HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 4241
PERIOD COVERED: UT November 15, 2006 (DOY 319)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
ACS/HRC/WFC 10758
ACS CCDs daily monitor
This program consists of a set of basic tests to monitor, the read
noise, the development of hot pixels and test for any source of noise
in
ACS CCD detectors. The files, biases and dark will be used to create
reference files for science calibration. This programme will be for
the
entire lifetime of ACS. Changes from cycle 13:- The default gain for
WFC
is 2 e-/DN. As before bias frames will be collected for both gain 1
and
gain 2. Dark frames are acquired using the default gain {2}. This
program cover the period May, 31 2006- Oct, 1-2006. The first half
of
the program has a different proposal number: 10729.
ACS/WFC 10787
Modes of Star Formation and Nuclear Activity in an Early Universe
Laboratory
Nearby compact galaxy groups are uniquely suited to exploring the
mechanisms of star formation amid repeated and ongoing gravitational
encounters, conditions similar to those of the high redshift
universe.
These dense groups host a variety of modes of star formation, and
they
enable fresh insights into the role of gas in galaxy evolution. With
Spitzer mid-IR observations in hand, we have begun to obtain high
quality, multi-wavelength data for a well-defined sample of 12
nearby
{<4500km/s} compact groups covering the full range of
evolutionary
stages. Here we propose to obtain sensitive BVI images with the
ACS/WFC,
deep enough to reach the turnover of the globular cluster luminosity
function, and WFPC2 U-band and ACS H-alpha images of Spitzer-
identified
regions hosting the most recent star formation. In total, we expect
to
detect over 1000 young star clusters forming inside and outside
galaxies, more than 4000 old globular clusters in >40 giant
galaxies
{including 16 early-type galaxies}, over 20 tidal features,
approximately 15 AGNs, and intragroup gas in most of the 12 groups.
Combining the proposed ACS images with Chandra observations, UV
GALEX
observations, ground-based H-alpha imaging, and HI data, we will
conduct
a detailed study of stellar nurseries, dust, gas kinematics, and AGN.
NIC1 11063
NICMOS Focus Monitoring
This program is a version of the standard focus sweep used since
cycle
7. It has been modified to go deeper and uses more narrow filters
for
improved focus determination. For Cycle14 a new source has been added
in
order to accomodate 2-gyro mode: the open cluster NGC1850. The old
target, the open cluster NGC3603, will be used whenever available
and
the new target used to fill the periods when NGC3603 is not visible.
Steps: a} Use refined target field positions as determined from cycle
7
calibrations b} Use MULTIACCUM sequences of sufficient dynamic range
to
account for defocus c} Do a 17-point focus sweep, +/- 8mm about the
PAM
mechanical zeropoint for each cameras 1 and 2, in 1.0mm steps. d}
Use
PAM X/Y tilt and OTA offset slew compensations refined from previous
focus monitoring/optical alignment activities
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 11060
NICMOS Photometric Stability Monitoring
This NICMOS calibration proposal carries out photometric monitoring
observations during Cycle 15. The format is the same as the Cycle 14
version of the program {10725}, but a few modifications were made
with
respect to the Cycle 12 program 9995 and Cycle 13 program 10381.
Provisions had to be made to adopt to 2-gyro mode {G191B2B was added
as
extra target to provide target visibility through most of the year}.
Where before 4 or 7 dithers were made in a filter before we moved to
the
next filter, now we observe all filters at one position before moving
to
the next dither position. While the previous method was chosen to
minimize the effect of persistence, we now realize that persistence
may
be connected to charge trapping and by moving through the filter
such
that the count rate increases, we reach equilibrium more quickly
between
charge being trapped and released. We have also increased exposure
times
where possible to reduce the charge trapping non-linearity effects.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8793
NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 4
A new procedure proposed to alleviate the CR-persistence problem of
NICMOS. Dark frames will be obtained immediately upon exiting the
SAA
contour 23, and every time a NICMOS exposure is scheduled within 50
minutes of coming out of the SAA. The darks will be obtained in
parallel
in all three NICMOS Cameras. The POST-SAA darks will be non-standard
reference files available to users with a USEAFTER date/time mark.
The
keyword 'USEAFTER=date/time' will also be added to the header of
each
POST-SAA DARK frame. The keyword must be populated with the time, in
addition to the date, because HST crosses the SAA ~8 times per day
so
each POST-SAA DARK will need to have the appropriate time specified,
for
users to identify the ones they need. Both the raw and processed
images
will be archived as POST-SAA DARKSs. Generally we expect that all
NICMOS
science/calibration observations started within 50 minutes of leaving
an
SAA will need such maps to remove the CR persistence from the
science
images. Each observation will need its own CRMAP, as different SAA
passages leave different imprints on the NICMOS detectors.
NIC3 10899
Identifying z>7 galaxies from J-dropouts
NICMOS Parallel Imaging campaigns covered enough sky {250 pointings}
with enough sensitivity in the 110W and 160W filters to identify 6
extremely red resolved sources which are prime candidates for J-band
dropouts. Their complete absence of detectable J band flux can be
caused
by an opaque Lyman cut-off at z=8-10. We propose to followup these
candidates with NICMOS imaging and jointly propose Spitzer IRAC
photometry. Deep F110W and Spitzer/IRAC 3.5/4.8 micron imaging will
confirm if any of these candidates are indeed Lyman Break galaxies
observed less than 500 Myrs after the Big Bang. Genuine LBGs will
remain
undetected in F110W, while being detected with flat spectra in the
IRAC
bands. The combined SED will provide information about the stellar
mass
of these galaxies, and the possible presence of evolved stars or
dust
reddening. The proposed observations will be sensitive enough to
detect
the F110W flux from galaxies as red as {J-H}=2.8 {AB mags, 5 sigma}.
If
any of the candidates are detected with bluer colors, they will most
likely be exceptional "Distant Red Galaxies" at z of 4 to 6.
The
proposed data will constrain the stellar populations of these
extraordinarily red galaxies, which would be candidates for the
earliest, most massive galaxies which formed.
S/C 11073
Checkout of ACS Three-Detector Operations
This proposal will perform a brief checkout of the ACS in with
three-detectors {WFC/HRC/SBC} powered and available for science
operations.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary
reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS:
10514 - REAcq (2,3,2) failed due to Scan Step Limit Exceeded on FGS
2
REAcq
(2,3,2) scheduled at 319/13:44:32-13:51:54 failed to RGA control
due to
Scan Step Limit Exceeded on FGS 2.
OBAD #1
RSS value = 706.63 a-s.
OBAD #2
RSS value = 3.92 a-s.
OBAD MAP
RSS value = 12.10 a-s.
10515 - GSacq(1,3,3) failed due to search radius limit exceeded
GSacq(1,3,3) scheduled at 320/02:52:58 failed at 02:57:02 due to
search
radius
limit exceeded on FGS 3. ESB "a05" was received. RSS value
of
OBAD2 was
9.68 a-s.
REacq(1,3,3) scheduled at 320/04:21:19 also failed due to search
radius
limit
exceeded on FGS 3. ESB "a05" was received. RSS value of MAP
was
18.80 a-s.
OBAD
REacq(1,3,3) scheduled at 320/05:58:33 also failed due to search
radius
limit
exceeded on FGS 3. ESB "a05" was received. RSS value of 2nd
OBAD
was 4.56
a-s.
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
04
02
FGS
REacq
07
03
OBAD with Maneuver
22
22
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:
Flash Report "ACS SBC Detector, part 3"
ACS completed the second phase (~6 orbits) of its on-orbit evaluation
of
its newly modified 3-detector operational configuration (WFMAHVon)
at
~319/20:00. During this second phase ACS obtained a series of SBC,
HRC
and WFC calibration images which will be evaluated by the ACS
Science
team to ensure there are no adverse affects due to this new
3-detector
configuration. All temperatures, voltages, and currents stayed well
within their operational ranges. ACS NSSC1 Event Flag #2 (prevents
SBC
stored commanding) was set via stored commanding after completing
this
second phase and will be cleared pending review of the results by
the
ACS HRC ARB prior to return of the SBC to normal observations.
-Lynn
Lynn F. Bassford
CHAMP HST Missions Operations Manager
Lockheed Martin Technical Operations
GSFC PH#: 301-286-2876
"The Hubble Space Telescope is the astronomical observatory and
key to unlocking the most cosmic mysteries of the past, present and
future." - 7/26/6
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