Notice: For the foreseeable future, the daily reports may
contain
apparent discrepancies between some proposal descriptions
and the listed
instrument usage. This is due to the conversion of
previously approved
ACS WFC or HRC observations into WFPC2, or NICMOS
observations
subsequent to the loss of ACS CCD science capability in
late January.
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class
Science
DAILY REPORT # 4351
PERIOD COVERED: UT April 27,28,29, 2007 (DOY 117,118,119)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
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 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
images. Each observation will need its own CRMAP, as
different SAA
passages leave different imprints on the NICMOS detectors.
WFPC2 11091
Hubble Heritage Observations of Arp 148
The Hubble Heritage team will use a single pointing of
WFPC2 to obtain
F450W, F555W, F656N, and F814W images of Arp 148 as part
of a public
release image.
WFPC2 11085
Europa in Eclipse: Tenuous Atmosphere, Electromagnetic
Activity and
Surface Luminescence HST Proposal 11085
We propose to image Europa during its orbital eclipse by
Jupiter. This
will form the basis of an investigation into the nature of
the tenuous
atmosphere, electromagnetic environment and surface
material of Europa.
We will compare the FUV oxygen line at 1356A to the
optical line at
6300A and seek optical auroral hydrogen emission in
Halpha. With broad
continuum filters, we will search for optical emissions
from other
atmospheric constituents and for fluorescence of the
surface material,
arising from the very high level of incident energetic
particle
radiation. The high spatial resolution of ACS will allow
us to fully
resolve scales of interest and allow us to distinguish
easily the
different terrains on Europa's surface. In particular we
wish to compare
luminesence in regions dominated by ice to those of
potentially organic
red material.
WFPC2 11083
The Structure, Formation and Evolution of Galactic Cores
and Nuclei
A surprising result has emerged from the ACS Virgo Cluster
Survey
{ACSVCS}, a program to obtain ACS/WFC gz imaging for a
large, unbiased
sample of 100 early-type galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. On
subarcsecond
scales {i.e., <0.1"-1"}, the HST brightness
profiles vary systematically
from the brightest giants {which have nearly constant
surface brightness
cores} to the faintest dwarfs {which have compact stellar
nuclei}.
Remarkably, the fraction of galaxy mass contributed by the
nuclei in the
faint galaxies is identical to that contributed by
supermassive black
holes in the bright galaxies {0.2%}. These findings
strongly suggest
that a single mechanism is responsible for both types of
Central Massive
Object: most likely internally or externally modulated gas
inflows that
feed central black holes or lead to the formation of
"nuclear star
clusters". Understanding the history of gas
accretion, star formation
and chemical enrichment on subarcsecond scales has thus
emerged as the
single most pressing question in the study of nearby
galactic nuclei,
either active or quiescent. We propose an ambitious HST
program {199
orbits} that constitutes the next, obvious step forward:
high-resolution, ultraviolet {WFPC2/F255W} and infrared
{NIC1/F160W}
imaging for the complete ACSVCS sample. By capitalizing on
HST's unique
ability to provide high-resolution images with a sharp and
stable PSF at
UV and IR wavelengths, we will leverage the existing
optical HST data to
obtain the most complete picture currently possible for
the history of
star formation and chemical enrichment on these small
scales. Equally
important, this program will lead to a significant
improvement in the
measured structural parameters and density distributions
for the stellar
nuclei and the underlying galaxies, and provide a
sensitive measure of
"frosting" by young stars in the galaxy cores.
By virtue of its superb
image quality and stable PSF, NICMOS is the sole
instrument capable of
the IR observations proposed here. In the case of the
WFPC2
observations, high-resolution UV imaging {< 0.1"}
is a capability unique
to HST, yet one that could be lost at any any time.
NIC1/NIC3 10924
Constraints on the Assembly and Dynamical Masses of z~2
Galaxies
We propose deep NICMOS/NIC2 F160W imaging of seven
star-forming galaxies
at z~2. These galaxies comprise an entirely unique sample,
with not only
redshifts measured from optical and near-IR spectra, but
also
SINFONI/VLT near-IR integral field spectroscopic
measurements providing
kinematic maps of H-alpha emission out to radii of >=10
kpc. We aim to
determine the dynamical masses and evolutionary states of
these systems,
as part of the larger goal of understanding how mass is
assembled in
distant galaxies. In order to interpret our novel H-alpha
integral field
maps in terms of mass, we require detailed knowledge of
the structural
parameters of our target objects at rest-frame optical
wavelengths and
on ~1 kpc scales. We want to establish if the mass is
distributed in a
disk, bulge, or merging sub-units, and if we can detect
tidal features
associated with a merger. F160W imaging with NICMOS/NIC2
provides the
perfect combination of sensitivity and resolution to
address these
questions, and arrive at the fundamental quantity: the
dynamical mass.
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.
NIC3 10855
The Near-IR Spectra and Thermal Emission of Hot Jupiters
We propose to observe the brightest transiting exoplanet
systems, HD
209458b and HD 189733b, during both primary eclipse
{transit} and
secondary eclipse {when the planet is behind the star}. A
successful
measurement would result in the spectral characterization
of both
dayside and nightside thermal emission. This, in turn,
would result in
several important determinations, including {1} the
temperature of the
dayside, {2} the temperature of the nightside, {3} the
probable
detection of water, {4} strong constraints on the presence
or absence of
clouds, and {5} constraints on models of atmospheric
transport between
the day and night sides. Our selected wavelength region of
1.4 to 2.4
microns includes the two most prominent predicted features
{water} in
models for hot Jupiter emission. For these observations,
we propose to
use the NICMOS 3 grism and selected narrow band filters in
a carefully
designed, differential observation intended to achieve a
dynamic range
of 10,000:1. Our proposed observations are uniquely
enabled by HST,
which alone has the combination of stability, sensitivity,
wavelength
coverage, and dynamic range to make these high- impact
observations
possible.
WFPC2 10786
Rotational state and composition of Pluto's outer
satellites
We propose an intricate set of observations aimed at
discovering the
rotational state of the newly discovered satellites of
Pluto, S/2005 P1
and S/2005 P2. These observations will indicate if the
satellites are in
synchronous rotation or not. If they are not, then the
observations will
determine the rotational period or provide tight
constraints on the
amplitude. The other primary goal is to extend the
wavelength coverage
of the colors of the surface and allow us to constrain the
surface
compositions of both objects. From these data we will also
be able to
significantly improve the orbits of P1 and P2, improve the
measurement
of the bulk density of Charon, and search for albedo
changes on the
surface of Pluto.
WFPC2 10474
Shooting Stars: Looking for Direct Evidence of Massive
Central Black
Holes in Globular Clusters
We propose to make observations that directly test the
proposition that
globular clusters contain massive black holes. Our targets
are the bulge
globular clusters NGC 6388 and NGC 6441. These are
probably among the
most massive in the galaxy, but are understudied compared
to more
familiar objects such as M15. Our analysis suggests that
these two
clusters are the most likely to show unambiguous evidence
for a central
massive black hole if such things exist in globular
clusters. The
observations proposed will give us the first thorough
kinematic and
photometric studies of these two clusters. The combination
of the two
epochs will give us proper motions good to of order 6
km/s. In addition,
they will provide us with the first good, deep,
color-magnitude diagrams
for these clusters. These diagrams will be used to
investigate the make
up of the stellar population in the clusters, to more
firmly establish
their distances, ages, and metallicities, and to search
for a binary
sequence.
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
17
17
FGS REacq
21
21
OBAD with Maneuver
60
60
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:
Flash Report: HST Clock Rollover
The HST vehicle clock rollover occurred as expected
on April 29, 2007 (DOY 119) at 18:06:30.769 GMT. Pre- and
post-rollover
operations were conducted nominally in accordance with the
planned
timeline and procedure. The first scheduled guide star
acquisition after
rollover occurred successfully at 119/20:16:33.