HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class
Science
DAILY REPORT #4733
PERIOD COVERED: 5am November 6 - 5am November 7, 2008 (DOY
311/1000z-312/1000z)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)
FGS 11212
Filling the Period Gap for Massive Binaries
The current census of binaries among the massive O-type
stars is
seriously incomplete for systems in the period range from
years to
millennia because the radial velocity variations are too
small and the
angular separations too close for easy detection. Here we
propose to
discover binaries in this observational gap through a
Faint Guidance
Sensor SNAP survey of relatively bright targets listed in
the Galactic O
Star Catalog. Our primary goal is to determine the binary
frequency
among those in the cluster/association, field, and runaway
groups. The
results will help us assess the role of binaries in
massive star
formation and in the processes that lead to the ejection
of massive
stars from their natal clusters. The program will also
lead to the
identification of new, close binaries that will be targets
of long term
spectroscopic and high angular resolution observations to
determine
their masses and distances. The results will also be
important for the
interpretation of the spectra of suspected and newly
identified binary
and multiple systems.
FGS 11945
Asteroseismology of Extrasolar Planet Host Stars
Detections of stellar oscillations, although a very
demanding task in
terms of observing time, offers a return of more accurate
knowledge
about the structure of stars than can be obtained in any
other way. In
particular, detecting the 10-15 highest amplitude modes in
solar-like
stars to signal-to-noise of just a few sigma each allows
robust
constraints on the stellar density to <1%, and the
stellar age to within
5-10% of its main sequence lifetime. Ten day observing
runs using the
FGS as a photometer on any of the 5 best transiting planet
systems would
enable these asteroseismology returns. From more precisely
observed
transit shapes than can be obtained from the ground a
completely
independent constraint on stellar density to ~1% can be
obtained. The
long observation sets required for asteroseismology also
provide an
excellent opportunity of detecting transits from other
planets, e.g.
hypothesized inner -orbit Hot Earths, should any exist.
This is a contingency proposal that could return extremely
solid
science, with potential for communication as exciting use
of a now
limited telescope should we find ourselves in the
unfortunate situation
of having only the FGS available for many months.
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.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are
preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)
HSTARS:
11568 - GSAcq(1,3,1) failed to RGA Hold on FGS-1 ReAcqs
@311/14:20z,
311/15:55z, 311/17:31z and 311/19:07z also
failed. Real time OBADs
executed with OR #18355-0, in an attempt to
save Astrometry Proposal ID
#11945, @311/14:35z and 311/14:47z were
unsuccessful.
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:
#18355-0 Realtime FHST MAPs @ 311/14:47z
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq 06 06
FGS REacq 07 03
OBAD with Maneuver 12 12
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)