting gravitational PTF10iuvSN2005EPTF10iuv SN2005E AC waves from neutron star mergers every month is expectedSN2005ESN2005E to become routine. A basic common- .G ) SN2008ha ality between−14 gravitational wave searches andSN2008ha the electromagneticSN2008ha search described above is that41 −14 −14 SN2008ha 41 4110 A Ca−rich SN2008SSN2008S 10 10 41 −14 both are limited to the local Universe (say, Ca<−200rich Ca− Mpc).rich A knownSN2008SPTF10acbp challenge will be the poor sky TransientsPTF10acbpSN2008SPTF10acbp 10 C Transients Transients Peak Luminosity [erg s Ca−rich AA Peak Luminosity [erg s localizations of the gravitational wave signal and consequentPTF10acbp large false positiveNGC300OT rate of electro-Peak Luminosity [erg s Peak Luminosity [M NGC300OTNGC300OT Peak Luminosity [M Peak Luminosity [M −12 Transients CCA magnetic−12 −12 candidates (Kulkarni & Kasliwal 2009). Therefore, prior to the ambitious search for an Peak Luminosity [erg s 40 PTF10fqs Luminous 40 PTF10fqsPTF10fqsNGC300OT Luminous Luminous 40 10 Peak Luminosity [M electromagneticG counterpart to a gravitational wave signal, it would only Red be prudentRed Red to10 build10 this −12 A Novae Novae Novae complete inventory−10 CA of transients P60−M82OTP60 in−P60M82OT the−081119−M82OT local−081119−081119 Universe. Luminous M85 OT 40 −10 −10 PTF10fqs M85 OTM85 OT 10 CA RedV838 MonV838V838 Mon Mon 39 A Classical Novae 39 39 C Classical Classical Novae Novae Novae 10M31 RV 10 P60−M82OT−081119 M31 RVM31 RV 10 −10 −8 M85 OT −8 −8 A P60−M81OTP60−P60M81OT−071213−M81OT−071213−071213 G CCAA - CCA F V838- Mon 3938 Classical Novae G A 38 38 −6 AA M31 RV10 101010 −6 −6 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 2 2 −8 -410 10 10 -3 -2 10 10-1 10 0 1 10 10 10 2 P60−M81OT−071213 logCharacteristic ( Characteristic Characteristic Timescale Timescale Timescale [day] [day] [day] ) FigureFigure 4.FigureFramework 4. Framework 4. Framework of Cosmic of Cosmic of Explosions Cosmic Explosions Explosions in the in Year the in Year2011the Year 2011 (Kasliwal 2011 (Kasliwal (Kasliwal 2011). 2011). Note 2011). Notethat Note until that that 2005until until 2005 (Fig. 2005 (Fig.1), 38 (Fig. 1), 1), −6 Figure 1: Luminosity−Timescale plot for transient phenomena, with10 ap- 0 we onlywewe onlyknew only knew about knew about three about three classes three classes (denoted classes (denoted1 (denoted by gray by graybybands). gray bands). bands).In the In past the In thesix past pastyears, six sixyears, systematic years, systematic systematic searches,2 searches, searches, 10 serendipitousproximateserendipitousserendipitous discoveries characteristic discoveries discoveries and archival and and archival searches archival10 timescales searches searches have haveuncovered have uncoveredand uncovered a plethora peak a plethora a ofplethora luminosities novel, of novel, of rare novel, transients. rare rare transients. 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Note that until 2005 (Fig. 1), or1 pairor instability pairor Introduction pair instability instability explosions?), explosions?), explosions?), .Ia explosions .Ia explosions .Ia explosions (helium (helium detonations (helium detonations detonations in ultra-compact in ultra-compact in ultra-compact white white dwarf white dwarf binaries), dwarf binaries), binaries), we only knew