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
# 4355
PERIOD COVERED: UT May 03, 2007
(DOY 123)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
WFPC2 10800
Kuiper Belt Binaries: Probes of
Early Solar System Evolution
Binaries in the Kuiper Belt are a
scientific windfall: in them we have
relatively fragile test particles
which can be used as tracers of the
early dynamical evolution of the
outer Solar System. We propose to
continue a Snapshot program using
the ACS/HRC that has a demonstrated
discovery potential an order of
magnitude higher than the HST
observations that have already
discovered the majority of known
transneptunian binaries. With this
continuation we seek to reach the
original goals of this project: to
accumulate a sufficiently large
sample in each of the distinct
populations collected in the Kuiper Belt
to be able to measure, with
statistical significance, how the fraction
of binaries varies as a function
of their particular dynamical paths
into the Kuiper Belt. Today's
Kuiper Belt bears the imprints of the
final stages of giant-planet
building and migration; binaries may offer
some of the best preserved
evidence of that long-ago era.
WFPC2 10877
A Snapshot Survey of the Sites of
Recent, Nearby Supernovae
During the past few years, robotic
{or nearly robotic} searches for
supernovae {SNe}, most notably our
Lick Observatory Supernova Search
{LOSS}, have found hundreds of
SNe, many of them in quite nearby
galaxies {cz < 4000 km/s}. Most
of the objects were discovered before
maximum brightness, and have
follow-up photometry and spectroscopy; they
include some of the best-studied
SNe to date. We propose to conduct a
snapshot imaging survey of the
sites of some of these nearby objects, to
obtain late-time photometry that
{through the shape of the light and
color curves} will help reveal the
origin of their lingering energy. The
images will also provide
high-resolution information on the local
environments of SNe that are far
superior to what we can procure from
the ground. For example, we will
obtain color-color and color-magnitude
diagrams of stars in these SN
sites, to determine the SN progenitor
masses and constraints on the
reddening. Recovery of the SNe in the new
HST images will also allow us to
actually pinpoint their progenitor
stars in cases where pre-
explosion images exist in the HST archive.
This proposal is an extension of
our successful Cycle 13 snapshot survey
with ACS. It is complementary to
our Cycle 15 archival proposal, which
is a continuation of our
long-standing program to use existing HST
images to glean information about
SN environments.
WFPC2 10910
HST / Chandra Monitoring of a
Dramatic Flare in the M87 Jet
As the nearest galaxy with an
optical jet, M87 affords an unparalleled
opportunity to study extragalactic
jet phenomena at the highest
resolution. During 2002, HST and
Chandra monitoring of the M87 jet
detected a dramatic flare in knot
HST-1 located ~1" from the nucleus.
Its optical brightness eventually
increased seventy-fold and peaked in
2005; the X- rays show a similarly
dramatic outburst. In both bands
HST-1 is still extremely bright
and greatly outshines the galaxy
nucleus. To our knowledge this is
the first incidence of an optical or
X-ray outburst from a jet region
which is spatially distinct from the
core source -- this presents an
unprecedented opportunity to study the
processes responsible for non-
thermal variability and the X-ray
emission. We propose five epochs
of HST/ACS flux monitoring during Cycle
15, as well as seven epochs of
Chandra/ACIS observation {5ksec each,
five Chandra epochs contemporary
with HST}. At two of the HST/ACS epochs
we also gather spectral
information and map the magnetic field
structure. The results of this
investigation are of key importance not
only for understanding the nature
of the X-ray emission of the M87 jet,
but also for understanding flares
in blazar jets, which are highly
variable, but where we have never
before been able to resolve the
flaring region in the optical or
X-rays. These observations will allow
us to test synchrotron emission
models for the X- ray outburst,
constrain particle acceleration
and loss timescales, and study the jet
dynamics associated with this
flaring component.
WFPC2 10880
The host galaxies of QSO2s: AGN
feeding and evolution at high
luminosities
Now that the presence of
supermassive black holes in the nuclei of
galaxies is a well established
fact, other questions related to the AGN
phenomena still have to be
answered. Problems of particular interest are
how the AGN gets fed, how the
black hole evolves and how the evolution
of the black hole is related to
the evolution of the galaxy bulge. Here
we propose to address some of
these issues using ACS/WFC + F775W
snapshot images of 73 QSO2s with
redshifts in the range 0.3<z<0.4. These
observations will be combined with
similar archival data of QSO1s and
ground based data of Seyfert and
normal galaxies. First, we will
intestigate whether interactions
are the most important feeding
mechanism in high luminosity AGNs.
This will be done in a quantitative
way, comparing the asymmetry
indices of QSO2 hosts with those of lower
luminosity AGNs and normal
galaxies. Second, we will do a detailed study
of the morphology of the host
galaxies of both QSO types, to determine
if they are similar, or if there
is an evolutionary trend from QSO2s to
QSO1s. The results from this
project will represent an important step in
the understanding of AGN
evolution, and may also introduce a substantial
modification to the Unified Model.
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.
NIC2 10808
Morphologies of
spectroscopically-confirmed "red and dead" galaxies
at
z~2.5
Using a combination of wide-field
near-infrared imaging and very deep
follow-up near-infrared
spectroscopy we have identified a population of
massive "red and dead" galaxies at
z~2.5. The galaxies lack emission
lines and have strong Balmer/4000
Angstrom breaks, demonstrating
directly that they have evolved
stellar populations. These objects are
very likely progenitors of massive
ellipticals today and may be
descendants of the first
generation of galaxies. We propose to image 10
of these objects with the NIC2
camera to determine their morphologies.
The goals are to 1} determine
whether they have the sizes of present-day
early-types or are more compact,
as predicted by models, 2} determine
the morphology, using visual
classification and quantitative methods,
and 3} constrain the evolution of
the Kormendy relation from z~2.5 to
the present. These observations
will show whether the oldest and most
massive galaxies at z~2.5 were
already fully formed or still in the
process of assembly.
NIC3 10839
The NICMOS Polarimetric
Calibration
Recently, it has been shown that
NICMOS possesses an instrumental
polarization at a level of 1.2%.
This completely inhibits the data
reduction in a number of previous
GO programs, and hampers the ability
of the instrument to perform high
accuracy polarimetry. In all, 90
orbits of HST data are affected,
with potentially many more in Cycle 15.
We propose to obtain high signal
to noise observations of three
polarimetric standards at the
cardinal roll angles of the NICMOS
polarizers for both NIC1 and NIC2.
These observations are designed to
fully characterize the
instrumental polarization in order for NICMOS to
reach its full potential by
enabling high accuracy polarimetry of
sources with polarizations around
1%. The residual polarization will
also be determined as a function
of position and spectral energy
distribution. Our group will
rapidly turn around the required data
products and produce reports and
software for the accurate
representation of the instrumental
polarization. These items will be
presented to STScI and for
dissemination among the wider astronomical
community.
NIC3 11080
Exploring the Scaling Laws of Star
Formation
As a variety of surveys of the
local and distant Universe are
approaching a full census of
galaxy populations, our attention needs to
turn towards understanding and
quantifying the physical mechanisms that
trigger and regulate the
large-scale star formation rates {SFRs} in
galaxies.
WFPC2 10845
HUNTING FOR OPTICAL COMPANIONS TO
BINARY MILLISECOND PULSARS IN TERZAN 5
AND NGC6266
We propose deep WFPC2 and NICMOS
observations to search for optical
companions to binary millisecond
pulsar {MSPs} in two Globular Clusters
{GCs}: Terzan 5 and NGC6266.
Terzan 5 has the largest MSP population of
any GC: 33 MSP {17 in binary
systems} have been discovered up to now in
this stellar system. NGC6266 ranks
fifth among the GC for wealth of MSPs
but it is the only one in which
all the {six} detected MSPs are in
binary systems. Only 5 optical
counterparts to binary MSP companions are
known in GCs {two of them have
been discovered by our group}: hence even
the addition of a few new
identifications are crucial to investigate the
variety of processes occurring in
binary MSPs in dense environment. The
observations proposed here would
easily double/triple the existing
sample of known MSP companions,
allowing the first meaningful study of
the phenomena which drive the
formation and evolution of these exotic
systems. Moreover, since most of
binary MSP in GC are formed via stellar
interactions in the high density
regions of the cluster, the
determination of the nature of the
companion and the incidence of this
collisionally induced population
have a significant impact on our
knowledge of the cluster dynamics.
Even more interesting, the study of
the optical companions to NSs in a
GC allows to derive tighter
constraints {than those obtainable
for NS binaries in the galactic
field} on the properties {mass,
orbital inclination and so on} of the
compation star. This has, in turn,
an intrisic importance for
fundamental physics since it
offers the opportunity of measuring the
mass of the NS and hence to put
constraints to the equation of state of
matter at nuclear equilibrium
density.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies:
(The following are preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal
performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS:
10798 -
GSacq (2,3,2) failed to RGA control
During LOS the GSacq (2,3,2)
scheduled at 123/22:31:35 failed. At The
Map at 23:20:21 showed errors
of v1= 431.20, V2=708.51, V3=926.65 and
RSS= 1243.62.
AOS (23:19:01) we observed stop flags QF2STOPF and QSTOP for
FGS 2.
The REacq (2,3,2) at
124/00:04:19 also failed during LOS with stop flags
on FGS 2.
COMPLETED OPS
REQUEST:
18058-1 - MSS/CSSGyro2 KF
Initialization Convergence Testing for SMS 120 (Test # 36 &
9)
18059-1 - MSS/CSS KF Add/Removal
of Gyro1 Input Testing for SMS 120 (Test # 28)
18061-1 - MSS KF Adding Gyro1
Convergence Testing for SMS 120 (Test # 22)
18054-0 - Preview KF Sun Vector
Data via Telemetry Diags
18067-1 - PCS KF OOT Support
18068-1 - PCS KF OOT
Support
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
10
09
FGS
REacq
03
02
OBAD with Maneuver
27
27
SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS:
Evaluation of Universal Kalman
Filter performance continued. Multiple
text segments were executed, all
of them successfully. Details follow.
Background Kalman Filter Operation
Flash Report for day 123
The KF was halted at 123/16:15 (OR
18061-1). The filter was restarted at
123/16:16 during orbit day and
during an F2G guiding interval. The
filter was activated with only the
MSS enabled. The Gyro1 sensor input
was added to the converged KF at
123/16:28 during orbit day, in an M2G
guiding period with the vehicle
inertially fixed and during a slow
changing B-field. All UKF
parameters showed nominal operation. The test
was an MSS/Gyro1 test case with
the Gyro1 input added to an already
converged filter with the vehicle
inertially fixed and during a slow
changing B-field (M_G1_RNS, Test
#22).
The Gyro input was removed at
123/16:39 and the CSS sensor input
re-enabled at 123/16:50 to
reconfigure the KF back to its default
MSS/CSS input state. The activity
above used the slot 1 TMDIAG at
123/16:24. The slot 1 TMDIAG was
reset to monitor the V2 component of
the KF estimated sun vector at
123/16:52.
The Gyro1 sensor input was added
to the an already converged KF at
123/18:15. The MSS and CSS sensor
inputs were enabled. The Gyro1 sensor
input was added during an M2G
guiding period during orbit day, during a
vehicle slew and during a slow
changing B-field. All UKF parameters
showed nominal operation. The test
was an MSS/CSS test case with the
Gyro1 sensor input added during a
vehicle slew and a slow changing
B-field (MC_G1_RVS, Test #28).
The MSS/CSS default KF
configuration was restored at 123/19:11. The
activity above used the slot 1
TMDIAG at 123/18:15. The slot 1 TMDIAG
was reset to monitor the V2
component of the KF estimated sun vector at
123/19:24. The KF was halted at
123/20:05. The filter was restarted at
123/20:04 during an M2G guiding
period, during orbit day, during a
vehicle slew and during a slow
changing B-field. All UKF parameters
showed nominal operation. The test
was an MSS/CSS/Gyro2 Initialization
test case during a vehicle slew
and during a slow changing B-field
(MC_G1_IVS, Test #36).
The MSS/CSS default configuration
was restored at 123/20:17. The filter
was planned to be restarted in the
default configuration at 20:15 to
execute an additional test
(M_C_IVP, Test #9). This test is an
initialization test with the MSS
and CSS sensor inputs enabled at orbit
day, during a vehicle slew
immediately prior to EON. However, due to
communication issues the test was
not executed at the time required to
capture the penumbra. This test
will be rescheduled.
The tests above complete the KF
testing for the week of the 120 SMS.