| Proposal Number | Subject Category | PI Name | Chandra Time | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12300004 | WD Binaries and CV | Wolfgang Pietsch | Resolving short supersoft source states of optical novae in the core of M31 | |
| 12500003 | SN, SNR and Isolated NS | Jules Paul Halpern | Measuring the Magnetic Field of the CCO Pulsar in Puppis A | |
| 12700007 | Active Galaxies and Quasars | Norbert Schartel | The First Test of General Relativity in a Strong Magnetic Field |
Subject Category: WD Binaries and CV
Proposal Number: 12300004
Title: Resolving short supersoft source states of optical novae in the core of M31
PI Name: Wolfgang Pietsch
We propose to continue the monitoring of the M31 core with 5x23ks XMM-Newton EPIC and 5x20ks Chandra HRC-I observations equally distributed from Nov 2010 to mid Feb 2011 to determine additional light curves for short SSS states of optical novae. SSS states with <100 d duration indicate accreting massive white dwarfs (WDs). They are proposed as SN Ia progenitors and determining their frequency is very important. We will correlate detected sources with novae from optical monitoring. With a nova rate in the field of ~38/yr and SSS states lasting from weeks to years we will follow light curves of many novae. Durations of the nova SSS state will allow us to constrain envelope and WD masses. We will also monitor time variability of ~200 M31 X-ray sources (mostly XRBs).
Subject Category: SN, SNR and Isolated NS
Proposal Number: 12500003
Title: Measuring the Magnetic Field of the CCO Pulsar in Puppis A
PI Name: Jules Paul Halpern
Having discovered the pulsar in Puppis A and ruled out a magnetar, we will determine if it is a weakly magnetized neutron star like the other CCO pulsars by obtaining a phase-coherent timing solution, the only practical way of measuring its spin-down rate. Our sensitivity to P-dot will correspond to a surface dipole B-field as small as 3.e10 G, comparable to our measured value for the CCO pulsar PSR J1852+0040 in Kes 79. New spectra will also allow us to further localize its apparent 0.8 keV emission line in rotation phase, and to model the emission and viewing geometry of this unique system. This will provide important support for the "anti-magnetar" model of CCOs, while exploring possible reasons for their unexplained surface hot spots.
Subject Category: Active Galaxies and Quasars
Proposal Number: 12700007
Title: The First Test of General Relativity in a Strong Gravitational Field
PI Name: Norbert Schartel
We propose four 120 ks XMM-Newton observations of 1H0707-495 simultaneously with four 30 ks Chandra HETGS-observations to test for the first time the general theory of relativity in a strong gravitational field.
