Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jul 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009hst..prop12306l&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #12306. Cycle 18
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We propose to obtain two epochs of WFC3/IR imaging of the counterpart of the soft gamma-repeater, SGR 0501+4516 to measure its proper motion and hence identify its birth place and constrain its age in a model independent manner. Our ground based observations have already located the optical/IR counterpart, and provided proper motion limits of <70 mas/yr. The source has now faded significantly since its first discovery and is becoming too faint for detailed ground based study. Using the excellent point spread function, wide field of view, astrometric stability, and sensitivity of WFC3, we can now make use of HST to directly measure the proper motion of an SGR for the first time. The location of SGR 0501+4516 in the Galactic anti-centre direction, with a likely low distance { 1.5 kpc}, coupled with moderate foreground extinction, and no issues of crowding makes it the only SGR source for which such observations are plausible with current technology. Our proposed observations {one in Cycle 18 and one in Cycle 19} with a baseline of 2 years should constrain the proper motion to better than 3-4 milliarcseconds per year {3 sigma}, corresponding to spatial velocities of less than 25 km/s, smaller than the velocities observed for many radio pulsars. Hence we can place the first direct constraints on the kick velocities given to magnetars at their birth, as well as testing models for their age and evolution, and informing estimates of their rate of creation.;
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