HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY
REPORT # 4572
PERIOD
COVERED: UT March 20, 2008 (DOY 080)
OBSERVATIONS
SCHEDULED
ACS/SBC
11220
Mapping
the FUV Evolution of Type IIn Supernovae
We
will use the PR110L prism on the SBC of ACS to map the FUV evolution
of Type
IIn supernovae {SNe}. The main goal of this proposal is to
measure
the FUV continuum, Ly-a emission line flux, and their evolution
to
{1} quantify and interpret Type IIn SN transient event detections at
high
redshift and {2} dramatically improve current high redshift Type
IIn
selection criteria. We show that the inherent properties of Type IIn
SNe
facilitate high redshift detection. We will observe the rest-frame
FUV
of a sample of eight 0.02 < z < 0.33 Type IIn SNe to directly
measure
the survival of Ly-alpha photons in low to intermediate redshift
Type
IIn SNe environments and extrapolate the results to high redshift.
We
will calibrate relationships such as FUV luminosity vs. emission line
flux
and measure emission line evolution vs. FUV light evolution. The
intent
is to categorize and improve the utility of Type IIn SNe.
FGS
11210
The
Architecture of Exoplanetary Systems
Are
all planetary systems coplanar? Concordance cosmogony makes that
prediction.
It is, however, a prediction of extrasolar planetary system
architecture
as yet untested by direct observation for main sequence
stars
other than the Sun. To provide such a test, we propose to carry
out
FGS astrometric studies on four stars hosting seven companions. Our
understanding
of the planet formation process will grow as we match not
only
system architecture, but formed planet mass and true distance from
the
primary with host star characteristics for a wide variety of host
stars
and exoplanet masses. We propose that a series of FGS astrometric
observations
with demonstrated 1 millisecond of arc per-observation
precision
can establish the degree of coplanarity and component true
masses
for four extrasolar systems: HD 202206 {brown dwarf+planet}; HD
128311
{planet+planet}, HD 160691 = mu Arae {planet+planet}, and HD
222404AB
= gamma Cephei {planet+star}. In each case the companion is
identified
as such by assuming that the minimum mass is the actual mass.
For
the last target, a known stellar binary system, the companion orbit
is
stable only if coplanar with the AB binary orbit.
NC3
11165
The
Radius of the "Super-Neptune" HD 149026b
Current
measurements suggest that the transiting exoplanet HD 149026b is
a
"super-Neptune," with an enormous heavy-element core. The existence
of
such
a planet is a major challenge to planet formation theories. We
propose
to place the radius measurement on much firmer footing, by
obtaining
a NICMOS light curve with 0.4 mmag precision and 13 sec
cadence.
We will improve the radius measurement by a factor of 2.3, and
more
importantly, the result will be more robust because we will
determine
the stellar radius directly from the data. Numerous attempts
to
do this from the ground have failed.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3
8795
NICMOS
Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 6
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 i
mages.
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.
NIC2/NIC1/NIC3
11159
The
True Galactic Bulge Luminosity Function
We
propose to obtain second epoch imaging of the deep Galactic bulge
field
observed using NICMOS by Zoccali et al. (2000). The bulge
luminosity
and mass function suffered from 30-50% contamination by
foreground
disk stars, which was impossible to correct for in the
original
study. Revisiting the field after 9 years, we propose to
segregate
the foreground disk stars because they have large transverse
velocities,
thus revealing the luminosity function of Galactic bulge low
mass
stars to near the hydrogen burning limit. The slope of the mass
function
has implications for galaxy formation and for understanding the
nature
of microlensing in the Galactic bulge.
NIC3
11120
A
Paschen-Alpha Study of Massive Stars and the ISM in the Galactic
Center
The
Galactic center (GC) is a unique site for a detailed study of a
multitude
of complex astrophysical phenomena, which may be common to
nuclear
regions of many galaxies. Observable at resolutions
unapproachable
in other galaxies, the GC provides an unparalleled
opportunity
to improve our understanding of the interrelationships of
massive
stars, young stellar clusters, warm and hot ionized gases,
molecular
clouds, large scale magnetic fields, and black holes. We
propose
the first large-scale hydrogen Paschen alpha line survey of the
GC
using NICMOS on the Hubble Space Telescope. This survey will lead to
a
high resolution and high sensitivity map of the Paschen alpha line
emission
in addition to a map of foreground extinction, made by
comparing
Paschen alpha to radio emission. This survey of the inner 75
pc
of the Galaxy will provide an unprecedented and complete search for
sites
of massive star formation. In particular, we will be able to (1)
uncover
the distribution of young massive stars in this region, (2)
locate
the surfaces of adjacent molecular clouds, (3) determine
important
physical parameters of the ionized gas, (4) identify compact
and
ultra-compact HII regions throughout the GC. When combined with
existing
Chandra and Spitzer surveys as well as a wealth of other
multi-wavelength
observations, the results will allow us to address such
questions
as where and how massive stars form, how stellar clusters are
disrupted,
how massive stars shape and heat the surrounding medium, and
how
various phases of this medium are interspersed.
WFPC2
11169
Collisions
in the Kuiper belt
For
most of the 15 year history of observations of Kuiper belt objects,
it
has been speculated that impacts must have played a major role in
shaping
the physical and chemical characteristics of these objects, yet
little
direct evidence of the effects of such impacts has been seen. The
past
18 months, however, have seen an explosion of major new discoveries
giving
some of the first insights into the influence of this critical
process.
From a diversity of observations we have been led to the
hypotheses
that: {1} satellite-forming impacts must have been common in
the
Kuiper belt; {2} such impacts led to significant chemical
modification;
and {3} the outcomes of these impacts are sufficiently
predictable
that we can now find and study these impact-derived systems
by
the chemical and physical attributes of both the satellites and the
primaries.
If our picture is correct, we now have in hand for the first
time
a set of incredibly powerful tools to study the frequency and
outcome
of collisions in the outer solar system. Here we propose three
linked
projects that would answer questions critical to the multiple
prongs
of our hypothesis. In these projects we will study the chemical
effects
of collisions through spectrophotometric observations of
collisionally
formed satellites and through the search for additional
satellites
around primaries with potential impact signatures, and we
will
study the physical effects of impacts through the examination of
tidal
evolution in proposed impact systems. The intensive HST program
that
we propose here will allow us to fully test our new hypotheses and
will
provide the ability to obtain the first extensive insights into
outer
solar system impact processes.
WFPC2
11184
Imaging
the Shock Precursor in Tycho's SNR
Cosmic
ray acceleration in supernova remnant shocks requires shock
precursors
where particles are trapped by plasma turbulence. The
precursors
also heat and compress the upstream gas, producing H alpha
emission
and affecting line profiles. We propose to image the brightest
non-radiative
shock in Tycho's SNR to measure the brightness and width
of
the precursor. These measurements will constrain 2 key parameters in
cosmic
ray acceleration models, and they will improve the accuracy of
shock
speed and electron-ion equilibration derived from H alpha
profiles.
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: (None)
COMPLETED
OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
09
09
FGS
REacq
06
06
OBAD
with Maneuver
30
30
SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS: (None)