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 # 4371
PERIOD COVERED: UT May 25,26,27,28, 2007 (DOY 145,146,147,148)
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.
ACS/SBC 11225
The Wavelength Dependence of Accretion Disk Structure
We can now routinely measure the size of quasar accretion
disks using
gravitational microlensing of lensed quasars. The next
step to testing
accretion disk models is to measure the size of accretion
disks as a
function of wavelength, particularly at the UV and X-ray
wavelengths
that should probe the inner, strong gravity regime. Here
we focus on two
four-image quasar lenses that already have optical {R
band} and X-ray
size measurements using microlensing. We will combine the
HST
observations with ground-based monitoring to measure the
disk size as a
function of wavelength from the near-IR to the UV. We
require HST to
measure the image flux ratios in the ultraviolet continuum
near the
Lyman limit of the quasars. The selected targets have
estimated black
hole masses that differ by an order of magnitude, and we
should find
wavelength scalings for the two systems that are very
different because
the Blue/UV wavelengths should correspond to parts of the
disk near the
inner edge for the high mass system but not in the low
mass system. The
results will be modeled using a combination of simple thin
disk models
and complete relativistic disk models. While requiring
only 18 orbits,
success for one system requires observations in both
Cycles 16 and 17.
NIC3 11082
NICMOS Imaging of GOODS: Probing the Evolution of the
Earliest Massive
Galaxies, Galaxies Beyond Reionization, and the High
Redshift Obscured
Universe
Deep near-infrared imaging provides the only avenue
towards
understanding a host of astrophysical problems, including:
finding
galaxies and AGN at z > 7, the evolution of the most
massive galaxies,
the triggering of star formation in dusty galaxies, and
revealing
properties of obscured AGN. As such, we propose to observe
60 selected
areas of the GOODS North and South fields with NICMOS
Camera 3 in the
F160W band pointed at known massive M > 10^11 M_0
galaxies at z > 2
discovered through deep Spitzer imaging. The depth we will
reach {26.5
AB at 5 sigma} in H_160 allows us to study the internal
properties of
these galaxies, including their sizes and morphologies,
and to
understand how scaling relations such as the Kormendy
relationship
evolved. Although NIC3 is out of focus and undersampled,
it is currently
our best opportunity to study these galaxies, while also
sampling enough
area to perform a general NIR survey 1/3 the size of an
ACS GOODS field.
These data will be a significant resource, invaluable for
many other
science goals, including discovering high redshift
galaxies at z > 7,
the evolution of galaxies onto the Hubble sequence, as
well as examining
obscured AGN and dusty star formation at z > 1.5. The
GOODS fields are
the natural location for HST to perform a deep NICMOS
imaging program,
as extensive data from space and ground based
observatories such as
Chandra, GALEX, Spitzer, NOAO, Keck, Subaru, VLT, JCMT,
and the VLA are
currently available for these regions. Deep
high-resolution
near-infrared observations are the one missing ingredient
to this
survey, filling in an important gap to create the deepest,
largest, and
most uniform data set for studying the faint and distant
universe. The
importance of these images will increase with time as new
facilities
come on line, most notably WFC3 and ALMA, and for the
planning of future
JWST observations.
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.
ACS/SBC 11074
ACS/SBC Darks in Support of Specific SBC Science
Observations
This program provides SBC DARK visits to be scheduled in
conjuction with
certain specific science observations which require the
SBC to be turned
on in the orbit preceeding the science observation.
WFPC2 11022
WFPC2 Cycle 15 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 11020
Cycle 15 Focus Monitor
The focus of HST is measured primarily with ACS/HRC over
full CVZ orbits
to obtain accurate mean focus values via a well sampled
breathing curve.
Coma and astigmatism are also determined from the same
data in order to
further understand orbital effects on image quality and
optical
alignments. To monitor the stability of ACS to WFPC2
relative focii,
we've carried over from previous focus monitor programs
parallel
observations taken with the two cameras at suitable
orientations of
previously observed targets, and interspersed them with
the HRC CVZ
visits.
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.
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 10870
The Ring Plane Crossings of Uranus in 2007
The rings of Uranus turn edge-on to Earth in May and
August 2007. In
between, we will have a rare opportunity to see the unlit
face of the
rings. With the nine optically thick rings essentialy
invisible, we will
observe features and phenomena that are normally lost in
their glare. We
will use this opportunity to search thoroughly for the
embedded
"shepherd" moons long believed to confine the
edges of the rings,
setting a mass limit roughly 10 times smaller than that of
the smallest
shepherd currently known, Cordelia. We will measure the
vertical
thicknesses of the rings and study the faint dust belts
only known to
exist from a single Voyager image. We will also study the
colors of the
newly-discovered faint, outer rings; recent evidence
suggests that one
ring is red and the other blue, implying that each ring is
dominated by
a different set of physical processes. We will employ
near- edge-on
photometry from 2006 and 2007 to derive the particle
filling factor
within the rings, to observe how ring epsilon responds to
the "traffic
jam" as particles pass through its narrowest point,
and to test the
latest models for preserving eccentricities and apse
alignment within
the rings. Moreover, this data set will allow us to
continue monitoring
the motions of the inner moons, which have been found to
show possibly
chaotic orbital variations; by nearly doubling the time
span of the
existing ACS astrometry, the details of the variations
will become much
clearer.
ACS/SBC 10862
Comprehensive Auroral Imaging of Jupiter and Saturn during
the
International Heliophysical Year
A comprehensive set of observations of the auroral
emissions from
Jupiter and Saturn is proposed for the International
Heliophysical Year
in 2007, a unique period of especially concentrated
measurements of
space physics phenomena throughout the solar system. We
propose to
determine the physical relationship of the various auroral
processes at
Jupiter and Saturn with conditions in the solar wind at
each planet.
This can be accomplished with campaigns of observations,
with a sampling
interval not to exceed one day, covering at least one
solar rotation.
The solar wind plasma density approaching Jupiter will be
measured by
the New Horizons spacecraft, and a separate campaign near
opposition in
May 2007 will determine the effect of large-scale
variations in the
interplanetary magnetic field {IMF} on the Jovian aurora
by
extrapolation from near-Earth solar wind measurements. A
similar Saturn
campaign near opposition in Jan. 2007 will combine
extrapolated solar
wind data with measurements from a wide range of locations
within the
Saturn magnetosphere by Cassini. In the course of making
these
observations, it will be possible to fully map the auroral
footprints of
Io and the other satellites to determine both the local
magnetic field
geometry and the controlling factors in the
electromagnetic interaction
of each satellite with the corotating magnetic field and
plasma density.
Also in the course of making these observations, the
auroral emission
properties will be compared with the properties of the
near-IR
ionospheric emissions {from ground-based observations} and
non thermal
radio emissions, from ground-based observations for
Jupiter?s decametric
radiation and Cassini plasma wave measurements of the
Saturn Kilometric
Radiation {SKR}.
NIC2 10858
NICMOS Imaging of the z ~ 2 Spitzer Spectroscopic Sample
of
Ultraluminous Infrared
We propose to obtain NICMOS images of the first large
sample of high-z
ultra-luminous infrared galaxies {ULIRGs} whose redshifts
and physical
states have been determined with Spitzer mid-IR spectra.
The detection
of strong silicate absorption and/or PAH emission lines
suggest that the
these sources are a mixture of highly obscured starbursts,
AGNs and
composite systems at z=2. Although some of the spectra
show PAH emission
similar to local starburst ULIRGs, their bolometric
luminosities are
roughly an order of magnitude higher. One important
question is if major
mergers, which are the trigger for 95% of local ULIRGs,
also drive this
enormous energy output observed in our z=2 sample. The
NICMOS images
will allow us to {1} measure surface brightness profiles
of z~2 ULIRGs
and establish if major mergers could be common among our
luminous
sources at these early epochs, {2} determine if starbursts
and AGNs
classified based on their mid-IR spetra would have
different
morphological signatures, thus different dynamic state;
{3} make
comparisons with the similar studies of ULIRGs at z ~ 0 -
1, thus infer
any evolutionary connections between high-z ULIRGs and the
formation of
normal, massive galaxies and quasars observed today.
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 10826
Galaxy Evolution During Half the Age of the Universe: ACS
imaging of
rich galaxy clusters
Detailed studies of nearby galaxies {z<0.05} show that
galaxies have
very complex histories of formation and evolution
involving mergers,
bursts of star formation, and morphological changes. Even
so, the global
properties of the galaxies {radii, luminosities, rotation
velocities,
velocity dispersions, and absorption line strengths}
follow a number of
very tight {empirical} scaling relations, e.g. the
Tully-Fisher relation
and the Fundamental Plane {FP}. We use the scaling
relations plus
quantative morphological measures for galaxy clusters up
to z=1 to
constrain models for galaxy evolution. Here we request 24
orbits to
obtain ACS imaging of the remaining three clusters in our
sample at
z~0.7-1.0. High resolution imaging of the clusters is
critical for our
study of star formation histories and structural evolution
in dense
environments since z<1. We have previously obtained
deep spectroscopic
observations of the clusters with Gemini. The data will
provide samples
large enough to establish the slope of the FP for each
cluster. With
multiple clusters at similar redshifts, we can probe
evolutionary
differences within a single epoch in order to decouple
changes due to
different environments. Our two other high-z clusters
exhibit different
chemical enrichment histories, which we argue are due to
the different
merging histories of these clusters.
NIC2 10798
Dark Halos and Substructure from Arcs & Einstein Rings
The surface brightness distribution of extended
gravitationally lensed
arcs and Einstein rings contains super-resolved
information about the
lensed object, and, more excitingly, about the smooth and
clumpy mass
distribution of the lens galaxies. The source and lens
information can
non-parametrically be separated, resulting in a direct
"gravitational
image" of the inner mass-distribution of
cosmologically-distant galaxies
{Koopmans 2005; Koopmans et al. 2006
[astro-ph/0601628]}. With this goal
in mind, we propose deep HST ACS-F555W/F814W and
NICMOS-F160W WFC
imaging of 20 new gravitational-lens systems with
spatially resolved
lensed sources, of the 35 new lens systems discovered by
the Sloan Lens
ACS Survey {Bolton et al. 2005} so far, 15 of which are
being imaged in
Cycle-14. Each system has been selected from the SDSS and
confirmed in
two time- efficient HST-ACS snapshot programs {cycle
13&14}.
High-fidelity multi-color HST images are required {not
delivered by the
420s snapshots} to isolate these lensed images {properly
cleaned,
dithered and extinction-corrected} from the lens galaxy
surface
brightness distribution, and apply our "gravitational
maging" technique.
Our sample of 35 early-type lens galaxies to date is by
far the largest,
still growing, and most uniformly selected. This minimizes
selection
biases and small-number statistics, compared to smaller,
often
serendipitously discovered, samples. Moreover, using the
WFC provides
information on the field around the lens, higher S/N and a
better
understood PSF, compared with the HRC, and one retains
high spatial
resolution through drizzling. The sample of galaxy mass
distributions -
determined through this method from the arcs and Einstein
ring HST
images - will be studied to: {i} measure the smooth mass
distribution of
the lens galaxies {dark and luminous mass are separated
using the HST
images and the stellar M/L values derived from a joint
stellar-dynamical
analysis of each system}; {ii} quantify statistically and
individually
the incidence of mass-substructure {with or without
obvious luminous
counter- parts such as dwarf galaxies}. Since dark-matter
substructure
could be more prevalent at higher redshift, both results
provide a
direct test of this prediction of the CDM hierarchical
structure-formation model.
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.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are
preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)
HSTARS:
10835 - GSacq(1,2,2) failed due to search radius limit
exceeded.
At
146/11:45:35 the GSacq(1,2,2) scheduled at 11:42:44 failed due to
search
radius limit exceeded on FGS 2. OBAD2 showed errors of V1=-5.67,
V2=-7.00,
V3=6.58, and RSS=11.15.
The
REacq(1,2,2) scheduled at 13:16:26 also failed due to search radius
limit
exceeded on FGS 2.
10836 - ACS 779 Fold Mechanism Move was Blocked
At
146/11:50:50 we begain to receive Status Buffer Messages ACS 779 (TDF
was
down when a fold mechanism move to the SBC position was commanded.
The
move is blocked and SBC MAMA HV will remain on. The MAMA HV staying
on
is a new feature for ACS FSW CS4.01 (installed on 6/3/05). This is
the
result of a GSacq failure at 11:45:35.
10837 - REacq1,2,2) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control)
The
Target Reacquisition(1,2,2) scheduled at 147/05:55:31 - 06:03:06
failed
to RGA Hold due to scan step limit exceeded error on FGS1.
Pre-acquisition
OBAD2 had (RSS) attitude correction value of 5.05
arcseconds.
10838 - GSAacq(1,3,3) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control)
GSAcq(1,3,3)
scheduled at 147/07:31:09 - 07:39:14 failed to RGA Hold due
to
(QF1STOPF) stop flag indication on FGS1. Pre-acq OBADs showed (RSS)
attitude
correction values of 3061.70 and 6.85 arcseconds.
10840 - GSAcq(1,2,1) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control)
Upon
acquisition of signal at 148/04:47:00, the GSAcq(1,2,1) scheduled
at
148/04:27:44 - 04:35:49 had failed to RGA Hold due to a Search Radius
Limit
Exceeded Error on FGS-1. OBAD2 had (RSS) value of 18.28
arcseconds.
10842 - GSAcq(1,2,2) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control)
Upon
acquisition of signal at 149/05:31:12, the GSAcq(1,2,2) scheduled
at
149/04:28:36 - 04:36:41 had failed to RGA Hold due to (QF1STOPF) stop
flag
indication on FGS-1.
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:
18094-0 - Configure the KF to use MSS and Gyro1 sensor
inputs @ 145/15:59z
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq 26
22
FGS REacq 24
22
OBAD with Maneuver
100 100
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)