HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to Collect World Class Science
DAILY
REPORT #4943
PERIOD
COVERED: 5am October 1 - 5am October 2, 2009 (DOY 274/09:00z-275/09:00z)
OBSERVATIONS
SCHEDULED
ACS/WFC3
11882
CCD
Hot Pixel Annealing
All
the data for this program is acquired using internal targets (lamps)
only,
so all of the exposures should be taken during Earth occultation
time
(but not during SAA passages). This program emulates the ACS
pre-flight
ground calibration and post launch SMOV testing (program
8948),
so that results from each epoch can be directly compared.
Extended
Pixel Edge Response (EPER) and First Pixel Response (FPR) data
will
be obtained over a range of signal levels for the Wide Field
Channel
(WFC). The High Resolution Channel (HRC) visits have been
removed
since it could not be repaired during SM4.
COS/NUV
11899
NUV
Imaging Sensitivity, Cycle 17
The
purpose of this proposal is to test NUV imaging sensitivity for a
range
of target spectral energy distributions. All targets have
wide-slit
STIS spectra in the HST Archive. We use eleven horizontal
branch
stars in the globular cluster NGC 6681 covering a range of
effective
temperatures, plus a solar-analog standard star.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3
11947
Extended
Dark Monitoring
This
program takes a series of darks to obtain darks (including
amplifier
glow, dark current, and shading profiles) for all three
cameras
in the read-out sequences used in Cycle 17. A set of 12 orbits
will
be observed every two months for a total of 72 orbits for a 12
month
Cycle 17. This is a continuation of Cycle 16 program 11330 scaled
down
by ~80%.
The
first orbit (Visit A0) should be scheduled in the NICMOS SMOV after
the
DC Transfer Test (11406) and at least 36h before the Filter Wheel
Test
(11407). Data download using fast track.
The
following 28 orbits (visit A1-N2) should be scheduled AFTER the SMOV
Proposal
11407 (Filter Wheel Test). This is done in order to monitor the
dark
current following an adjustment of the NCS set-point. These visits
should
be executed until the final temperature is reached during SMOV.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3
8795
NICMOS
Post-SAA Calibration - CR Persistence Part 6
This
is 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 'Use After' 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 darks. 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.
STIS/CCD
11844
CCD
Dark Monitor Part 1
The
purpose of this proposal is to monitor the darks for the STIS CCD.
STIS/CCD
11846
CCD
Bias Monitor-Part 1
The
purpose of this proposal is to monitor the bias in the 1x1, 1x2,
2x1,
and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at gain = 4, to build up
high-S/N
superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns.
STIS/CCD/MA1
11525
COS-GTO:
STIS High Resolution Observations of the Local ISM
We
shall use bright early-type B stars located within 150pc of the Sun
to
probe the absorption properties of the interstellar gas associated
with
the local cavity. By utilizing the high sensitivity and high
spectral
resolution of the HST-STIS spectrograph we shall be able to
place
new detection limits on absorption occurring in any highly ionized
gas
associated with the lines of NV, SiIV and CIV that may be present
along
these sight-lines within the local cavity. These data will be used
to
test current theoretical models that generally predict far higher
absorption
column densities than have been previously found. Also, the
high
spectral resolution will enable far stricter limits to be placed on
the
thermal widths of such highly ionized absorption lines, which
previous
observations towards the Loop I region have suggested
anomalously
narrow profiles consistent with their formation by either
photo
ionization or highly non-equilibrium processes.
STIS/MA1/MA2
11857
STIS
Cycle 17 MAMA Dark Monitor
This
proposal monitors the behavior of the dark current in each of the
MAMA
detectors.
The
basic monitor takes two 1380s ACCUM darks each week with each
detector.
However, starting Oct 5, pairs are only included for weeks
that
the LRP has external MAMA observations planned. The weekly pairs of
exposures
for each detector are linked so that they are taken at
opposite
ends of the same SAA free interval. This pairing of exposures
will
make it easier to separate long and short term temporal variability
from
temperature dependent changes.
For
both detectors, additional blocks of exposures are taken once every
six
months. These are groups of five 1314s FUV-MAMA Time-Tag darks or
five
3x315s NUV ACCUM darks distributed over a single SAA-free interval.
This
will give more information on the brightness of the FUV MAMA dark
current
as a function of the amount of time that the HV has been on, and
for
the NUV MAMA will give a better measure of the short term
temperature
dependence.
WFC3/ACS/IR
11359
Panchromatic
WFC3 Survey of Galaxies at Intermediate z: Early Release
Science
Program for Wide Field Camera 3
The
unique panchromatic capabilities of WFC3 will be used to survey the
structure
and evolution of galaxies at the peak of the galaxy assembly
epoch.
Deep ultraviolet and near-IR imaging and slitless spectroscopy of
existing
deep multi-color ACS fields will be used to gauge
star-formation
and the growth of stellar mass as a function of
morphology,
structure and surrounding density in the critical epoch 1 <
z
< 4. Images in the F225W, F275W, and F336W filters will identify
galaxies
at z < 1.5 from their UV continuum breaks, and provide
star-formation
indicators tied directly to both local and z > 3
populations.
Deep near-IR (F125W and F160W) images will probe the
stellar
mass function well below 10^9 Msun for mass-complete samples.
Lastly,
the WFC3 slitless UV and near-IR grisms will be used to measure
redshifts
and star-formation rates from H- alpha and rest-frame UV
continuum
slope. This WFC3 ERS program will survey one 4 x 2 mosaic for
a
total area of 50 square arcminutes to 5-sigma depths of m_AB = 27 in
most
filters from the mid-UV through the near-IR.
This
multicolor high spatial resolution data set will allow the user to
gauge
the growth of galaxies through star-formation and merging. High
precision
photometric and low- resolution spectroscopic redshifts will
allow
accurate determinations of the faint-end of the luminosity and
mass
functions, and will shed light on merging and tidal disruption of
stellar
and gaseous disks. The WFC3 images will also allow detailed
studies
of the internal structure of galaxies, and the distribution of
young
and old stellar populations. This program will demonstrate the
unique
power of WFC3 by applying its many diverse modes and full
panchromatic
capability to a forefront problem in astrophysics.
WFC3/ACS/IR
11584
Resolving
the Smallest Galaxies with ACS
An
order of magnitude more dwarf galaxies are expected to inhabit the
Local
Group, based on currently accepted galaxy formation models, than
have
been observed. This discrepancy has been noted in environments
ranging
from the field to rich clusters, with evidence emerging that
lower
density regions contain fewer dwarfs per giant than higher density
regions,
in further contrast to model predictions. However, there is no
complete
census of the faintest dwarf galaxies in any environment. The
discovery
of the smallest and faintest dwarfs is hampered by the
limitations
in detecting such compact or low surface brightness
galaxies,
and this is compounded by the great difficulty in determining
accurate
distances to, or ascertaining group membership for, such faint
objects.
The M81 group provides a powerful means for establishing
membership
for faint galaxies in a low density region. With a distance
modulus
of 27.8, the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) appears at I ~
24,
just within the reach of ground based surveys. We have completed a
65
square degree survey in the region around M81 with the CFHT/MegaCam.
Half
of our survey was completed before Cycle 16 and we were awarded
time
with WFPC2 to observe 15 new candidate dwarf galaxy group members
in
F606W and F814W bands in order to construct color-magnitude diagrams
from
which to measure accurate TRGB distances and determine star
formation
and metallicity histories. The data obtained show that 8 - 9
of
these objects are galaxies at the same distance as M81. In completing
our
survey, we have discovered an additional 8 candidate galaxies we
propose
to image with ACS in order to measure TRGB distances and
establish
membership. We also wish to re-observe our smallest candidate
group
member and a tidal dwarf candidate with deeper observations made
possible
with ACS. Once membership has been established for this second
set
of candidates, we will have a complete census of the dwarf galaxy
population
in the M8 group to M_r ~ -10, allowing us to obtain a firm
measurement
of the luminosity function faint-end slope, and, combined
with
previous HST data, to provide a complete inventory of the age and
abundance
properties for the collapsed core of the M81 group.
WFC3/IR
11838
Completing
a Flux-limited Survey for X-ray Emission from Radio Jets
We
will measure the changing flow speeds, magnetic fields, and energy
fluxes
in well- resolved quasar jets found in our short-exposure Chandra
survey
by combining new, deep Chandra data with radio and optical
imaging.
We will image each jet with sufficient sensitivity to estimate
beaming
factors and magnetic fields in several distinct regions, and so
map
the variations in these parameters down the jets. HST observations
will
help diagnose the role of synchrotron emission in the overall SED,
and
may reveal condensations on scales less than 0.1 arcsec.
WFC3/IR
11915
IR
Internal Flat Fields
This
program is the same as 11433 (SMOV) and depends on the completion
of
the IR initial alignment (Program 11425). This version contains three
instances
of 37 internal orbits: to be scheduled early, middle, and near
the
end of Cycle 17, in order to use the entire 110-orbit allocation.
In
this test, we will study the stability and structure of the IR
channel
flat field images through all filter elements in the WFC3-IR
channel.
Flats will be monitored, i.e. to capture any temporal trends in
the
flat fields and delta flats produced. High signal observations will
provide
a map of the pixel-to-pixel flat field structure, as well as
identify
the positions of any dust particles.
WFC3/IR
11926
IR
Zero Points
We
will measure and monitor the zeropoints through the IR filters using
observations
of the white dwarf standard stars, GD153, GD71 and GD191B2B
and
the solar analog standard star, P330E. Data will be taken monthly
during
Cycle 17. Observations of the star cluster, NGC 104, are made
twice
to check color transformations. We expect an accuracy of 2% in the
wide
filter zeropoints relative to the HST photometric system, and 5% in
the
medium- and narrow-band filters.
WFC3/UVIS
11657
The
Population of Compact Planetary Nebulae in the Galactic Disk
We
propose to secure narrow- and broad-band images of compact planetary
nebulae
(PNe) in the Galactic Disk to study the missing link of the
early
phases of post-AGB evolution. Ejected AGB envelopes become PNe
when
the gas is ionized. PNe expand, and, when large enough, can be
studied
in detail from the ground. In the interim, only the HST
capabilities
can resolve their size, morphology, and central stars. Our
proposed
observations will be the basis for a systematic study of the
onset
of morphology. Dust properties of the proposed targets will be
available
through approved Spitzer/IRS spectra, and so will the
abundances
of the alpha-elements. We will be able thus to explore the
interconnection
of morphology, dust grains, stellar evolution, and
populations.
The target selection is suitable to explore the nebular and
stellar
properties across the galactic disk, and to set constraints on
the
galactic evolutionary models through the analysis of metallicity and
population
gradients.
WFC3/UVIS
11707
Detecting
Isolated Black Holes through Astrometric Microlensing
This
proposal aims to make the first detection of isolated stellar-mass
black
holes (BHs) in the Milky Way, and to determine their masses. Until
now,
the only directly measured BH masses have come from radial-velocity
measurements
of X-ray binaries. Our proposed method uses the astrometric
shifts
that occur when a galactic-bulge microlensing event is caused by
a
BH lens. Out of the hundreds of bulge microlensing events found
annually
by the OGLE and MOA surveys, a few are found to have very long
durations
(>200 days). It is generally believed that the majority of
these
long- duration events are caused by lenses that are isolated BHs.
To
test this hypothesis, we will carry out high-precision astrometry of
5
long-duration events, using the ACS/HRC camera. The expected
astrometric
signal from a BH lens is >1.4 mas, at least 7 times the
demonstrated
astrometric precision attainable with the HRC.
This
proposal will thus potentially lead to the first unambiguous
detection
of isolated stellar-mass BHs, and the first direct mass
measurement
for isolated stellar-mass BHs through any technique.
Detection
of several BHs will provide information on the frequency of
BHs
in the galaxy, with implications for the slope of the IMF at high
masses,
the minimum mass of progenitors that produce BHs, and
constraints
on theoretical models of BH formation.
WFC3/UVIS
11905
WFC3
UVIS CCD Daily Monitor
The
behavior of the WFC3 UVIS CCD will be monitored daily with a set of
full-frame,
four-amp bias and dark frames. A smaller set of 2Kx4K
subarray
biases are acquired at less frequent intervals throughout the
cycle
to support subarray science observations. The internals from this
proposal,
along with those from the anneal procedure (Proposal 11909),
will
be used to generate the necessary superbias and superdark reference
files
for the calibration pipeline (CDBS).
FLIGHT
OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant
Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports
of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS:
12028
- GSAcq(2,1,1) at 274/17:57z failed due search radius exceeded
flag on FGS2.
Observation affected: ACS 78-82 Proposal ID# 11882 and WFC3 95-96
Proposal ID# 11657 and 11915.
12030
- REAcq(1, 2, 1) scheduled for 274/20:30:09z failed to RGA HOLD.
Observation affected: STIS 55-59 Proposals ID# 11525, 11857.
COMPLETED
OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED
OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSAcq
07
06
FGS
REAcq
10
09
OBAD
with Maneuver
06
06
SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS: (None)