Notice: For the foreseeable future, the daily reports
may contain
apparent discrepancies between some proposal descriptions and the
listed
instrument usage. This is due to the conversion of previously
approved
ACS WFC or HRC observations into WFPC2, or NICMOS
observations
subsequent to the loss of ACS CCD science capability in late
January.
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World
Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 4316
PERIOD COVERED: UT March 09,10,11, 2007 (DOY
068,069,070)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
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.
WFPC2 11083
The Structure, Formation and Evolution of Galactic Cores
and Nuclei
A surprising result has emerged from the ACS Virgo
Cluster Survey
{ACSVCS}, a program to obtain ACS/WFC gz imaging for a large,
unbiased
sample of 100 early-type galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. On
subarcsecond
scales {i.e., <0.1"-1"}, the HST brightness profiles vary
systematically
from the brightest giants {which have nearly constant surface
brightness
cores} to the faintest dwarfs {which have compact stellar
nuclei}.
Remarkably, the fraction of galaxy mass contributed by the nuclei in
the
faint galaxies is identical to that contributed by supermassive
black
holes in the bright galaxies {0.2%}. These findings strongly
suggest
that a single mechanism is responsible for both types of Central
Massive
Object: most likely internally or externally modulated gas inflows
that
feed central black holes or lead to the formation of "nuclear
star
clusters". Understanding the history of gas accretion, star
formation
and chemical enrichment on subarcsecond scales has thus emerged as
the
single most pressing question in the study of nearby galactic
nuclei,
either active or quiescent. We propose an ambitious HST program
{199
orbits} that constitutes the next, obvious step
forward:
high-resolution, ultraviolet {WFPC2/F255W} and infrared
{NIC1/F160W}
imaging for the complete ACSVCS sample. By capitalizing on HST's
unique
ability to provide high-resolution images with a sharp and stable PSF
at
UV and IR wavelengths, we will leverage the existing optical HST data
to
obtain the most complete picture currently possible for the history
of
star formation and chemical enrichment on these small scales.
Equally
important, this program will lead to a significant improvement in
the
measured structural parameters and density distributions for the
stellar
nuclei and the underlying galaxies, and provide a sensitive measure
of
"frosting" by young stars in the galaxy cores. By virtue of its
superb
image quality and stable PSF, NICMOS is the sole instrument capable
of
the IR observations proposed here. In the case of the
WFPC2
observations, high-resolution UV imaging {< 0.1"} is a capability
unique
to HST, yet one that could be lost at any any time.
NIC3 11080
Exploring the Scaling Laws of Star Formation
As a variety of surveys of the local and distant
Universe are
approaching a full census of galaxy populations, our attention
needs to
turn towards understanding and quantifying the physical mechanisms
that
trigger and regulate the large-scale star formation rates {SFRs}
in
galaxies.
NIC3 11064
CYCLE 15 NICMOS SPECTROPHOTOMETRY CALIBRATION PROGRAM
Now that the spectrophotometric capabilities of the
NICMOS grism have
been established, cycle 15 observations are needed to
refine the
sensitivity estimates, to check for sensitivity loss with time,
to
improve the accuracy of the linearity correction, to improve
the
secondary flux standards by re-observation, and to expand the G206
data
set now that the sky subtraction technique has been shown to
produce
useful fluxes for some of the fainter secondary standards. These
faint
secondary IR standards will be a significant step towards
establishing
flux standards for JWST, as well as for SNAP, Spitzer, and
SOFIA. 1.Re-
observe the 3 primary WDs GD71, G191B2b, & GD153 twice each,
once at the
beginning and once near the end of the 18 month cycle. To date,
we have
only 2 observation of each star, while the corresponding STIS data
set
for these primary standards ranges from 6 to 23 obs. No
observations
exist for GD71 or GD153 with G206, so that the current G206
sensitivity
is defined solely by G191B2B. Purposes: Refine sensitivities,
measure
sens losses. Orbits: 2 for each of 6 visits = 12 2. Re-observe WD1057
&
WD1657 plus another P041C lamp-on visit to improve the scatter in
the
non-lin measurements per Fig. 8 of NIC ISR 2006-02. The WD stars
require
2 orbits each, while the lamp-on test is done in one. The very
faintest
and most crucial standard WD1657 has 2 good visits already, so
to
substantially improve the S/N, two visits of two orbits are
needed.
Include G206 for P041C in the lamp-off baseline part of that
orbit.
Orbits: WD1057-2, WD1657-4, P041C-1 --> 7 3. Re-observe 9
secondary
standards to improve S/N of the faint ones and to include G206 for
all
9. BD+17 {3 obs} is not repeated in this cycle. Four are bright
enough
to do in one orbit: VB8, 2M0036+18, P330E, and P177D.
Orbits:2*5+4=14
Grand Total orbits over 18 month cycle 15 is 12+6+14=32
{Roelof will
submit the P041C lamp-on visit in a separate program.}
NIC1 11057
Cycle 15 NICMOS dark current, shading profile, and read
noise monitoring
program
The purpose of this proposal is to monitor the dark
current, read noise,
and shading profile for all three NICMOS detectors
throughout the
duration of Cycle 15. This proposal is a slightly modified
version of
proposal 10380 of cycle 13 and 9993 of cycle12 and is the same as
Cycle
14. that we cut down some exposure time to make the observation
fit
within 24 orbits.
FGS 10989
Astrometric Masses of Extrasolar Planets and Brown
Dwarfs
We propose observations with HST/FGS to estimate the
astrometric
elements {perturbation orbit semi-major axis and inclination}
of
extra-solar planets orbiting six stars. These companions were
originally
detected by radial velocity techniques. We have demonstrated that
FGS
astrometry of even a short segment of reflex motion, when combined
with
extensive radial velocity information, can yield useful
inclination
information {McArthur et al. 2004}, allowing us to determine
companion
masses. Extrasolar planet masses assist in two ongoing
research
frontiers. First, they provide useful boundary conditions for models
of
planetary formation and evolution of planetary systems. Second,
knowing
that a star in fact has a plantary mass companion, increases the
value
of that system to future extrasolar planet observation missions such
as
SIM PlanetQuest, TPF, and GAIA.
ACS/SBC 10862
Comprehensive Auroral Imaging of Jupiter and Saturn
during the
International Heliophysical Year
A comprehensive set of observations of the auroral
emissions from
Jupiter and Saturn is proposed for the International
Heliophysical Year
in 2007, a unique period of especially concentrated
measurements of
space physics phenomena throughout the solar system. We
propose to
determine the physical relationship of the various auroral
processes at
Jupiter and Saturn with conditions in the solar wind at each
planet.
This can be accomplished with campaigns of observations, with a
sampling
interval not to exceed one day, covering at least one solar
rotation.
The solar wind plasma density approaching Jupiter will be measured
by
the New Horizons spacecraft, and a separate campaign near opposition
in
May 2007 will determine the effect of large-scale variations in
the
interplanetary magnetic field {IMF} on the Jovian aurora
by
extrapolation from near-Earth solar wind measurements. A similar
Saturn
campaign near opposition in Jan. 2007 will combine extrapolated
solar
wind data with measurements from a wide range of locations within
the
Saturn magnetosphere by Cassini. In the course of making
these
observations, it will be possible to fully map the auroral footprints
of
Io and the other satellites to determine both the local magnetic
field
geometry and the controlling factors in the electromagnetic
interaction
of each satellite with the corotating magnetic field and plasma
density.
Also in the course of making these observations, the auroral
emission
properties will be compared with the properties of the
near-IR
ionospheric emissions {from ground-based observations} and non
thermal
radio emissions, from ground-based observations for Jupiter?s
decametric
radiation and Cassini plasma wave measurements of the Saturn
Kilometric
Radiation {SKR}.
NIC2 10847
Coronagraphic Polarimetry of HST-Resolved Debris Disks
We propose to take full advantage of the recently
commissioned
coronagraphic polarimetry modes of ACS and NICMOS to obtain
imaging
polarimetry of circumstellar debris disks that were imaged previously
by
the HST coronagraphs, but without the polarizers. It is well
established
that stars form in gas-rich protostellar disks, and that the
planets of
our solar system formed from a circum-solar disk. However,
the
connection between the circumstellar disks that we observe around
other
stars and the processes of planet formation is still very
uncertain.
Mid-IR spectral studies have suggested that disk grains are
growing in
the environments of young stellar objects during the
putative
planet-formation epoch. Furthermore, structures revealed in
well
resolved images of circumstellar disks suggest gravitational
influences
on the disks from co-orbital bodies of planetary mass.
Unfortunately,
existing imaging data provides only rudimentary information
abou the
disk grains and their environments. Our proposed observations, which
can
be obtained only with HST, will enable us to quantitatively
determine
the sizes of the grains and optical depths as functions of
their
location within the disks {i.e., detailed tomography}. Armed with
these
well-determine physical and geometrical systemic parameters, we
will
develop a set of self- consistent models of disk structures
to
investigate possible interactions between unseen planets and the
disks
from which they formed. Our results will also calibrate models of
the
thermal emission from these disks, that will in turn enable us to
infer
the properties of other debris disks that cannot be spatially
resolved
with current or planned instruments and telescopes.
NIC3 10836
The Red Sequence at 1.3 < z < 1.4 in Galaxy
Clusters
We propose to obtain NIC3/F160W imaging of three new
IRAC-selected
galaxy clusters at 1.3 < z < 1.5. In combination with
deep ACS/F850LP
images being obtained in Cycle 14, the resulting precision
photometry in
a rest ~U - R color will allow us to construct color- magnitude
diagrams
which can be used to measure the slope and scatter in the red
sequence
galaxies, thereby constraining the history of star formation in
the
early-type galaxies. The number of morphologically-selected
early-type
galaxies more luminous than L* will allow us to test the
predictions of
the hierarchical merging scenario for galaxy formation in
clusters at
the highest available redshifts in galaxy clusters.
WFPC2 10807
The knotty jet of He 2-90: An ideal laboratory for
studying the
formation and propagation of jets in dying stars
Previous WFPC2 observations have led to the
serendipitous discovery of
an extended, highly-collimated, ``pulsed" bipolar
jet emanating from a
compact planetary nebula, He 2- 90. Subsequently, an
average proper
motion of the knots in the jet was measured, which together
with radial
velocities, enabled us to characterise the basic physical
properties of
the jet. The knotty jet in He 2-90 resembles other prominent
examples of
pulsed jets in young stellar objects or symbiotic stars, but is
probably
by far the best example yet of a non-relativistic, symmetric, jet in
a
``clean" astrophysical environment. The formation {acceleration
and
collimation} of jets is not fully understood, specially in the case
of
jets in dying stars. We now propose to re-image He 2-90 with WFPC2
and
exploit the factor 3.5 longer time baseline now available from
the
first-epoch observations in September 1999, in order to measure
the
proper motion of individual knots in the jet with
unprecedented
accuracy. These data will enable us to characterise the
ejection history
of the source, specially deviations from a constant period
{latter is
related to the binary period of the system}, e.g., due to
instabilities
in the accretion mechanism. We will also be able to test if the
ejection
mechanism is symmetric: any deviation in the ejection history of
the
knots in the opposing jet beams, will indicate a magnetic
field
structure and/or the accretion disk which is not symmetric across
the
equatorial plane. We will also carry out deep imaging with the
ACS/WFC
camera in order to determine the shapes/sizes of a large number
of
knots. The shapes/sizes of the knots, and changes with distance from
the
source probe the strength of the magnetic field inside the jet.
HRC
imaging of the central source and jet on sub-arcsecond scales will
be
carried out to probe the magnetic field close to the jet source,
and
deviations from linearity in the jet-beam which may result
from
instabilities in the magnetic field. These data will allow us
to
significantly improve our existing 2- dimensional MHD model of
the
He2-90 jet, and/or provide impetus for new 3-dimensional models.
NIC2 10802
SHOES-Supernovae, HO, for the Equation of State of Dark
energy
The present uncertainty in the value of the Hubble
constant {resulting
in an uncertainty in Omega_M} and the paucity of Type Ia
supernovae at
redshifts exceeding 1 are now the leading obstacles to
determining the
nature of dark energy. We propose a single, integrated set
of
observations for Cycle 15 that will provide a 40% improvement
in
constraints on dark energy. This program will observe known Cepheids
in
six reliable hosts of Type Ia supernovae with NICMOS, reducing
the
uncertainty in H_0 by a factor of two because of the smaller
dispersion
along the instability strip, the diminished extinction, and the
weaker
metallicity dependence in the infrared. In parallel with ACS, at
the
same time the NICMOS observations are underway, we will discover
and
follow a sample of Type Ia supernovae at z > 1. Together,
these
measurements, along with prior constraints from WMAP, will provide
a
great improvement in HST's ability to distinguish between a
static,
cosmological constant and dynamical dark energy. The Hubble
Space
Telescope is the only instrument in the world that can make these
IR
measurements of Cepheids beyond the Local Group, and it is the
only
telescope in the world that can be used to find and follow supernovae
at
z > 1. Our program exploits both of these unique capabilities of HST
to
learn more about one of the greatest mysteries in science.
NIC3 10792
Quasars at Redshift z=6 and Early Star Formation History
We propose to observe four high-redshift quasars {z=6}
in the NIR in
order to estimate relative Fe/Mg abundances and the central
black hole
mass. The results of this study will critically constrain models
of
joint quasar and galaxy formation, early star formation, and the
growth
of supermassive black holes. Different time scales and yields
for
alpha-elements {like O or Mg} and for iron result into an
iron
enrichment delay of ~0.3 to 0.6 Gyr. Hence, despite the
well-known
complexity of the FeII emission line spectrum, the ratio
iron/alpha -
element is a potentially useful cosmological clock. The central
black
hole mass will be estimated based on a recently revised back hole mass
-
luminosity relationship. The time delay of the iron enrichment and
the
time required to form a supermassive black hole {logM>8 Msol,
tau
~0.5Gyr} as evidenced by quasar activity will be used to date
the
beginning of the first intense star formation, marking the formation
of
the first massive galaxies that host luminous quasars, and to
constrain
the epoch when supermassive black holes start to grow by accretion.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are
preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)
HSTARS:
10733 - GSAcq (1,3,1) failed with STOP flag for FGS
1
During LOS the GSAcq scheduled at 23:03:48 failed.
At AOS the OBAD RSS was 3.16 a-s.
10734 - GSAcq(2,1,1) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro
Control)
GSAcq(2,1,1)
scheduled at 069/21:17:24 - 21:25:29 failed to RGA Hold due
to (QF2STOPF) stop flag indication on FGS2. Pre-acq OBADs showed
(RSS)
attitude correction values of 3247.82 and 10.97 arcseconds.
10736 - GSAcq(2,3,2) results in fine lock backup
(2,0,2)
Upon
acquisition of signal at 070/12:00:34, the GSAcq(2,3,2) scheduled
at 070/11:26:49 - 11:34:54 had resulted in fine lock backup
(2,0,2)
using FGS2 due to (QF3STOPF) stop flag indication on the secondary
FGS3.
Post-acq OBAD/MAP showed (RSS) value of 8.75.
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
31
29
FGS REacq
11
10
OBAD with Maneuver
84
84
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)