Notice:
Due to the conversion of some ACS WFC or HRC observations into
WFPC2,
or NICMOS observations after the loss of ACS CCD science
capability
in January, there may be an occasional discrepancy between a
proposal's
listed (and correct) instrument usage and the abstract that
follows
it.
HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY
REPORT # 4485
PERIOD
COVERED: UT November 07, 2007 (DOY 311)
OBSERVATIONS
SCHEDULED
ACS/SBC
10864
Mapping
the Gaseous Content of Protoplanetary and Young Planetary
Systems
with ACS
One
of the key problems in planetary system formation is understanding
how
rapidly, and over what time interval Jovian planets can form. Dust
in
the protoplanetary disk is critical in planetesimal formation, but it
is
the gas which produces giant planets, and which is essential for
their
migration. However, compared to data on the circumstellar dust,
information
on the gas component is sparse, especially in the
planet-formation
zone. This severely limits our ability to put
observational
constraints on giant planet formation, except to note that
the
process must be largely complete by 12 Myr, given the paucity of
Herbig
Ae or classical T Tauri stars older than 10-12 Myr. In the FUV,
photo-excited
molecular hydrogen transitions have the requisite contrast
to
the stellar photosphere, accretion shock, and reflection nebulosity,
and
can be traced 50-100 AU from the exciting stars in both envelopes
and
outflow cavities and protoplanetary disks. Central disk cavities, an
expected
consequence of planet formation, larger than 0.1" are directly
detectable
in HST FUV spectra, while smaller cavities may be detected by
comparison
with protoplanetary disks which are still accreting onto
their
stars. We propose augmenting existing HST coronagraphic imagery of
6
Herbig Fe and T Tauri disks with ACS Solar-Blind Channel Lyman alpha
imagery
and slitless spectroscopy simultaneously sampling the disk in
molecular
hydrogen and small-grain reflection nebulosity. These data
will
be used to quantify the amount of vertical stratification in these
disks,
to map the mass-loss geometry from the star, and to determine
whether
removal of molecular material precedes, lags, or is contemporary
with
clearing of the dust.
WFPC2
11015
The
Proper Motion of Supernova Remnant E0509-67.5
We
propose to measure independently the proper motion expansions of the
ejecta
and forward shock in E0509-67.5. The metal-enriched
reverse-shock-heated
ejecta emits only in X-rays, while the forward
shock
is traced to high precision by H alpha emission. The proposed
measurements
require the unique high resolution imaging capabilities of
Chandra
and Hubble. The optical {forward shock} and X-ray {ejecta}
results
will yield important constraints on the remnant's evolutionary
state;
we will search in particular for evidence of cosmic-ray modified
dynamics.
An important component of this project is an integrated
theoretical
investigation using realistic models of SN Ia explosions
evolved
to the remnant stage.
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 DARKs. 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
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.
S/C
4974
TRTTEST
The
Transient Response Trending Testis
for the periodic performance monitoring
of
the FGS 2R servo A mechanism.
WEPC2
11196
An
Ultraviolet Survey of Luminous Infrared Galaxies in the Local
Universe
At
luminosities above 10^11.4 L_sun, the space density of far-infrared
selected
galaxies exceeds that of optically selected galaxies. These
Luminous
Infrared Galaxies {LIRGs} are primarily interacting or merging
disk
galaxies undergoing starbursts and creating/fueling central AGN. We
propose
far {ACS/SBC/F140LP} and near {WFPC2/PC/F218W} UV imaging of a
sample
of 27 galaxies drawn from the complete IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy
Sample
{RBGS} LIRGs sample and known, from our Cycle 14 B and I-band ACS
imaging
observations, to have significant numbers of bright {23 < B < 21
mag}
star clusters in the central 30 arcsec. The HST UV data will be
combined
with previously obtained HST, Spitzer, and GALEX images to {i}
calculate
the ages of the clusters as function of merger stage, {ii}
measure
the amount of UV light in massive star clusters relative to
diffuse
regions of star formation, {iii} assess the feasibility of using
the
UV slope to predict the far- IR luminosity {and thus the star
formation
rate} both among and within IR-luminous galaxies, and {iv}
provide
a much needed catalog of rest-frame UV morphologies for
comparison
with rest-frame UV images of high-z LIRGs and Lyman Break
Galaxies.
These observations will achieve the resolution required to
perform
both detailed photometry of compact structures and spatial
correlations
between UV and redder wavelengths for a physical
interpretation
our IRX-Beta results. The HST UV data, combined with the
HST
ACS, Spitzer, Chandra, and GALEX observations of this sample, will
result
in the most comprehensive study of luminous starburst galaxies to
date.
WFPC2
11103
A
Snapshot Survey of The Most Massive Clusters of Galaxies
We
propose the continuation of our highly successful SNAPshot survey of
a
sample of 125 very X-ray luminous clusters in the redshift range
0.3-0.7.
As demonstrated by the 25 snapshots obtained so far in Cycle14
and
Cycle15 these systems frequently exhibit strong gravitational
lensing
as well as spectacular examples of violent galaxy interactions.
The
proposed observations will provide important constraints on the
cluster
mass distributions, the physical nature of galaxy-galaxy and
galaxy-gas
interactions in cluster cores, and a set of optically bright,
lensed
galaxies for further 8-10m spectroscopy. All of our primary
science
goals require only the detection and characterization of
high-surface-brightness
features and are thus achievable even at the
reduced
sensitivity of WFPC2. Because of their high redshift and thus
compact
angular scale our target clusters are less adversely affected by
the
smaller field of view of WFPC2 than more nearby systems.
Acknowledging
the broad community interest in this sample we waive our
data
rights for these observations. Due to a clerical error at STScI our
approved
Cycle15 SNAP program was barred from execution for 3 months and
only
6 observations have been performed to date - reinstating this SNAP
at
Cycle16 priority is of paramount importance to reach meaningful
statistics.
WFPC2
11128
Time
Scales Of Bulge Formation In Nearby Galaxies
Traditionally,
bulges are thought to fit well into galaxy formation
models
of hierarchical merging. However, it is now becoming well
established
that many bulges formed through internal, secular evolution
of
the disk rather than through mergers. We call these objects
pseudobulges.
Much is still unknown about pseudobulges, the most
pressing
questions being: How, exactly, do they build up their mass? How
long
does it take? And, how many exist? We are after an answer to these
questions.
If pseudobulges form and evolve over longer periods than the
time
between mergers, then a significant population of pseudobulges is
hard
to explain within current galaxy formation theories. A pseudobulge
indicates
that a galaxy has most likely not undergone a major merger
since
the formation of the disk. The ages of pseudobulges give us an
estimate
for the time scale of this quiescent evolution. We propose to
use
24 orbits of HST time to complete UBVIH imaging on a sample of 33
nearby
galaxies that we have observed with Spitzer in the mid-IR. These
data
will be used to measure spatially resolved stellar population
parameters
{mean stellar age, metallicity, and star formation history};
comparing
ages to star formation rates allows us to accurately constrain
the
time scale of pseudobulge formation. Our sample of bulges includes
both
pseudo- and classical bulges, and evenly samples barred and
unbarred
galaxies. Most of our sample is imaged, 13 have complete UBVIH
coverage;
we merely ask to complete missing observations so that we may
construct
a uniform sample for studying bulge formation. We also wish to
compare
the stellar population parameters to a variety of bulge and
global
galaxy properties including star formation rates, dynamics,
internal
bulge morphology, structure from bulge-disk decompositions, and
gas
content. Much of this data set is already or is being assembled.
This
will allow us to derive methods of pseudobulge identification that
can
be used to accurately count pseudobulges in large surveys. Aside
from
our own science goals, we will present this broad set of data to
the
community. Thus, we waive proprietary periods for all observations.
FLIGHT
OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant
Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports
of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS:
11047
- GSAcq (1,2,1) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control)
At AOS 311/12:49:16, GSAcq (1,2,1) scheduled from 311/12:19:11
12:26:36 had failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control) due to QSTOP and
QF1STOPF
flags on FGS 1.
OBAD #1 data unavailable due to LOS
OBAD #2 data at AOS: V1 0.27, V2 -0.69, V3 0.72, RSS 1.03
OBAD MAP not scheduled
11048
- REAcq (1,2,1) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control)
At AOS (311/15:24:28) REAcq (1,2,1) scheduled from 311/15:19:05
15:26:30 had failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control) due to QSTOP &
QF1STOPF
flags on FGS 1. No 486 STB messages noted.
OBAD #1 unavailable due to LOS
OBAD #2: V1 1.26, V2 -1.82, V3 9.62, RSS 9.87
OBAD MAP: V1 -0.72, V2 -6.13, V3 11.87, RSS 13.38
11049
- (Note, For Day 307) GSAcq(2,1,1) requires two attempts to achieve CT-DV
OTA SE review of PTAS processing revealed that GSAcq(2,1,1)
scheduled
for 307/13:28:02 required two attempts to achieve CT-DV on FGS1.
The
acquisition was successful.
COMPLETED
OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED
OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
05
04
FGS
REacq
10
09
OBAD
with Maneuver 30
30
SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS: (None)