Joint UV Survey Telescope
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S. Basa, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille, France distant sample of SMBHs, which in turn, hold the greatest promise of extending the existing M-σ relation beyond current limitations by revealing dormant SMBHs in galactic nuclei [15,16]. Finally is the class of unknown transients for which we currently lack both predictions and detections. This class represents a significant area of discovery space that only a wide-field The transientand sensitivesky X-ray transient “machine” can uniquely explore. In the sections below, we outline the importance of extending our knowledge of known, predicted, and unknown X-ray transients, on par with the on-going ground-based technological efforts to advance our understanding of the dynamic sky at optical (LSST) and radio (SKA pathfinders) wavelengths. Sky is intrinsically variable!! • Hard X-ray monitoring instruments show a restless X-ray sky (Swift-BAT, INTEGRAL, MAXI).! ! distant sample of SMBHs, which in turn, hold the greatest promise of extending the existing ! M-σ relation beyond current limitations by revealing dormant SMBHs in galactic nuclei [15,16]. Finally is the class of unknown transients for which we currently lack both predictions and Time domain astronomy still in its infancy, but detections. This class represents a significant area of discovery space that only a wide-field and sensitive X-ray transient “machine” can uniquely explore. In the sections below, we outline theSoderberg et al. 2009 importance of extending our knowledge of known, predicted, and unknown X-ray should quickly evolve especially at optical (PTF, transients, on par with the on-going ground-based technological efforts to advance our understanding of the dynamic sky at optical (LSST) and radio (SKA pathfinders)EXPLORING wavelengths. THE OPTICAL TRANSIENT SKY WITH THE PTF 1335 Figure 1: A compilation of high energy transients that are known (solid) and/or predicted (hatched) in the local (d< 200 Mpc) Universe. The variability timescale is the characteristic duration of the transient outburst, plotted PanStarr, SkyMapper, LSST) and radio (LOFAR, SKA) here as a function-26 of the peak X-ray luminosity during the outburst. Transients with variability on multiple (FWHM) : and 5 limiting magnitudes of R : , g timescales are linked with dashed lines. Sub-luminous, fast ( < 10 sec), and rare transients have historically been 2 0″ σ 21 0 0 Long GRB Orphan ∼ ≈ ≈ missed due -24to instrumentation limitations. Characteristics compiled from references [1-6,9-14,16,19-23]. 21:6 and Hα 18 mag can be reached in a 60 s exposure. wavelengths. ! Afterglows ≈ A Diversity-22 of X-ray Transients The dynamic nature of the local X-ray Universe was establishedLuminous decades Supernovae ago, revealing ! diverse classes-20 of outbursting objects (Figures 1 & 2). InCCSNe particular, those transients with long 2.2. Observing Strategy duty cycles (> months), high peak luminosities (LX > 1037 erg/s) and/or large populations (> SNe Ia 100s per -18galaxy)Fallback were the first to be detected, catalogued and studied. At the same time, The first few months after first light on 2008 December 13 Supernovae Short GRB Tidal Disruption Flares ! .Ia Orphan -16 Afterglows were used for commissioning of the instrument and software. (mag) R -14 Macro Novae Initial observations were taken to construct a fiducial reference However:! M Luminous image of the sky for later use in transient detection. -12 Red Novae LBVs Following commissioning, PTF will be operating on 80% -10 1 • Short time still to be explored.! Classical Novae ( 290 night yrÀ ) of the P48 nights until at least the end of -8 2012.∼ During this time several predefined long-term surveys • UV domain very favorable! -6 and a number of evolving experiments will be performed. -4 The primary experiments are the 5 day cadence survey (5DC), 1 10 100 the dynamic cadence experiment (DyC), a monitoring of the Decay Time (days) Orion star-forming region (see § 3.10), and a narrowband Rau et al., 2009 all-sky survey. The respective time allocations, cadences, and Figure 1:F IGA compilation. 1.—R-band of high peak energy magnitude transients that as are a functionknown (solid) of and/or characteristic predicted (hatched) decay time-in the local photometric filters are summarized in Table 2. (d< 200scale Mpc) (typically Universe. theThe timevariability to fade timescale from is peakthe characteristic by 2 magnitudes) duration offor the luminoustransient outburst, optical plotted here as a function of the peak X-ray luminosity during the outburst. Transients with variability on multiple The 5DC experiment will at any given time monitor an active timescalestransients are linked and with variables.dashed lines.Filled Sub-luminous, boxes fastmark ( < 10 well-studied sec), and rare transients classes have with historically a large been 2 missed due to instrumentation limitations. Characteristics compiled from references [1-6,9-14,16,19-23]. area of 2700 deg with a mean cadence of 5 days. Over the number of known members (classical novae, Type Ia supernovae [SNe Ia], ∼ 2 core-collapse supernovae [CCSNe], luminous blue variables [LBVs]). Vertically year, a total footprint of 10; 000 deg (largely overlapping with A Diversity of X-ray Transients ∼ ° ° Thehatched dynamic boxes natureshow of the classes localfor X-ray which Universe only fewwas (established) candidate decades members ago, revealing have the SDSS) with Galactic latitude b > 30 , and 15 <δJ < 4 j j À 2000 diversebeen classes suggested of outbursting so far (luminousobjects (Figures red novae,1 & 2). tidalIn particular≲ disruption, those flares, transients luminous with long 86° will be observed. This experiment will be performed using duty cycles (> months), high peak luminosities (LX > 1037 erg/s) and/or large populations (> 100s supernovae).per galaxy) wereHorizontally the first to hatched be detected, boxes arecatalogued classes whichand studied. are believed At the to same exist, time, the R-band filter, and typically two 60 s exposures separated by but have not yet been detected (orphan afterglows of short and long GRBs). The 1 hr will be taken in each epoch. As part of the 5DC, we will positions of theoretically predicted events (fallback supernovae, macronovae, .Ia also observe 60 fields containing nearby galaxies. Note that supernovae [.Ia]) are indicated by empty boxes. See text for references related to ∼ each science case. The brightest transients (on-axis afterglows of GRBs) and these galaxies (with the exception of M31) will cover only a events detectable predominantly in the Milky Way (e.g., dwarf novae) are small fraction of the camera FoV. omitted for clarity (see Table 4 for a more complete list). Regions indicate The DyC experiment is designed to explore transient phe- the general location of each class and are not exclusive. Outline colors of nomena on time scales shorter than 5 days and longer than about boxes correspond to the mean g r color at peak (blue, g r<0 mag; green, À À 0 g r 1 mag; red, g r>1 mag). 1 minute. Here, several different g and/or R band surveys will be ≲ À ≲ À conducted during the first six months of operation. Strategies for subsequent DyC observations will be decided after the initial results have been analyzed. instrumental aspects of PTF and the general survey strategy. During bright time, 3π sr narrowband (Hα,Hαoff , [O III]) Much more detailed discussion of the PTF system, both hard- surveys will be conducted. Here, 4000 tiles covering the ware and software, can be found in a separate publication (Law ° ∼ sky at δJ > 28 will be observed at least twice in each et al. 2009). 2000 À filter. The estimated 5σ point source flux limit for the Hα 17 2 1 survey will be 2 × 10À erg cmÀ sÀ ( 0:6 R). Better sensi- ∼ ∼ tivity by a factor of 60 can be achieved by binning the Hα 2. PROJECT OVERVIEW images to a resolution∼ of 1′. This sensitivity will constitute 2.1. Instrument an improvement over that of previous surveys by a factor of 250 (Fig. 2). PTF uses the CFH12K mosaic camera (formerly at the ∼ Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope) mounted on the Samuel Oschin 48 inch telescope (P48) at Palomar Observatory, 2.3. Follow-up Strategies California. The camera consists of two rows of six 2k × 4k The key to a successful transient survey lies in the availabil- CCDs each, providing a 7:9 deg2 field of view (FoV) with a ity of follow-up resources, specifically multicolor imaging and 1 plate scale of 1:0″ pixelÀ ; see Rahmer et al. 2008 for more de- spectroscopy. Most other wide-field searches aim to do both tails of the camera. Observations will be performed mainly in discovery and follow-up observations, with the same instru- one of two broad-band filters (Mould-R, sdss-g), but additional ment, or have spectroscopic follow-up biased heavily toward narrow-band filters (Hα,Hαoff ) can be employed at the tele- a specific science goal (e.g., ESSENCE, SNLS, and SDSS-II scope. Under typical seeing conditions (1.1″ at Palomar) the with SNe Ia). In contrast, PTF will perform multicolor photom- camera achieves a full width at half-maximum intensity etry for all candidate transients using a variety of facilities. Here, 2009 PASP, 121:1334–1351 This content downloaded from 195.221.212.242 on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 08:35:52 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Tidal Disruption Events Signature of a catastrophic event: a star on the orbit around a massive black hole makes a close approach and is pulled apart by black hole’s tidal forces. ! ! TDE provide an independent and unique means of measuring the masses and spins of dormant BHs in distant galaxies: ! • Understand the population of BHs in galactic centres as a function of cosmic time is crucial for understanding the growth of structure in the Universe.