HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 4248
PERIOD COVERED: UT November 28, 2006 (DOY 332)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
ACS/HRC 10833
Host Galaxies of Reverberation Mapped AGNs
We propose to obtain unsaturated high-resolution images of 17
reverberation-mapped active galactic nuclei in order to remove the
point-like nuclear light from each image, thus yielding a
"nucleus-free"
image of the host galaxy. This will allow investigation of host
galaxy
properties: our particular interest is determination of the
host-galaxy
starlight contribution to the reverberation-mapping observations.
This
is necessary {1} for accurate determination of the relationship
between
the AGN nuclear continuum flux and the size of the broad Balmer-line
emitting regions of AGNs, which is important in estimating black
hole
masses for large samples of QSOs, and {2} for accurate determination
of
the bolometric luminosity of the AGN proper. Through observations in
Cycles 12 and 14, we have obtained or will obtain images of 18 of the
35
objects in the reverberation-mapping compilation of Peterson et al.
{2004}. These observations revealed that the host-galaxy
contribution,
even in the higher-luminosity AGNs, is higher than expected and that
all
of the reverberation-mapped AGNs will have to be observed, not just
the
lower-luminosity sources; each source is different, and each source
is
important. Therefore we request time to observe the 17 remaining
reverberation-mapped AGNs.
ACS/HRC 10910
HST / Chandra Monitoring of a Dramatic Flare in the M87 Jet
As the nearest galaxy with an optical jet, M87 affords an
unparalleled
opportunity to study extragalactic jet phenomena at the highest
resolution. During 2002, HST and Chandra monitoring of the M87 jet
detected a dramatic flare in knot HST-1 located ~1" from the
nucleus.
Its optical brightness eventually increased seventy-fold and peaked
in
2005; the X-rays show a similarly dramatic outburst. In both bands
HST-1
is still extremely bright and greatly outshines the galaxy nucleus.
To
our knowledge this is the first incidence of an optical or X-ray
outburst from a jet region which is spatially distinct from the core
source -- this presents an unprecedented opportunity to study the
processes responsible for non-thermal variability and the X-ray
emission. We propose five epochs of HST/ACS flux monitoring during
Cycle
15, as well as seven epochs of Chandra/ACIS observation {5ksec each,
five Chandra epochs contemporary with HST}. At two of the HST/ACS
epochs
we also gather spectral information and map the magnetic field
structure. The results of this investigation are of key importance
not
only for understanding the nature of the X-ray emission of the M87
jet,
but also for understanding flares in blazar jets, which are highly
variable, but where we have never before been able to resolve the
flaring region in the optical or X-rays. These observations will
allow
us to test synchrotron emission models for the X-ray outburst,
constrain
particle acceleration and loss timescales, and study the jet
dynamics
associated with this flaring component.
ACS/WFC 10521
ACS Imaging of a Unique Spitzer Field: Morphology of mid-IR Variable
Sources
We propose to observe the IRAC Dark Field, an extragalactic field 15
arcminutes in diameter near the north ecliptic pole, using 50 orbits
of
ACS imaging at I-band. This field is extraordinarily deep and is
uniquely suited to detecting variable objects in the mid-infrared.
The
high spatial resolution ACS imaging will be used to derive
morphological
information about the galaxies in the field, which will then be
correlated with mid-infrared variable objects {specifically AGN and
supernovae} we have discovered. This field is the dark current
calibration target for the Spitzer Space Telescope, the infrared
counterpart to HST. Because the field is observed frequently as part
of
routine operations, it is now similar in size and depth to the
infrared
component of the GOODS program, and is confusion-limited in the
mid-infrared. More importantly, due to the periodicity of the
observations, the Spitzer observations are sensitive to variability
on
week timescales, ultimately spanning a baseline of five years, and
are
the only mid-infrared dataset that will ever have this capability at
this depth. By complementing our wide range of lower resolution
imaging
at optical and infrared wavelengths, we hope to exploit one of HST's
most unique capabilities - unparalleled spatial resolution in the
optical. While our specific interest lies in analysis of variable
sources, we will request no proprietary period on the ACS data so
that
it may be used by the community to complement the publicly available
Spitzer data.
ACS/WFC 10809
The nature of "dry" mergers in the nearby Universe
Recent studies have shown that "dry" mergers of red,
bulge-dominated
galaxies at low redshift play an important role in shaping today's
most
massive ellipticals. These mergers have been identified in extremely
deep ground-based images of red sequence galaxies at z ~ 0.1. The
ground-based images reach surface brightness limits of AB ~ 29, but
lack
the resolution to study the morphologies of the galaxies inside the
effective radius. Here we propose to obtain ACS images of a
representative sample of 40 of these red sequence galaxies: 15
ongoing
dry mergers, 15 remnants, and 10 undisturbed objects. We will
measure
the isophote shapes and ellipticities of the galaxies, their dust
content, morphological fine structure {shells and ripples}, AGN
content,
and their location on the Fundamental Plane. By comparing galaxies
in
different stages of the merging process we can constrain the amount
of
gas associated with these red mergers, the effect of active nuclei,
and
track structural changes. As two galaxies can be observed in a
single
orbit 20 orbits are requested to observe the 40 galaxies.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8794
NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 5
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 11062
NICMOS non-linearity tests
This program incorporates a number of tests to analyse the count
rate
dependent non-linearity seen in NICMOS spectro-photometric
observations.
We will observe a field with stars of a range in luminosity in
NGC3603
with NICMOS in NIC1: F090M, F110W, F140W, F160W NIC2: F110W, F160W,
F187W, F205W, and F222M NIC3: F110W, F150W, F160W, F175W, and F222M.
We
will repeat the observations with flatfield lamp on, creating
artificially high count-rates, allowing tests of NICMOS linearity as
function of count rate. We first take exposures with the lamp off,
then
exposures with the lamp on, and repeat at the end with lamp off.
Finally, we continue with taking darks during occultation. We will
furthermore observe spectro-photometric standard P041C using the
G096,
G141, and G206 grisms in NIC3, and repeat the lamp off/on/off test
to
artificially create a high background.
WFPC2 10745
WFPC2 CYCLE 14 INTERNAL MONITOR
This calibration proposal is the Cycle 14 routine internal monitor
for
WFPC2, to be run weekly to monitor the health of the cameras. A
variety
of internal exposures are obtained in order to provide a monitor of
the
integrity of the CCD camera electronics in both bays {both gain 7
and
gain 15 -- to test stability of gains and bias levels}, a test for
quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup
of
contaminants on the CCD windows. These also provide raw data for
generating annual super-bias reference files for the calibration
pipeline.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary
reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS:
10531 - ReAcq(2,3,2) fails after achieving FLDV on both FGSes @
324/0554z
OTA
SE review of PTAS processing log file (M_SA324Q.LG2) reveals that
the
ReAcq(2,3,2) that was scheduled for 2006.324/05:46 ultimately failed
after achieving FLDV on FGS2 and FGS3. The initial GSAcq(2,3,2) at
2006.324/04:14 was successful and the FGS2 star was found in a 26
a-s
SRad while the ReAcq's SRad was ~ 53 a-s. SciInit was never reached
on
the
failed ReAcq.
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
09
09
FGS
REacq
04
04
OBAD with Maneuver
26
26
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)
Joe L. Cooper
Office: 301 286-6970
Home: 301 490-2449
Mobile: 410 299-8123
Home E-mail: joecooper81@comcast.net
Work E-mail:
jcooper@hst.nasa.gov