Polarization Monitoring of VHE $\gamma$-ray Blazars

This is a 32-hour polarimetric monitoring of 13 Very High Energy (VHE) $\gamma$-ray emitting blazars. The result will provide simultaneous optical data to directly support the VHE $\gamma$-ray data obtained with our blazar monitoring programs at MAGIC and LST-1. Due to the highly magnetized nature of blazar jets, multiwavelength polarization studies are considered to be effective in trying to answer some of the biggest open questions in AGN physics, namely: Do low and high energy emissions originate from the same region in the jet? What mechanisms/models are responsible for the emissions and particle accelerations? Do blazar subclasses show different polarization behaviors? Our results from this monitoring program in conjunction with VHE $\gamma$-ray and X-ray monitoring data are essential to answer these questions.

Monitoring program

The OB generator will be used to request all ToO observations. Scripts to perform all the requested operations will be automatically created and placed in the directory ~/scripts/67-015/. An email will be sent automatically to the observer, which contains all the information about the requested observations, the names and locations of the scripts, instructions for observing and comments from the creator of the trigger.
To summarise:

Go to the directory
  cd ~/scripts/69-027
List the available scripts
  ls -lrt

and execute the OB generated scripts requested in the trigger email.

Program Tracking
Proposal	69-027
Semester	P69: 20240401 - 20241001
Principal Investigator	Elina Lindfors
Programme	Polarization Monitoring of VHE gamma-ray Blazars
Instrument	ALFOSC
Time Allocation	Multiple (11-26) visits of 13 sources
Total Nights	32.0h
Type	Mon
Notes	Fixed dates to be scheduled
Total Time Spent	04:36 (hh:mm)

Proposal	Date	Time	Type	Targets	Files	Comments	Status
69-027	2024-04-01	00:48	Mon	S50716+714, 1ES1218+304, ON231, ON325, PKS1510-089, 1ES1727+502	ALHd010067 - ALHd010070, ALHd010102 - ALHd010113, ALHd010146 - ALHd010149, ALHd010158 - ALHd010161	All targets observed in clear skies or through thin clouds with seeing below or around 1 arcsec.	Observed
69-027	2024-04-06	00:49	Mon	VER0648+151, 1ES0806+524, 1ES1011+496, Mkn180, ON246, H1722+119	ALHd060171 - ALHd060174, ALHd060178 - ALHd060185, ALHd060198 - ALHd060205, ALHd060229 - ALHd060232	Seeing was mostly around 2'' during the observations. All the scheduled targets were observed during a clear sky. The observations went well, except that there were overlapping objects in H1722+119. This may pose a challenge in the data analysis for this target.	Observed
69-027	2024-04-12	00:54	Mon	S50716+714, 1ES1011+496, 1ES1218+304, ON231, ON325, PKS1510-089, 1ES1727+502	ALHd120262 - ALHd120265, ALHd120281 - ALHd120300, ALHd120333 - ALHd120336	There was some calima, but the skies were clear, and the seeing varied from around 1.4 to 2 arcsec.	Observed
69-027	2024-04-13	00:00	Mon	-	-	The target was missed as the telescope had to be kept closed due to a combination of dust of strong wind when the target was above 30 degrees.	Failed
69-027	2024-04-14	00:29	Mon	VER0648+151, Mkn180, H1722+119	ALHd140010 - ALHd140013, ALHd140049 - ALHd140052, ALHd140067 - ALHd140070	VER0648+151 was included in tonight's schedule based on Tapio's suggestion as there was room and as the target was missed yesterday. The target is on the center-left in the frames. The idea to put a polarimetric frame as a finding chart was great! Maybe one of the now obtained frames for VER0648+151 can be used on later dates as a finding chart, as the target is more in the center? All three targets were observed successfully during clear sky. Seeing was 1.5''-2.0'' during the observations.	Observed
69-027	2024-04-15	00:09	Mon	1ES0806+524, ON246, BLLac	ALHd150081 - ALHd150088, ALHd150455 - ALHd150458	All of the targets were observed during ok seeing (1.2''-1.6''). BLLac failed as the target is not in the FoV	Observed
69-027	2024-04-19	00:33	Mon	1ES0806+524, Mkn180, ON246, H1722+119, 1ES1727+502	ALHd190148 - ALHd190155, ALHd190185 - ALHd190188, ALHd190252 - ALHd190259		Observed
69-027	2024-04-26	00:54	Mon	S50716+714, 1ES1011+496, 1ES1218+304, ON231, ON325, PKS1510-089, 1ES1727+502	ALHd260259 - ALHd260262, ALHd260285 - ALHd260288, ALHd260307 - ALHd260318, ALHd260335 - ALHd260338, ALHd260346 - ALHd260349,	Observed in clear skies with seeing around 0.8"	Observed
69-027	2024-04-27	00:00	Mon			Could not open dome due to bad weather	Failed

Should any of the observations have been carried out using the OB system, you will find additional information HERE