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 # 4318
PERIOD COVERED: UT March 13, 2007 (DOY 072)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
WFPC2 10918
Reducing Systematic Errors on the Hubble Constant:
Metallicity
Calibration of the
Reducing the systematic errors on the Hubble constant is
still of
significance and of immediate importance to modern
cosmology. One of the
largest remaining uncertainties in the Cepheid-based
distance scale
{which itself is at the foundation of the HST Key Project
determination
of H_o} which can now be addressed directly by HST, is the
effect of
metallicity on the Cepheid Period-Luminosity relation.
Three chemically
distinct regions in M101 will be used to directly measure
and thereby
calibrate the change in zero point of the
range of metallicities that run from SMC-like, through
Solar, to
metallicities as high as the most metal-enriched galaxies
in the pure
Hubble flow. ACS for the first time offers the opportunity
to make a
precise calibration of this effect which currently
accounts for at least
a third of the total systematic uncertainty on Ho. The
calibration will
be made in the V and I bandpasses so as to be immediately
and directly
applicable to the entire HST Cepheid-based distance scale
sample, and
most especially to the highest-metallicity galaxies that
were hosts to
the Type Ia supernovae, which were then used to extend the
the distance
scale calibration out to cosmologically significant
distances.
FGS 10989
Astrometric Masses of Extrasolar Planets and Brown Dwarfs
We propose observations with HST/FGS to estimate the
astrometric
elements {perturbation orbit semi-major axis and
inclination} of
extra-solar planets orbiting six stars. These companions
were originally
detected by radial velocity techniques. We have
demonstrated that FGS
astrometry of even a short segment of reflex motion, when
combined with
extensive radial velocity information, can yield useful
inclination
information {McArthur et al. 2004}, allowing us to
determine companion
masses. Extrasolar planet masses assist in two ongoing
research
frontiers. First, they provide useful boundary conditions
for models of
planetary formation and evolution of planetary systems.
Second, knowing
that a star in fact has a plantary mass companion,
increases the value
of that system to future extrasolar planet observation
missions such as
SIM PlanetQuest, TPF, and GAIA.
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 10906
The Fundamental Plane of Massive Gas-Rich Mergers: II. The
QUEST QSOs
We propose deep NICMOS H-band imaging of a carefully
selected sample of
23 local QSOs. This program is the last critical element
of a
comprehensive investigation of the most luminous mergers
in the nearby
universe, the ultraluminous infrared galaxies {ULIRGs} and
the quasars.
This effort is called QUEST: Quasar / ULIRG Evolutionary
STudy. The
high-resolution HST images of the QUEST QSOs will
complement an
identical set of images on the ULIRG sample obtained
during Cycle 12, an
extensive set of ground-based data that include long-slit
NIR spectra
from a Large VLT Program, and a large set of mid-infrared
spectra from a
Cycle 1 medium-size program with Spitzer. This unique
dataset will allow
us to derive with unprecedented precision structual,
kinematic, and
activity parameters for a large unbiased sample of objects
spanning the
entire ULIRG/QSO luminosity function. These data will
refine the
fundamental plane of massive gas-rich mergers and enable
us to answer
the following quesitons: {1} Do ultraluminous mergers form
elliptical
galaxies, and in particular, giant ellipticals? {2} Do
ULIRGs evolve
into optical bright QSOs? The results from this detailed
study of
massive mergers in the local universe will be relevant to
understanding
the basic physical processes involved in creating massive
early-type
host on the one hand, and growing/feeding embedded massive
black holes
on the other, in major galaxy mergers. This is an
important question
since 50% of cosmic star formation at high-z and most of the
big BHs
appear to be formed in this process.
NIC2 10802
SHOES-Supernovae, HO, for the Equation of State of Dark
energy
The present uncertainty in the value of the Hubble
constant {resulting
in an uncertainty in Omega_M} and the paucity of
redshifts exceeding 1 are now the leading obstacles to
determining the
nature of dark energy. We propose a single, integrated set
of
observations for Cycle 15 that will provide a 40%
improvement in
constraints on dark energy. This program will observe
known Cepheids in
six reliable hosts of
uncertainty in H_0 by a factor of two because of the
smaller dispersion
along the instability strip, the diminished extinction,
and the weaker
metallicity dependence in the infrared. In parallel with
ACS, at the
same time the NICMOS observations are underway, we will
discover and
follow a sample of
measurements, along with prior constraints from WMAP, will
provide a
great improvement in HST's ability to distinguish between
a static,
cosmological constant and dynamical dark energy. The
Hubble Space
Telescope is the only instrument in the world that can
make these IR
measurements of Cepheids beyond the Local Group, and it is
the only
telescope in the world that can be used to find and follow
supernovae at
z > 1. Our program exploits both of these unique
capabilities of HST to
learn more about one of the greatest mysteries in science.
NIC3 10836
The Red Sequence at 1.3 < z < 1.4 in Galaxy Clusters
We propose to obtain NIC3/F160W imaging of three new
IRAC-selected
galaxy clusters at 1.3 < z < 1.5. In combination
with deep ACS/F850LP
images being obtained in Cycle 14, the resulting precision
photometry in
a rest ~U - R color will allow us to construct color-
magnitude diagrams
which can be used to measure the slope and scatter in the
red sequence
galaxies, thereby constraining the history of star
formation in the
early-type galaxies. The number of
morphologically-selected early-type
galaxies more luminous than L* will allow us to test the
predictions of
the hierarchical merging scenario for galaxy formation in
clusters at
the highest available redshifts in galaxy clusters.
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.
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.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are
preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)
HSTARS:
10738 - GSAcq(1,2,1) Failed
GSACQ(1,2,1) at 073/08:27:24 failed to RGA control with QF1STOPF and
QSTOP flags set. No other flags were seen. Vehicle was LOS at time of
failure
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
08
07
FGS
REacq
07
07
OBAD with Maneuver 30
30
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)