HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY
REPORT # 4521
PERIOD
COVERED: UT January 007, 2008 (DOY 007)
OBSERVATIONS
SCHEDULED
WFPC2
11024
WFPC2
CYCLE 15 INTERNAL MONITOR
This
calibration proposal is the Cycle 15 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.
FGS
11295
Trigonometric
Calibration of the Distance Scale for Classical Novae
The
distance scale for classical novae is important for understanding
the
stellar physics of their thermonuclear runaways, their contribution
to
Galactic nucleosynthesis, and their use as extragalactic standard
candles.
Although it is known that there is a relationship between their
absolute
magnitudes at maximum light and their subsequent rates of
decline--the
well-known maximum-magnitude rate-of-decline {MMRD}
relation--it
is difficult to set the zero-point for the MMRD because of
the
very uncertain distances of Galactic novae. We propose to measure
precise
trigonometric parallaxes for the quiescent remnants of the four
nearest
classical novae. We will use the Fine Guidance Sensors, which
are
proven to be capable of measuring parallaxes with errors of ~0.2
mas,
well below what is possible from the ground.
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.
NIC2
11219
Active
Galactic Nuclei in nearby galaxies: a new view of the origin of
the
radio-loud radio-quiet dichotomy?
Using
archival HST and Chandra observations of 34 nearby early-type
galaxies
{drawn from a complete radio selected sample} we have found
evidence
that the radio-loud/radio-quiet dichotomy is directly connected
to
the structure of the inner regions of their host galaxies in the
following
sense: [1] Radio-loud AGN are associated with galaxies with
shallow
cores in their light profiles [2] Radio-quiet AGN are only
hosted
by galaxies with steep cusps. Since the brightness profile is
determined
by the galaxy's evolution, through its merger history, our
results
suggest that the same process sets the AGN flavour. This
provides
us with a novel tool to explore the co-evolution of galaxies
and
supermassive black holes, and it opens a new path to understand the
origin
of the radio-loud/radio-quiet AGN dichotomy. Currently our
analysis
is statistically incomplete as the brightness profile is not
available
for 82 of the 116 targets. Most galaxies were not observed
with
HST, while in some cases the study is obstructed by the presence of
dust
features. We here propose to perform an infrared NICMOS snapshot
survey
of these 82 galaxies. This will enable us to i} test the reality
of
the dichotomic behaviour in a substantially larger sample; ii} extend
the
comparison between radio-loud and radio-quiet AGN to a larger range
of
luminosities.
NIC3
11195
Morphologies
of the Most Extreme High-Redshift Mid-IR-luminous Galaxies
II:
The `Bump' Sources
The
formative phase of some of the most massive galaxies may be
extremely
luminous, characterized by intense star- and AGN-formation.
Till
now, few such galaxies have been unambiguously identified at high
redshift,
and thus far we have been restricted to studying the
low-redshift
ultraluminous infrared galaxies as possible analogs. We
have
recently discovered a sample of objects which may indeed represent
this
early phase in galaxy formation, and are undertaking an extensive
multiwavelength
study of this population. These objects are optically
extremely
faint {R>26} but nevertheless bright at mid-infrared
wavelengths
{F[24um] > 0.5 mJy}. Mid-infrared spectroscopy with
Spitzer/IRS
reveals that they have redshifts z~2, implying luminosities
~1E13
Lsun. Their mid-IR SEDs fall into two broad, perhaps overlapping,
categories.
Sources with brighter F[24um] exhibit power-law SEDs and SiO
absorption
features in their mid-IR spectra characteristic of AGN,
whereas
those with fainter F[24um] show a "bump" characteristic of the
redshifted
1.6um peak from a stellar population, and PAH emission
characteristic
of starformation. We have begun obtaining HST images of
the
brighter sources in Cycle 15 to obtain identifications and determine
kpc-scale
morphologies for these galaxies. Here, we aim to target the
second
class {the "bump" sources} with the goal of determining if these
constitute
morphologically different objects, or simply a "low-AGN"
state
of the brighter class. The proposed observations will help us
determine
whether these objects are merging systems, massive obscured
starbursts
{with obscuration on kpc scales!} or very reddened {locally
obscured}
AGN hosted by intrinsically low-luminosity galaxies.
WFPC2
10890
Morphologies
of the Most Extreme High-Redshift Mid-IR-Luminous Galaxies
The
formative phase of the most massive galaxies may be extremely
luminous,
characterized by intense star- and AGN-formation. Till now,
few
such galaxies have been unambiguously identified at high redshift,
restricting
us to the study of low-redshift ultraluminous infrared
galaxies
as possible analogs. We have recently discovered a sample of
objects
which may indeed represent this early phase in galaxy formation,
and
are undertaking an extensive multiwavelength study of this
population.
These objects are bright at mid-IR wavelengths
{F[24um]>0.8mJy},
but deep ground based imaging suggests extremely faint
{and
in some cases extended} optical counterparts {R~24-27}. Deep K-band
images
show barely resolved galaxies. Mid-infrared spectroscopy with
Spitzer/IRS
reveals that they have redshifts z ~ 2-2.5, suggesting
bolometric
luminosities ~10^{13-14}Lsun! We propose to obtain deep ACS
F814W
and NIC2 F160W images of these sources and their environs in order
to
determine kpc-scale morphologies and surface photometry for these
galaxies.
The proposed observations will help us determine whether these
extreme
objects are merging systems, massive obscured starbursts {with
obscuration
on kpc scales!} or very reddened {locally obscured} AGN
hosted
by intrinsically low-luminosity galaxies.
WFPC2
11012
NGC
4190-ULX1: The forgotten ULX
Although
it ranks amongst the nearest (at d ~ 3 Mpc) and brightest (fx ~
2e-12
erg/cm^2/s) ULXs, NGC 4190-ULX1 has not yet been observed in the
modern
era of X-ray astronomy. We propose to remedy this omission with
three
new observations designed to probe its underlying nature. Firstly,
we
will obtain a high precision X-ray position of the ULX using HRC-I.
This
will be used to identify an unique counterpart in new HST/ACS
imaging,
plausibly the first step towards deriving a dynamical mass
function
for this source. Finally, we will use an ACIS-S observation to
derive
the first high quality X-ray diagnostics (spectrum, light curve)
of
this ULX, with the aim of providing an interim assessment of the
nature
of the compact object underlying its extreme X-ray emission.
WFPC2
11070
WFPC2
CYCLE 15 Standard Darks - part II
This
dark calibration program obtains dark frames every week in order to
provide
data for the ongoing calibration of the CCD dark current rate,
and
to monitor and characterize the evolution of hot pixels. Over an
extended
period these data will also provide a monitor of radiation
damage
to the CCDs.
WFPC2
11289
SL2S:
The Strong Lensing Legacy Survey
Recent
systematic surveys of strong galaxy-galaxy lenses {CLASS, SLACS,
GOODS,
etc.} are producing spectacular results for galaxy masses roughly
below
a transition mass M~10^13 Mo. The observed lens properties and
their
evolution up to z~0.2, consistent with numerical simulations, can
be
described by isothermal elliptical potentials. In contrast, modeling
of
giant arcs in X-ray luminous clusters {halo masses M >~10^13 Mo}
favors
NFW mass profiles, suggesting that dark matter halos are not
significantly
affected by baryon cooling. Until recently, lensing
surveys
were neither deep nor extended enough to probe the intermediate
mass
density regime, which is fundamental for understanding the assembly
of
structures. The CFHT Legacy Survey now covers 125 square degrees, and
thus
offers a large reservoir of strong lenses probing a large range of
mass
densities up to z~1. We have extracted a list of 150 strong lenses
using
the most recent CFHTLS data release via automated procedures.
Following
our first SNAPSHOT proposal in cycle 15, we propose to
continue
the Hubble follow- up targeting a larger list of 130 lensing
candidates.
These are intermediate mass range candidates {between
galaxies
and clusters} that are selected in the redshift range of 0.2-1
with
no a priori X-ray selection. The HST resolution is necessary for
confirming
the lensing candidates, accurate modeling of the lenses, and
probing
the total mass concentration in galaxy groups up to z~1 with the
largest
unbiased sample available to date.
FLIGHT
OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant
Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports
of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS:
(None)
COMPLETED
OPS REQUEST:
18168-0
- FGS-2R Hybrid Mode Activation
18054-0
- Preview KF Sun Vector data via Telemetry Diags
COMPLETED
OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
08
08
FGS
REacq
06
06
OBAD
with Maneuver
28
28
SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS:
Flash
Report: Hybrid Mode Activation Successful:
FGS/486
hybrid mode was successfully activated on FGS-2R this morning at
007/15:03
via Ops Request 18168. The first hybrid mode acquisition was
at
15:56 and was successful. The GSAWG will continue to trend FGS-2R
performance.