HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class
Science
DAILY REPORT #4738
PERIOD COVERED: 5am November 14 - 5am November 17, 2008
(DOY
319/1000z-322/1000z)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
FGS 11942
Increasing the Accuracy of HST Astrometry with FGS1R
We propose to observe six exoplanetary system host stars
and two
planetary nebulae central stars with FGS1r. All objects
have been
previously observed under proposals GO-09233, -09969,
-10989, and
-11210. These observations will significantly extend the
time baseline,
permitting improvements in the determination of proper
motion. This
systematic motion must be removed to get at the
perturbation of
interest, either due to exoplanetary companions or the
orbital motion of
the Earth (parallax). In most cases the perturbation
orbits will also
improve. We improve either companion mass or PN parallax.
For one
target, GJ 876, theoretical dynamical modelers have
proposed an
inclination closer to 50 degrees, while FGS3 measurements
indicated an
inclination closer to 84 degrees. These new data, once
combined with our
older FGS3 data, will permit an independent remeasurement
of the
inclination of the outermost companion, and a
re-evaluation of widely
used dynamical algorithms.
FGS 11901/11212
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.
WFPC2 11796
WFPC2 Cycle 16 Decontaminations and Associated
Observations
This proposal is for the WFPC2 decons. Also included are
instrument
monitors tied to decons: photometric stability check,
focus monitor,
pre- and post-decon internals (bias, intflats, kspots,
& darks), UV
throughput check, VISFLAT sweep, and internal UV flat
check.
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 11218
Snapshot Survey for Planetary Nebulae in Globular Clusters
of the Local
Group
Planetary nebulae {PNe} in globular clusters {GCs} raise a
number of
interesting issues related to stellar and galactic
evolution. The number
of PNe known in Milky Way GCs, 4, is surprisingly low if
one assumes
that all stars pass through a PN stage. However, it is
likely that the
remnants of stars now evolving in Galactic GCs leave the
AGB so slowly
that any ejected nebula dissipates long before the star
becomes hot
enough to ionize it. Thus there should not be ANY PNe in
Milky Way
GCs--but there are four! It has been suggested that these
PNe are the
result of mergers of binary stars within GCs, i.e., that
they are
descendants of blue stragglers. The frequency of
occurrence of PNe in
external galaxies poses more questions, because it shows a
range of
almost an order of magnitude. I propose a Snapshot survey
aimed at
discovering PNe in the GC systems of Local Group galaxies
more distant
than the Magellanic Clouds. These clusters, some of which
may be much
younger than their counterparts in the Milky Way, might
contain many
more PNe than those of our own galaxy. I will use the
standard technique
of emission-line and continuum imaging, which easily
discloses PNe.
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 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.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are
preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)
HSTARS:
11575 - GSAcq (2,1,2) failed to RGA Hold
At 322/09:23:07, GSAcq 2,1,2 scheduled from
322/09:19:34 - 09:26:56
failed to RGA Hold due to QF2STOPF and QSTOP
flags on FGS-2.
Observations affected: WFPC Proposal #11113,
observations 17-20
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:
18359-0 - NCS Solenoid Valve commanding @ 319/1854z
18360-1 - ESM 8501 FSW 7.0.1 Installation @ 319/2127z
18361-2 - TDRSS Orbital Elements Update @ 321/2123z
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq 37 36
FGS REacq 07 07
OBAD with Maneuver 88 88
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:
Flash Report NCS Solenoid Valve Commanding:
At 319/18:54:15 UTC, Ops Request 18359 was successfully
completed,
re-commanding the NCS Fill Valve (Solenoid Valve 4) to its
open state.
Flash Report ESM 8051 FSW 7.0.1 Installation:
At 319/21:26:45 UTC, Ops Request 18360 was successfully
completed,
loading 8051 FSW version 7.0.1 into low EEPROM and RAM in
MCU-A.
Flash Report TDRSS Orbital Elements Update:
Ops Request 18361 was successfully executed between 321/19:50
- 21:30 to
uplink an updated set of TDRSS Orbital Elements to the the
HST486
DataBase in response to Network Advisory Message 660.