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Scientific paper
Jul 2000
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000hst..prop.8592s&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #8592
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Hst Proposal Id #8592 Galaxies
Scientific paper
Resolving the nature of dark matter, at least some of which is baryonic, is an urgent problem. If baryonic dark matter is associated with luminous baryonic matter, MACHOs {massive compact objects} are the preferred candidate as inferred from gravitational microlensing of LMC stars. Given the uncertainties in the dynamical modeling of the dark components of the halo, a broad mass range for MACHO candidates merits consideration, from 0.01 M_sun to 1 M_sun. This includes the mass range of brown dwarfs and M dwarfs, whose contribution towards the dark mass is unknown. We propose to use HST to undertake a pixel microlensing study of M87 in order to: 1} probe the lower end of the M87 IMF via star-star lensing, 2} possibly obtain the first evidence of MACHOs in the halo of a galaxy other than our own, and 3} search for intracluster MACHOs. The program is challenging, but very feasible, with the HST. Over a period of 30 days and with half orbit exposures in each of two colors at a rate of one per day, we will observe approximately 1-2 events per day for a MACHO of mass 0.1 M_sun, with about 5 points of the lightcurve above 3 sigma. This provides a moderately high event significance threshold of S/N >= 10. The key factor that makes this project possible with the HST is the small pixel scale of the WFPC2, coupled with the small, stable PSF and superior photometric capabilities.
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