PI

Total time

#CoIs, team

Markus Wittkowski

1n (ELT 42m)

Expertise in modern AGN unification schemes, radiative transfer modeling, comparison to VLTI/LBTI/ALMA/HSA results.

The immediate vicinity of AGNWe propose to obtain NIR H & K diffraction-limited LTAO images with a 42 m ELT and dynamic range > 1.e5 of NGC 1068 and a sample of other AGN. Resolutions will be 11 & 8 mas; for NGC 1068 0.8 & 0.6 pc. These images will be compared to radiative transfer models of the circumnuclear environment, and aim at directly determining the detailed morphology of the torus and other circumnuclear structure.

Currently available studies

Wittkowski, Balega, Beckert et al.1998

6m SAO 6m SAO 46m VLTI

Weigelt, Wittkowski, Balega, et al. 2004

Wittkowski, Beckert, Arsenault et al.2004

Dyn. range~20 Dyn. range~200 (Dyn. range~50), sparseResolved for the first time with FWHM 40 mas=2pc.Part of the torus and/or material in the cone.

18x39 mas or 1.3x2.8 pc,PA -16 deg. plus more extended N-S structures.

A considerable part of the fluxoriginates from scales <5 mas or < 0.4 pc.

Also available are MIDI, radio continuum, water maser observations, etc.Observations hint toward a morphology more complex than a uniform torus.Also theory predicts more complex structures such as clumps, e.g. Krolik & Begelmann 1998, Nenkova et al. 2002, Vollmer et al. 2004, Hoenig et a.l 2006.

Other anticipated studies• VLTI Baselines 8-200 m. Sparse aperture. Dyn. range ~ 1.e3.

• LBTI Baselines 0-23 m. Full aperture. Dyn. range > 1.e5.

Immediate Objective for ELTMeasure with highest possible dyn. range (>1.e5?, coronography?), highest image fidelity,and sub-parsec spatial resolution the morphology of NIR emission very close to the BH. Solve the long-standing puzzle of the morphology of the “torus” and material in the cone. Combine with VLTI data to a “super” image. Compare to MIR, ALMA, andradio interferometry, and to modern unification schemes. Follow up by spectroscopy to get radial velocities.

Run Target R.A. Dec. ToT Mag Notes

AB NGC 1068 2h -00˚ 1h 9.5 S/N > 105

AB 9 AGN 9h 15 S/N > 105

ELT Justification: The goal is to reach diffraction-limited high-fidelity images with resolution corresponding to B=42m and full uv-coverage.

Data Reduction: Good PSF subtraction needed to obtain faint structure close to the bright core.

Highest possible dynamic range needed, maybe use of coronography. J-band useful if diffraction-limited res. reached.

Run MP Mode AO T. FOV Pixel Notes

A 1 Imaging LTAO 5h 1-2’’ 10 2 µm Gray Filter

B 1 Imaging LTAO 5n 1-2’’ 10 1.6µm Gray Filter