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Accepted NuSTAR Programs through the Swift Proposal Selection Process


Accepted NuSTAR Programs through Swift Cycle 14
Proposal Number: 1417159
PI Last Name: Vestergaard
Title: ToO monitoring of the re-awakening AGN in MRK590: Catching the monster in the act!
Abstract: After a 10-year hiatus, Mrk590 appears to be rekindling its nuclear activity! Existing Swift data strongly suggest that the AGN is likely to turn on again in the near future. We wish to seize this rare and fortuitous opportunity to document, for the first time ever, the onset of AGN activity since this can lead to significant insight on the long-standing issue of how AGNs are fueled. Once triggered by another program (PI:Vestergaard) we ask to first observe Mrk590 ~daily with Swift for up to 60 days and then for 5 ~bi-weekly follow-up observations to establish if Mrk590 has entered a stable high or low flux state. We also ask for two 20ks NuSTAR observations to place tighter constraints on the potential emergence of a weak soft X-ray component and perhaps a high-energy reflection component.


Accepted NuSTAR Programs through Swift Cycle 15
No programs selected.

Accepted NuSTAR Programs through Swift Cycle 16
Proposal Number: 1619004
PI Last Name: Satalecka
Title: OBSERVATIONS OF THE MULTIMESSENGER BLAZAR TXS 0506+056 WITH SWIFT, NUSTAR AND MAGIC
Abstract: There exist compelling evidence for a correlation of the high energy IceCube neutrino event IC-170922A and the blazar TXS 0506+056 observed in its flaring state by instruments spanning the whole electromagnetic spectrum. This object is up to date our best candidate for a neutrino and cosmic ray emitting source. We propose regular deep observations of the multi-messenger blazar TXS0506+056 to be preformed together by Swift, NuSTAR and MAGIC, and other MAGIC MWL partners. We ask for 22 5ks Swift observations (110ks in total) and 6 25ks NuSTAR observations (150 ks in total). The proposed Swift and NuSTAR observations are essential to characterise the X-ray emission of this source, which in turn is crucial to understand and distinguish the leptonic and hadronic processes at play.


Proposal Number: 1619112
PI Last Name: Piro
Title: CLOSING IN ON THE PROGENITORS OF FAST RADIO BURSTS
Abstract: Despite rapid observational progress, the nature of fast radio bursts and their progenitors remains unknown. We propose a multi-wavelength follow-up campaign in order to detect their counterparts and narrow down the range of possible models, closing in on their elusive progenitors. Rapid observations at X-ray and radio wavelengths are requested to search for a transient, short-lived afterglow counterpart. Late-time X-ray observations could instead unveil the smoking gun signature of a magnetar-powered nebula.


Proposal Number: 1619139
PI Last Name: Sandoval
Title: UNDERSTANDING THE ORIGIN OF FAST-EVOLVING LUMINOUS TRANSIENTS
Abstract: In 2018 the discovery of the transient AT2018cow was a big breakthrough in the astronomical community given its unprecedented characteristics. It was the first Fast-Evolving Luminous Transient (FELT) to be discovered in real time and extensively studied in all bands, which has led to several interpretations about its origin. Using Swift XRT and UVOT data, our team discovered the X-ray and UV emission of AT2018cow, showing it was a bright X-ray and UV transient with very rapid X-ray variability (of even hrs) and a peculiar X-ray spectrum. These characteristics were observed for the first time on a FELT. We propose to investigate the origin of FELTs by exploiting the rapid response and multi band coverage of Swift, the higher X-ray energy coverage of NuSTAR and the large sensitivity of VLA.


Accepted NuSTAR Programs through Swift Cycle 17
No programs selected.

Accepted NuSTAR Programs through Swift Cycle 18
Proposal Number: 1821098
PI Name: Kirill Sokolovsky
Title: IN SEARCH OF SHOCKS IN NOVAE
Abstract: The theory predicts that shocks that power GeV $gamma$-rays in novae should emit most of their energy as X-rays. However the predicted bright X-ray emission was never observed. Whether this lack points to something fundamental about the shock physics, or is simply an issue of small-number statistics, is unclear. We request Swift monitoring (40ks split across 10 epochs) and NuSTAR snapshot (40ks single epoch) of a newly discovered bright Galactic nova to expand the sample of gamma-ray novae with exquisite X-ray light curves. The resulting data will be interpreted alongside multi-wavelength observations to better understand shocks in novae, particularly characterize the luminosity, duration, temperature, location, and absorbing column associated with these shocks.


Proposal Number: 1821161
PI Name: Maria-Carla Nicotra
Title: CLOSING IN ON THE PROGENITORS OF FAST RADIO BURSTS
Abstract: Despite rapid observational progress, the nature of fast radio bursts and their progenitors remains unknown. We propose a multi-wavelength follow-up campaign in order to detect their counterparts and narrow down the range of possible models, closing in on their elusive progenitors.


Accepted NuSTAR Programs through Swift Cycle 19
Proposal Number: 1922051
PI Name: Liliana Rivera Sandoval
Title: INVESTIGATING THE ORIGIN OF FAST-EVOLVING LUMINOUS TRANSIENTS
Abstract: In 2018 the discovery of the optical transient AT2018cow was a big breakthrough in the astronomical community given its unprecedented characteristics. It was the first Fast-Evolving Luminous Transient (FELT) to be discovered in real time and extensively studied at all wavelengths, which has led to several interpretations about its origin. Using Swift XRT and UVOT observations, it was determined that AT2018cow was a bright X-ray and UV transient with rapid X-ray variability, with timescales of even a few hours, and a peculiar X-ray spectrum. These characteristics were observed for the first time on a FELT. We propose to investigate the origin of FELTs by exploiting the rapid response and multi band coverage of Swift joined with the great capabilities of NuSTAR and the VLA.


Accepted NuSTAR Programs through Swift Cycle 20
Proposal Number: 2023182
PI Name: Sara Buson
Title: THE X-RAY HADRONIC IMPRINT IN NEUTRINO-EMITTER BLAZARS
Abstract: We propose a pilot study to observe with Swift-UVOT/XRT and NuSTAR a well-defined sample of blazars associated with IceCube neutrinos. If these blazars originate neutrinos, they are powered by hadronic processes. Within the blazar hadronic framework, the emission in the X-ray band provides the most sensitive diagnostics of the hadronic contribution to the spectral energy distribution (SED) in these sources. The Swift-UVOT/XRT observations, along with NuSTAR simultaneous spectra, will provide us with broadband, simultaneous multi-wavelength SEDs of the astrophysical objects, that will be tested with theoretical expectations from leptonic and hadronic modelling.

Proposal Number: 2023233
PI Name: Lea Marcotulli
Title: DOUBLING THE SAMPLE OF YOUNG LOW-POWER GAMMA-RAY JETS
Abstract: We propose to observe 5 new candidates gamma-ray narrow line Seyfert galaxies (NLSYs) with combined XRT and NuSTAR observation. These sources are detected in the 4FGL catalog, though lacking any counterpart association, and are found to be positionally coincident with known SDSS NLSys. High-quality X-ray data of these 5 candidate gamma-NLSYs provide the only means to confirm the presence of a jet in the NLSy systems (hence classifying them as gamma-NLYs), and study the energetics and properties of these newly detected (possibly) nascent jets. Moreover, only 8 gamma-NLSys are known to date. Therefore these XRT and NuSTAR observations would increase the known sample by 60%.

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