HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class
Science
DAILY REPORT #4725
PERIOD COVERED: 5am October 27 - 5am October 28, 2008 (DOY
301/0900z-302/0900z)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
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 11113
Binaries in the Kuiper Belt: Probes of Solar System
Formation and
Evolution
The discovery of binaries in the Kuiper Belt and related
small body
populations is powering a revolutionary step forward in
the study of
this remote region. Three quarters of the known binaries
in the Kuiper
Belt have been discovered with HST, most by our snapshot
surveys. The
statistics derived from this work are beginning to yield
surprising and
unexpected results. We have found a strong concentration
of binaries
among low-inclination Classicals, a possible size cutoff
to binaries
among the Centaurs, an apparent preference for nearly
equal mass
binaries, and a strong increase in the number of binaries
at small
separations. We propose to continue this successful
program in Cycle 16;
we expect to discover at least 13 new binary systems,
targeted to
subgroups where these discoveries can have the greatest
impact.
WFPC2 11130
AGNs with Intermediate-mass Black Holes: Testing the Black
Hole-Bulge
Paradigm, Part II
The recent progress in the study of central black holes in
galactic
nuclei has led to a general consensus that supermassive
{10^6-10^9 solar
mass} black holes are closely connected with the formation
and
evolutionary history of large galaxies, especially their
bulge
component. Two outstanding issues, however, remain
unresolved. Can
central black holes form in the absence of a bulge? And
does the mass
function of central black holes extend below 10^6 solar
masses?
Intermediate-mass black holes {<10^6 solar masses}, if
they exist, may
offer important clues to the nature of the seeds of
supermassive black
holes. Using the SDSS, our group has successfully
uncovered a new
population of AGNs with intermediate-mass black holes that
reside in
low-luminosity galaxies. However, very little is known
about the
detailed morphologies or structural parameters of the host
galaxies
themselves, including the crucial question of whether they
have bulges
or not. Surprisingly, the majority of the targets of our
Cycle 14 pilot
program have structural properties similar to dwarf
elliptical galaxies.
The statistics from this initial study, however, are
really too sparse
to reach definitive conclusions on this important new
class of black
holes. We wish to extend this study to a larger sample, by
using the
Snapshot mode to obtain WFPC2 F814W images from a parent
sample of 175
AGNs with intermediate- mass black holes selected from our
final SDSS
search. We are particularly keen to determine whether the
hosts contain
bulges, and if so, how the fundamental plane properties of
the host
depend on the mass of their central black holes. We will
also
investigate the environment of this unique class of AGNs.
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.
WFPC2 11302
WFPC2 CYCLE 16 Standard Darks - Part III
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 11793
WFPC2 Cycle 16 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.
WFPC2 11902
Arp 273: Different Responses in Interacting Galaxies
We propose HST WFPC2 observations of the interacting
spiral galaxies Arp
273. This is a fascinating object in its own right, in
that the two
interacting galaxies exhibit different behaviors due to
the interaction.
The disk of the larger galaxy is extremely disturbed, but
its nucleus
shows few signs of activity (it is a LINER). In the
smaller (nearly
edge-on) galaxy on the other hand, the disk appears to be
almost intact,
but its nucleus experiences a starburst. The proposed
observations are
also intended to demonstrate that WFPC2 can produce
outstanding science
(and images) after the transition to Side B.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are
preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)
HSTARS:
11556 - GSAcq (1,2,2) failed due to QSTOP flag on FGS 1
At
301/22:58:45 GSAcq (1,2,2) failed to RGA Hold due to QF1STOPF and
QSTOP flags on FGS1.
Observations affected: WFPC Proposal 11130, observations 46 - 48.
11557 - GSAcq (1,2,2) failed due to Scan Step Limit
Exceeded on FGS 1
At
302/00:36:25 GSAcq (1,2,2) scheduled from 302/00:32:53 - 00:40:11
failed due to Scan Step Limit Exceeded on FGS 1.
Observations affected: WFPC Proposal 11103, observations 49 - 52
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:
18342-1 - Cooling System Recovery to CPL Standby/PCE on
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
08
06
FGS
REacq
06
06
OBAD with Maneuver
28
28
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:
Flash Report: NICMOS Recovery to Boot
As of 301/13:03:15.791 UTC, NICMOS successfully completed
its stored
command recovery to Boot mode via the SA301 SMS.
Flash Report: ESM/PCE Recovery
As of 301/18:12 UTC, Ops Request 18342 has been
successfully completed,
returning the ESM to its nominal Operate status with the
PCE powered on,
and placing the NCS CPL in its Standby state. This condition
yields far
greater telemetry insight into the NCS as a whole than in
Safe.