A total of up to 2 Ms of NuSTAR observing time is allocated to the Large Program category in each General Observer (GO) cycle. This program was initiated in GO cycle-5 to improve the chance of selection of investigations requiring a significant investment of NuSTAR observing time. Large program proposals require a minimum total exposure time of 500 ks and so up to four proposals can be selected in this category each year.
The table below lists the Large Program proposals selected in NuSTAR GO cycles since 2019 and will be updated when selections are announced each year.
Additional information about proposing for NuSTAR observing time is presented in the For Proposers page and also on the NuSTAR HEASARC website.
Last updated: 2023-09-19
| Cycle | Proposal | PI | Total Exposure [ks] |
Proposal Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5192 | Civano | 585 | Deep NuSTAR observations of the JWST-NEP time domain field |
| 5197 | Marchesi | 500 | The Compton thick AGN legacy project: A complete sample of NuSTAR-observed nearby Compton thick AGN | |
| 5213 | Tomsick | 500 | Monitoring a bright outburst from a black hole transient | |
| 5220 | Nowak | 500 | Revealing the relation between hard and soft quiescent X-ray spectra in Cen X-4 | |
| 6 | 6044 | Bianchi | 610 | Building subways: The NuSTAR line |
| 6109 | Wik | 604 | Accurate galaxy cluster temperatures: A legacy dataset with Chandra, XMM, and XRISM | |
| 6218 | Civano | 780 | Deep NuSTAR observations of the JWST-NEP time domain field: Long term monitoring | |
| 6224 | Mori | 450 | NuSTAR hard X-ray survey of pulsar wind nebulae in synergy with TeV gamma-ray telescopes | |
| 7 | 7084 | Fabian | 500 | A deep spectral-timing study of the X-ray bright AGN 1H 1934-063 |
| 7103 | Hornschemeier | 742 | The birth of black-holes and neutron stars in starbursts: A legacy for NuSTAR building on a HST treasury program | |
| 7117 | Zoglauer | 600 | Monitoring the hard X-ray evolution of the young SNR G1.9-0.3 and improving the NuSTAR upper limits of its 44Ti emission | |
| 8 | 8170 | Zhao | 600 | Constraining the properties of AGN coronae using a sample of luminous, high-redshift quasars with NuSTAR |
| 8173 | Paliya | 550 | The quest for elusive cosmic monsters | |
| 8180 | Civano | 855 | The first time domain NuSTAR and JWST survey | |
| 9 | 9182 | Zhao | 500 | Systematically constraining the AGN coronal properties with NuSTAR using a sample of luminous, high-redshift quasars |
| 9227 | Fritze | 825 | All the luminous X-ray binaries in M31: Hard X-ray demographics and binary population synthesis applications | |
| 9267 | Civano | 900 | Time-domain studies in the NEP field with NuSTAR and JWST |
GO cycle-5 (2019-2020)
Proposal: 5192 PI: Francesca Civano
Title: DEEP NUSTAR OBSERVATIONS OF THE JWST-NEP TIME DOMAIN FIELD
Abstract: The JWST Deep Time-Domain Field in the north ecliptic pole (NEP DTDF) is a GTO target that will have continuous visibility and excellent 8-band deep (m~28) imaging and grism spectra in the NIR by JWST. In the past few years, the NEP DTDF has grown into a comprehensive survey with deep radio to X-ray data, becoming the most promising new field for extragalactic studies and time-domain investigations. We propose to perform a 585 ks NuSTAR survey in this field, reaching a sensitivity comparable to the deepest NuSTAR extragalactic surveys, detecting 20-30 sources in 3-24 keV, to focus on: X-ray variability (3-8 keV monitoring and the first 8-24 keV studies!), the true obscured AGN fraction, 0.5-24 keV spectroscopy combining NuSTAR and Chandra, and the bright NLSy1 in the field.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60511001 | NEP DTDF MOS01 | 260.872759 +65.822064 | 65 | 74.7 |
| 60511002 | NEP DTDF MOS02 | 260.772712 +65.822000 | 65 | 77.9 |
| 60511003 | NEP DTDF MOS03 | 260.636017 +65.824567 | 65 | 69.9 |
| 60511004 | NEP DTDF MOS04 | 260.541637 +65.907081 | 65 | 91.6 |
| 60511005 | NEP DTDF MOS05 | 260.731446 +65.873647 | 65 | 85.0 |
| 60511006 | NEP DTDF MOS06 | 260.907954 +65.906736 | 65 | 84.2 |
| 60511007 | NEP DTDF MOS07 | 260.528333 +65.765697 | 65 | 66.3 |
| 60511008 | NEP DTDF MOS08 | 260.754646 +65.748275 | 65 | 70.7 |
| 60511009 | NEP DTDF MOS09 | 260.950796 +65.745561 | 65 | 68.8 |
Proposal: 5197 PI: Stefano Marchesi
Title: THE COMPTON THICK AGN LEGACY PROJECT: A COMPLETE SAMPLE OF NUSTAR-OBSERVED NEARBY COMPTON THICK AGN
Abstract: The X-ray spectral analysis of Compton thick (CT-, i.e., having intrinsic obscuration NH>1E24 cm^-2) active galactic nuclei (AGN) is key to understand the physics of the obscuring material surrounding accreting supermassive black holes. We propose to target with a combined NuSTAR/XMM-Newton observation the last 10 candidate CT-AGN the BAT 100-month survey still lacking of NuSTAR data. With this proposal, each CT-AGN candidate of this sample will have a NuSTAR observation, thus enabling the best characterization to date of CT-AGN. Thanks to the excellent statistics (both in terms of spectral counts and sample size) we will study the sample physical properties, and put tighter constraints on the true intrinsic fraction of CT-AGN in the nearby Universe and on their contribution to the CXB.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60561038 | ESO112-G006 | 7.68263 -59.00719 | 50 | 56.0 |
| 60561039 | MGC 07-03-007 | 16.36175 -42.21619 | 50 | 54.7 |
| 60561040 | ESO426-G002 | 95.94342 -32.21658 | 50 | 52.5 |
| 60561041 | LEDA 478026 | 104.04983 -49.33056 | 50 | 55.5 |
| 60561042 | Mrk 622 | 121.921 +39.00422 | 50 | 54.2 |
| 60561043 | ESO565-G019 | 143.6815 -21.92781 | 50 | 50.4 |
| 60561044 | NGC 3081 | 149.87308 -22.82628 | 50 | 55.6 |
| 60561045 | ESO323-G032 | 193.33467 -41.63564 | 50 | 98.1 |
| 60561046 | NGC 6552 | 270.03012 +66.61511 | 50 | 48.6 |
| 60561047 | CGCG 475-040 | 346.95362 +22.71028 | 50 | 55.8 |
Proposal: 5213 PI: John Tomsick
Title: MONITORING A BRIGHT OUTBURST FROM A BLACK HOLE TRANSIENT
Abstract: Much of our understanding of the properties of accretion disks, relativistic jets, and the regions of strong gravity near black holes (BHs) come from observations of BH X-ray binaries. NuSTAR has made significant contributions to these studies especially through improved measurements of reflection components that have allowed us to access the inner disk and constrain the spins of BHs. Recently, comparisons between BH spins in X-ray binaries and in binary BH mergers have further increased the level of interest in BH spins, and a main focus of this proposal is to improve assessments of the uncertainties in BH spin measurements. We propose to do this by monitoring a bright BH transient with NuSTAR to systematically quantify the effect of the changing continuum on the BH spin measurement.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80502324 | MAXI J0637-430 | 99.09828 -42.86780 | 10x50 | 8 exposures, total 473.7 (514.8 GTI) |
Proposal: 5220 PI: Michael Nowak
Title: REVEALING THE RELATION BETWEEN HARD AND SOFT QUIESCENT X-RAY SPECTRA IN CEN X-4
Abstract: We propose a campaign of joint NuSTAR and NICER observations of the quiescent neutron star Cen X-4, to study the relationship between its soft X-ray flux level and its hard X-ray spectrum. The hard X-ray spectrum has been hypothesized to be due to thermal bremsstrahlung from active accretion onto the neutron star, and may transit to synchrotron emission at low flux. If the bremsstrahlung/active accretion hypothesis is correct, we should be able to measure spectral changes with our proposed campaign.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30502024 | Cen X-4 | 224.59142 -31.66875 | 10x50 | 9 exposures, total 469.6 |
GO cycle-6 (2020-2021)
Proposal: 6044 PI: Stefano Bianchi
Title: BUILDING SUBWAYS: THE NUSTAR LINE
Abstract: A Large Program (1.58 Ms) has been granted in XMM-Newton AO18 and 27 orbits have been awarded in HST Cycle 27 to study Supermassive Black Hole Winds in X-rays (SUBWAYS), designed to provide direct support on feedback models by deriving constraints on the energetics and duty cycle of Ultra-Fast Outflows (UFOs) in Active Galactic Nuclei. We ask now for NuSTAR observations of the 20 SUBWAYS sources (630 ks) without archival NuSTAR data. The availability of NuSTAR data above 10 keV is crucial for the objectives of SUBWAYS, and will maximise the outcome of this ambitious Large Program. The proposed observations represent a fundamental step to maintain NuSTAR science upfront during the next decade in the physically motivated investigation of multi-phase outflows.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60661001 | PG0052+251 | 13.71717 +25.4275 | 20 | 24.4 |
| 60661002 | PG1416-129 | 214.76592 -13.17908 | 20 | 20.6 |
| 60661004 | PG1626+554 | 246.98383 +55.37542 | 20 | 21.5 |
| 60661005 | PG1435-067 | 219.56733 -6.97236 | 20 | 21.1 |
| 60661006 | SDSS J144414d66+0633 | 221.06113 +6.55189 | 25 | 27.4 |
| 60661007 | PG1216+069 | 184.83721 +6.64403 | 26 | 31.9 |
| 60661008 | PG0947+396 | 147.70163 +39.44736 | 28 | 23.8 |
| 60661009 | WISEJ053756d30-02451 | 84.48475 -2.75344 | 29 | 32.3 |
| 60661010 | HB891529+050 | 233.12 +4.89956 | 29 | 30.3 |
| 60661011 | PG1114+445 | 169.27667 +44.22592 | 29 | 32.9 |
| 60661012 | PG1307+085 | 197.44583 +8.33006 | 31 | 35.1 |
| 60661013 | PG1425+267 | 216.89837 +26.53736 | 33 | 34.4 |
| 60661014 | PG1352+183 | 208.64871 +18.08819 | 33 | 32.5 |
| 60661015 | 2MASX J10514428+3539 | 162.93433 +35.65856 | 35 | 36.8 |
| 60661016 | HB891257+286 | 195.09242 +28.40075 | 38 | 41.5 |
| 60661017 | 2MASX J14025121+2631 | 210.71337 +26.52158 | 40 | 42.0 |
| 60661018 | 2MASX J02201453-0728 | 35.06075 -7.48314 | 48 | 39.9 |
| 60661019 | PG1427+480 | 217.42946 +47.79061 | 53 | 51.8 |
| 60661020 | LBQS1338-0038 | 205.30804 -0.8875 | 53 | 51.7 |
Proposal: 6109 PI: Daniel Wik
Title: ACCURATE GALAXY CLUSTER TEMPERATURES: A LEGACY DATASET WITH CHANDRA, XMM, AND XRISM
Abstract: Galaxy clusters are the most massive virialized objects in the universe, and their growth over cosmic time is sensitive to the underlying cosmology. Cluster cosmology requires accurate mass measurements, which generally depend on temperature measurements. Unfortunately, the main sources for X-ray temperatures are Chandra and XMM, which systematically disagree with each other. The hard band sensitivity of NuSTAR, however, has the potential to resolve this discrepancy and reduce the error budget on cluster-derived cosmological parameters. We propose deep observations of 4 low redshift, relaxed clusters, with extensive XMM and Chandra (and future XRISM) data, where both calibration and physical differences can be assessed in the simplest possible systems.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70660001 | ABELL 2029 | 227.7412 +5.7596 | 100 | 101.7 |
| 70660002 | ABELL 478 | 63.3505 +10.4512 | 220 | 98.8, 123.0 |
| 70660003 | ABELL 1795 | 207.20527 +26.57916 | 146 | 100.8, 52.9 |
| 70660004 | ABELL 2199 | 247.1556 +39.5361 | 138 | 85.6, 52.5 |
Proposal: 6218 PI: Francesca Civano
Title: DEEP NUSTAR OBSERVATIONS OF THE JWST-NEP TIME DOMAIN FIELD: LONG TERM MONITORING
Abstract: The JWST Deep Time-Domain Field in the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP DTDF) is a GTO target that will have continuous visibility and 8-band deep imaging and grism spectra in the NIR by JWST. In the past few years, the NEP DTDF has grown into a comprehensive survey with deep radio to X-ray data, becoming the most promising new field for extragalactic studies and time-domain investigations. Given interesting results from Cycle 5 NuSTAR program, we request 780 ks for long term monitoring of the NEP DTDF, split into 4 epochs (spaced before and after JWST launch over 2 NuSTAR cycles), enabling studies of hard X-ray variability, 0.3-24 keV spectroscopy through simultaneous XMM observations, the faint end of the AGN luminosity function at >8 keV, the obscured AGN fraction, and a bright NLSy1 at z> 1.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60666001 | NEP DTDF MOS0601 | 260.6348107 +65.8982512 | 65 | 72.8 |
| 60666002 | NEP DTDF MOS0602 | 260.6373792 +65.7978818 | 65 | 71.9 |
| 60666003 | NEP DTDF MOS0603 | 260.8655600 +65.8335592 | 65 | 72.7 |
| 60666004 | NEP DTDF MOS0604 | 260.6348107 +65.8982512 | 65 | 77.7 |
| 60666005 | NEP DTDF MOS0605 | 260.6373792 +65.7978818 | 65 | 77.8 |
| 60666006 | NEP DTDF MOS0606 | 260.8655600 +65.8335592 | 65 | 80.4 |
| 60666007 | NEP DTDF MOS0607 | 260.6348107 +65.8982512 | 65 | 78.9 |
| 60666008 | NEP DTDF MOS0608 | 260.6373792 +65.7978818 | 65 | 59.7 |
| 60666009 | NEP DTDF MOS0609 | 260.8655600 +65.8335592 | 65 | 62.6 |
| 60666010 | NEP DTDF MOS0610 | 260.6348107 +65.8982512 | 65 | 81.3 |
| 60666011 | NEP DTDF MOS0611 | 260.6373792 +65.7978818 | 65 | 83.8 |
| 60666012 | NEP DTDF MOS0612 | 260.8655600 +65.8335592 | 65 | 86.1 |
| 60666013 | NEP DTDF MOS0613 | 260.487567 +65.705787 | 65 | 74.6 |
| 60666014 | NEP DTDF MOS0614 | 260.699567 +65.822650 | 65 | 43.4 |
| 60666015 | NEP DTDF MOS0615 | 261.015442 +65.725357 | 65 | 64.9 |
Proposal: 6224 PI: Kaya Mori
Title: NUSTAR HARD X-RAY SURVEY OF PULSAR WIND NEBULAE IN SYNERGY WITH TEV GAMMA-RAY TELESCOPES
Abstract: The proposal seeks a unique opportunity to collect legacy NuSTAR data and explore pulsar wind nebula (PWN) astrophysics at the deepest level through multi-wavelength SEDs, in synergy with the existing and near-future TeV gamma-ray telescopes. NuSTAR observations of 8 additional PWNe will complete the sampling of all 22 TeV-PWNe detectable by NuSTAR. Our targets includes PWNe detected by HAWC above 50 TeV, PWNe crushed by reverse SNR shocks, a young PWN in the Galactic Center and the archetype Vela nebula. Some of the nebulae may contain a hadronic outflow which produces TeV gamma-rays via interacting with the ISM or dense clouds. NuSTAR can probe sub-PeV electron populations through X-ray synchrotron spectra and allow us to perform spectro-imaging studies of PWNe above 10 keV.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40660001 | PSR J2229+6114 | 337.272 +61.23592 | 50 | 45.4 |
| 40660002 | PSR J1420-6048 | 215.03412 -60.80411 | 70 | 65.0 |
| 40660003 | PSR J1418-6058 | 214.678 -60.96719 | 80 | 74.0 |
| 40660004 | PSR J2021+3651 | 305.2725 +36.85125 | 60 | 61.1 |
| 40660005 | PSR J1849-0001 | 282.25762 -0.02197 | 60 | 56.8 |
| 40660006 | PSR J1357-6429 | 209.2605 -64.49164 | 80 | 92.6 |
| 40660007 | CXO J174722.8-280915 | 266.845 -28.15417 | 50 | 53.7 |
GO cycle-7 (2021-2022)
Proposal: 7084 PI: Andrew Fabian
Title: A DEEP SPECTRAL-TIMING STUDY OF THE X-RAY BRIGHT AGN 1H 1934-063
Abstract: NuSTAR can make a transformational advance in our understanding of how luminous accreting black holes work through long observations of rapidly-variable, X-ray-bright AGN. This enables X-ray reverberation studies, already a commonplace feature of AGN, to proceed to the next level and follow the behavior of the powerful dynamic corona and map the accretion flow immediately next to the black hole, measuring both spin and mass of the black hole. We propose a 500ks NuSTAR observation of the X-ray brightest high variability NLS1 AGN 1H1934-063, with 260ks of XMM, to measure relativistic reflection and reverberation in 3 flux states.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60702018 | 1H 1934-063 | 294.3875 -6.218 | 200 + 2x150 | 5 exposures, total 568.7 |
Proposal: 7103 PI: Ann Hornschemeier
Title: THE BIRTH OF BLACK HOLES AND NEUTRON STARS IN STARBURSTS: A LEGACY FOR NUSTAR BUILDING ON A HST TREASURY PROGRAM
Abstract: Understanding the emission from X-ray binaries in high-redshift galaxies is of utmost importance to understanding the heating of the primordial IGM. This program, to observe five starbursting, High Mass X-ray Binary (HMXB)-dominated galaxies, for a total of 1.49 Ms with NuSTAR and 207 ks with XMM-Newton, will provide a representative sample of starburst galaxies for establishing the connection between the 12-25~keV emission arising from neutron star and black hole populations and their host galaxy properties that is highly relevant to high-z galaxies. We will double the number of HMXB-dominated galaxies with measured 0.5-30~keV Spectral Energy Distributions, so we may correctly interpret high-z galaxies' X-ray emission where we only sample the rest-frame hard X-ray emission.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50760001 | NGC 4656 | 190.964833 +32.146978 | 173 | 168.2 |
| 50760002 | NGC 4449 | 187.002833 +44.074889 | 273 | 275.6 |
| 50760003 | NGC 4490 | 187.591500 +41.638778 | 296 | 303.9 |
Proposal: 7117 PI: Andreas Zoglauer
Title: MONITORING THE HARD X-RAY EVOLUTION OF THE YOUNG SNR G1.9+0.3 AND IMPROVING THE NUSTAR UPPER LIMITS OF ITS 44TI EMISSION
Abstract: With an age of roughly 110 years, G1.9+0.3 is the youngest known supernova remnant in the Milky Way. It is also one of the few remnants in our Galaxy whose evolution we can monitor and which show evidence for emission from the 44-Ti decay chain. We propose to observe G1.9+0.3 for 600 ks. This will allow us to identify changes of spectrum, flux, and morphology between the original NuSTAR observation from 2013 and now in the hard X-ray band. In addition, this observation will significantly improve the upper limits of the 44-Ti emission, and deeply probe the uncertainty range of a potential detection of 44-Ti by Chandra, and, in the case emission is confirmed, enable its characterization. With its unique hard X-ray capabilities, only NuSTAR can carry out these observations.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40702003 | G1.9+0.3 | 267.192 -27.16414 | 600 | 600.0 |
GO cycle-8 (2022-2023)
Proposal: 8170 PI: Xiurui Zhao
Title: CONSTRAINING THE PROPERTIES OF AGN CORONAE USING A SAMPLE OF LUMINOUS, HIGH-REDSHIFT QUASARS WITH NUSTAR
Abstract: The primary X-ray emission observed in AGN is believed to be produced from a tiny region surrounding the SMBH, namely the corona. A critical coronal compactness versus temperature threshold is predicted above which any increase in the source luminosity would then generate positron-electron pairs rather than continue heating the coronal plasma. Current observations show that all local AGNs populate the region below this critical line. However, these models have rarely been probed in the high-luminosity regime where the tightest constraints can be made on the coronal models. Here, we propose four high-luminosity quasars (z~1-2) to more than double the current sample size of high-luminosity quasars to further constrain the coronal models and thus better understand the physics of coronae.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60861001 | WISEA J122527+223512 | 186.36417 +22.58694 | 150 | 148.9 |
| 60861002 | HB89 0945+436 | 147.14983 +43.38406 | 150 | 82.2, 87.3 |
| 60861003 | SBS 0909+531 | 138.2545 +52.99133 | 150 | 55.6, 97.8 |
| 60861004 | HB89 1257+346 | 194.95329 +34.38961 | 150 | 71.2, 85.3 |
Proposal: 8173 PI: Vaidehi Paliya
Title: THE QUEST FOR ELUSIVE COSMIC MONSTERS
Abstract: We propose joint XMM and NuSTAR observations of 12 high-redshift (z > 3) blazars which exhibit brightest and flattest X-ray spectra and host massive (>1e9 Msun) black holes. Joint Xmm and NuSTAR observations will lead to the most accurate estimation of the beaming factor which will allow us to put stringent constraint on the space density of blazar parent population, and in turn, the evolution of massive black holes in jetted AGNs within the first two billion years. Using XMM+NuSTAR data, we will also probe the role played by the intergalactic medium in the X-ray absorption towards high-redshift blazars.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60862001 | IGR J12319-0749 | 187.99038 -7.78831 | 20 | 21.4 |
| 60862002 | PMN J1458+0855 | 224.52488 +8.92497 | 20 | 19.0, 24.2 |
| 60862003 | BZQ J1445+0958 | 221.31867 +9.97675 | 38 | 41.4 |
| 60862004 | BZQ J0915+0007 | 138.96542 +0.12028 | 40 | 42.5 |
| 60862005 | GB6 B0850+2442 | 133.238 +24.51756 | 45 | 50.2 |
| 60862006 | BZQ J0624+3856 | 96.07925 +38.94686 | 47 | 51.9 |
| 60862007 | BZQ J0810+3847 | 122.5415 +38.79919 | 50 | 48.5 |
| 60862008 | BZU J0525-3343 | 81.27575 -33.71822 | 55 | 61.7 |
| 60862009 | BZQ J1100-4249 | 165.20937 -42.82008 | 57 | 63.7 |
| 60862010 | BZQ J1658-0739 | 254.68358 -7.65492 | 58 | 55.9 |
| 60862011 | BZQ J1413+4505 | 213.32867 +45.08972 | 60 | 64.9 |
| 60862012 | BZQ J2050+3127 | 312.71304 +31.45761 | 60 | 63.3 |
Proposal: 8180 PI: Francesca Civano
Title: THE FIRST TIME DOMAIN NUSTAR AND JWST SURVEY
Abstract: The JWST Deep Time-Domain Field in the NEP (NEP DTDF) is a GTO target that will have excellent 8-band deep (m~28) imaging and grism spectra in the NIR by JWST and already has exquisite multiwavelength data. As JWST is now at its L2 location, the NEP observations are planned to start in June/July and will repeat every 90 days. Given the interesting results from Cycle 5+6 NuSTAR programs, we request 855 ks (3 epochs simultaneous with JWST) for monitoring the NEP in the hard band to focus on variability, 0.3-24 keV spectroscopy through simultaneous XMM observations, the faint end of the AGN population at >8 keV, the obscured fraction, and a variable z>1 FSRQ. Combining Cycle 5+6+8 data, we will get the deepest NuSTAR survey, with 65-70 sources in 3-24 keV, and ~20 single epoch detections.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60810001 | NEP DTDF MOS08001 | 260.935402 +66.033138 | 95 | 113.9 |
| 60810002 | NEP DTDF MOS08002 | 260.403538 +65.997063 | 95 | 113.7 |
| 60810003 | NEP DTDF MOS08003 | 260.751245 +65.808505 | 95 | 112.9 |
| 60810004 | NEP DTDF MOS08004 | 260.751250 +65.808506 | 95 | 119.1 |
| 60810005 | NEP DTDF MOS08005 | 261.079708 +65.835539 | 95 | 117.0 |
| 60810006 | NEP DTDF MOS08006 | 260.310583 +65.813442 | 95 | 106.3 |
| 60810007 | NEP DTDF MOS08007 | 260.487583 +65.705778 | 95 | 73.9 |
| 60810008 | NEP DTDF MOS08008 | 261.019500 +65.739278 | 95 | 73.1 |
| 60810009 | NEP DTDF MOS08009 | 260.744667 +65.809583 | 95 | 71.2 |
GO cycle-9 (2023-2024)
Proposal: 9182 PI: Xiurui Zhao
Title: SYSTEMATICALLY CONSTRAINING THE AGN CORONAL PROPERTIES WITH NUSTAR USING A SAMPLE OF LUMINOUS, HIGH-REDSHIFT QUASARS
Abstract: The X-ray emission from AGN is believed to be generated from the tiny region surrounding the SMBH, namely the corona. The cutoff energy in the AGN X-ray spectrum (at a few hundred keV) can be used to probe the coronal properties. However, only lower limits to the cutoff energy of low-redshift AGN were measured due to the limited bandpass (up to 80 keV). High-z quasars, instead, are the best targets to constrain the cutoff energy thanks to the cosmological redshifting. So far, only four z>1 quasars have their cutoff energy constrained. Here, we propose other four z>1 quasars to increase the current sample size to statistically constrain the AGN coronal properties and thus better understand the physics of coronal Comptonization.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60961001 | WISE J1634+7031 | 248.62083 +70.52567 | 80 | 80.6 |
| 60961002 | SDSS J09217+2854 | 140.3145 +28.91231 | 110 | |
| 60961003 | WISEA J1458+5254 | 224.70263 +52.91403 | 150 | |
| 60961004 | WISEA J1233+1612 | 188.43117 +16.20417 | 160 |
Proposal: 9227 PI: Hannah Fritze
Title: ALL THE LUMINOUS X-RAY BINARIES IN M31: HARD X-RAY DEMOGRAPHICS AND BINARY POPULATION SYNTHESIS APPLICATIONS
Abstract: The X-ray Luminosity Function (XLF) of a galaxy can be linked to a variety of different galaxy characteristics. In addition, studies of accreting black hole and neutron star populations can provide insights into the history of star formation and evolution in a galaxy because they are directly connected to past, current, and future stellar populations through binary synthesis modeling. As our nearest Milky Way-type neighbor, M31 is an excellent laboratory for learning about our own galaxy. We propose an observation of nine fields in the disc of M31 totaling 825 ks to obtain complete coverage of all high luminosity sources in the hard band, allowing us to characterize the hard and full band XLFs and classify 20-60 sources for use in binary population demographics and binary synthesis models.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50910001 | M31 FIELD L | 10.70762 +40.87503 | 120 | |
| 50910002 | M31 FIELD M | 10.56954 +40.68833 | 120 | |
| 50910003 | M31 FIELD N | 10.31196 +40.97825 | 120 | |
| 50910004 | M31 FIELD O | 10.09221 +40.53375 | 120 | |
| 50910005 | M31 FIELD P | 10.05775 +40.7795 | 120 | |
| 50910006 | M31 FIELD Q | 9.62058 +40.28611 | 120 | |
| 50910007 | M31 FIELD R | 10.61825 +41.43383 | 35 | |
| 50910008 | M31 FIELD S | 11.82512 +42.32481 | 35 | 45.9 |
| 50910009 | M31 FIELD T | 11.37233 +42.19325 | 35 | 47.7 |
Proposal: 9267 PI: Francesca Civano
Title: TIME-DOMAIN STUDIES IN THE NEP FIELD WITH NUSTAR AND JWST
Abstract: The JWST Time-Domain Field in the NEP (NEP) is a GTO target currently being observed every 90 days (4 epochs) with JWST NIRCAM and NIRISS. The NEP has exquisite multiwavelength data. NuSTAR+XMM (Cycle 8) are currently observing it simultaneously with JWST. In JWST Cycle 2, a new proposal to observe the NEP for 2 more years has been submitted. Given the interesting results from NuSTAR Cycle 5+6+8, we request 900 ks (4 epochs) for continuing to monitor the NEP in the hard X-ray band simultaneously with JWST: this dataset will be unique for X-ray-NIR time-domain studies. This additional monitoring will allow studies of AGN variability, 0.3-24 keV spectroscopy through simultaneous XMM observations, the faint end of the AGN population at >8 keV, and the obscured fraction.
| ObsID | Target | J2000 [deg] | Planned Exp [ks] |
Total Exp [ks] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60910001 | NEPTDF1 POS1 | 261.118498 +66.029567 | 75 | 97.3 |
| 60910002 | NEPTDF1 POS2 | 260.701531 +66.030189 | 75 | 77.4 |
| 60910003 | NEPTDF1 POS3 | 260.280702 +66.029166 | 75 | 74.1 |
(more survey fields will be observed in cycle-9)