HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to Collect World Class Science
DAILY
REPORT #4948
PERIOD
COVERED: 5am October 8 - 5am October 9, 2009 (DOY 281/09:00z-282/09:00z)
OBSERVATIONS
SCHEDULED
NIC
11408
NICMOS
Focus and PAM Grid Tilt Tests
The
purpose of this proposal is determine the PAM settings corresponding
to
best focus for NIC1 and NIC2. A test will aslo be done on NIC3 in
order
to establish that the nominal PAM position of -9.5mm relative to
mechanical
zero results in an acceptable focus.
The
program consists of: Visit 01: Focus sweep using NIC1 Visit 02:
Focus
sweep using NIC2 Visit 03: Focus sweep using NIC3 Visit 04: Uplink
of
revised PAM settings (if needed) Visit 05: PAM X/Y grid tilt for NIC1
Visit
06: PAM X/Y grid tilt for NIC2 Visit 07: PAM X/Y grid tilt for
NIC3
Visit 08: Uplink of revised PAM X/Y parameters (if needed)
The
focus sweeps are based on the normal focus monitoring proposal
11320.
The tilt grid measurements are based on proposal 8977 (NIC1) and
9645
(NIC2 and NIC3).
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.
NIC2
11166
The
Mass-dependent Evolution of the Black Hole-Bulge Relations
In
the local universe, the masses of giant black holes are correlated
with
the luminosities, masses and velocity dispersions of their host
galaxy
bulges. This indicates a surprisingly close connection between
the
evolution of galactic nuclei (on parsec scales) and of stars on kpc
scales.
A key observational test of proposed explanations for these
correlations
is to measure how they have evolved over cosmic time. Our
ACS
imaging of 20 Seyfert 1 galaxies at z=0.37 showed them to have
smaller
bulges (by a factor of 3) for a given central black hole mass
than
is found in galaxies in the present-day universe. However, since
all
our sample galaxies had black hole masses in the range 10^8.0--8.5
Msun,
we could only measure the OFFSET in black hole mass to bulge
luminosity
ratios from the present epoch. By extending this study to
black
hole masses another factor of 10 lower, we propose to determine
the
full CORRELATION of black hole mass with host galaxy properties at a
lookback
time of 4 Gyrs and to test mass-dependency of the evolution. We
have
selected 14 Seyfert galaxies from SDSS DR5 whose narrow Hbeta
emission
lines (and estimated nuclear luminosities) imply that they have
black
hole masses around 10^7 Msuns. We will soon complete our Keck
spectroscopic
measures of their bulge velocity dispersions. We need a
1-orbit
NICMOS image of each galaxy to separate its nonstellar
luminosity
from its bulge and disk. This will allow us to make the first
determination
of the full black hole/bulge relations at z=0.37 (e.g. M-L
and
M-sigma), as well as a test of whether active galaxies obey the
Fundamental
Plane relation at that epoch.
NIC2/WFC3/IR
11548
Infrared
Imaging of Protostars in the Orion A Cloud: The Role of
Environment
in Star Formation
We
propose NICMOS and WFC3/IR observations of a sample of 252 protostars
identified
in the Orion A cloud with the Spitzer Space Telescope. These
observations
will image the scattered light escaping the protostellar
envelopes,
providing information on the shapes of outflow cavities, the
inclinations
of the protostars, and the overall morphologies of the
envelopes.
In addition, we ask for Spitzer time to obtain 55-95 micron
spectra
of 75 of the protostars. Combining these new data with existing
3.6
to 70 micron photometry and forthcoming 5-40 micron spectra measured
with
the Spitzer Space Telescope, we will determine the physical
properties
of the protostars such as envelope density, luminosity,
infall
rate, and outflow cavity opening angle. By examining how these
properties
vary with stellar density (i.e. clusters vs. groups vs.
isolation)
and the properties of the surrounding molecular cloud; we can
directly
measure how the surrounding environment influences protostellar
evolution,
and consequently, the formation of stars and planetary
systems.
Ultimately, this data will guide the development of a theory of
protostellar
evolution.
STIS/CCD
11806
Coordinated
Observations of LCROSS Impacts
We
propose to observe the LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing
Satellite)
impacts. This program will use STIS and WFC3 to observe the
Moon
in conjunction with NASA's LCROSS mission (assuming Servicing
Mission
4 occurs before the LCROSS impacts). The goal is to determine
whether
or not water ice and/or vapor is present in the subsurface of
the
Moon. We will address this issue by 1) observing the sunlit ejecta
plume
created by the LCROSS impacts and 2) examine the Lunar exosphere
for
the presence of OH and other volatile species.
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.
WFC3/IR
11618
WFC3
Observations of VeLLOs and the Youngest Star Forming Environments
The
Cores-to-Disks Spitzer Legacy team has discovered a number of
extremely
low luminosity sources embedded deep within nearby (< 300 pc)
cores
previously thought to be starless. With substellar masses, these
low
luminosity sources represent either the youngest low-mass protostars
yet
detected or the first embedded brown dwarfs. In either case, they
represent
a new observed class of sources referred to as VeLLOs (Very
Low
Luminosity Objects). We propose WFC3 F160W observations of a small
sample
of these sources, to be combined with deep ground-based
observations
at Ks, to address a broad set of issues concerning VeLLOs
and
the environments within which they are forming. First, the
morphology
of their outflow cavities will be traced, yielding estimates
of
the inclinations and opening angles of the cavities and the
evolutionary
stages of the VeLLOs. Second, our observations will reveal
background
stars seen through the densest regions of cores harboring
these
VeLLOs. The color-excesses of the background stars will yield the
highest
angular resolution extinction maps necessary to directly probe
the
inner density structure of these cores, found very soon after the
onset
of collapse, which would constrain the initial conditions of
collapse
within these isolated environments. In addition, we will
construct
similar maps of the dense pre-protostellar core L694-2 and the
protostellar
core B335. These maps will provide a snapshot of the
evolution
of the inner density structure of a core prior to low-mass
star
formation and soon thereafter, for comparison with the inner
density
structure of cores that have formed VeLLOs. Finally, these
extinction
maps will enable us to determine the core "centers", or
positions
of peak column densities. Comparison of these centers with the
positions
of the VeLLOs may yield insight regarding potential
differences
between the formation of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs.
WFC3/UVIS
11594
A
WFC3 Grism Survey for Lyman Limit Absorption at z=2
We
propose to conduct a spectroscopic survey of Lyman limit absorbers at
redshifts
1.8 < z < 2.5, using WFC3 and the G280 grism. This proposal
intends
to complete an approved Cycle 15 SNAP program (10878), which was
cut
short due to the ACS failure. We have selected 64 quasars at 2.3 < z
<
2.6 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Spectroscopic Quasar Sample, for
which
no BAL signature is found at the QSO redshift and no strong metal
absorption
lines are present at z > 2.3 along the lines of sight. The
survey
has three main observational goals. First, we will determine the
redshift
frequency dn/dz of the LLS over the column density range 16.0 <
log(NHI)
< 20.3 cm^-2. Second, we will measure the column density
frequency
distribution f(N) for the partial Lyman limit systems (PLLS)
over
the column density range 16.0 < log(NHI) < 17.5 cm^-2. Third, we
will
identify those sightlines which could provide a measurement of the
primordial
D/H ratio. By carrying out this survey, we can also help
place
meaningful constraints on two key quantities of cosmological
relevance.
First, we will estimate the amount of metals in the LLS using
the
f(N), and ground based observations of metal line transitions.
Second,
by determining f(N) of the PLLS, we can constrain the amplitude
of
the ionizing UV background at z~2 to a greater precision. This survey
is
ideal for a snapshot observing program, because the on-object
integration
times are all well below 30 minutes, and follow-up
observations
from the ground require minimal telescope time due to the
QSO
sample being bright.
WFC3/UVIS
11903
UVIS
Photometric Zero Points
This
proposal obtains the photometric zero points in 53 of the 62
UVIS/WFC3
filters: the 18 broad-band filters, 8 medium-band filters, 16
narrow-band
filters, and 11 of the 20 quad filters (those being used in
cycle
17). The observations will be primary obtained by observing the
hot
DA white dwarf standards GD153 and G191-B2B. A redder secondary
standard,
P330E, will be observed in a subset of the filters to provide
color
corrections. Repeat observations in 16 of the most widely used
cycle
17 filters will be obtained once per month for the first three
months,
and then once every second month for the duration of cycle 17,
alternating
and depending on target availability. These observations
will
enable monitoring of the stability of the photometric system.
Photometric
transformation equations will be calculated by comparing the
photometry
of stars in two globular clusters, 47 Tuc and NGC 2419, to
previous
measurements with other telescopes/instruments.
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:
(None)
COMPLETED
OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED
OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSAcq
10
10
FGS
REAcq
06
06
OBAD
with Maneuver
08
08
SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS: (None)