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 # 4354
PERIOD COVERED: UT May 02, 2007 (DOY 122)
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 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 10847
Coronagraphic Polarimetry of HST-Resolved Debris Disks
We propose to take full advantage of the recently
commissioned
coronagraphic polarimetry modes of ACS and NICMOS to
obtain imaging
polarimetry of circumstellar debris disks that were imaged
previously by
the HST coronagraphs, but without the polarizers. It is
well established
that stars form in gas-rich protostellar disks, and that
the planets of
our solar system formed from a circum-solar disk. However,
the
connection between the circumstellar disks that we observe
around other
stars and the processes of planet formation is still very
uncertain.
Mid-IR spectral studies have suggested that disk grains
are growing in
the environments of young stellar objects during the
putative
planet-formation epoch. Furthermore, structures revealed
in well
resolved images of circumstellar disks suggest
gravitational influences
on the disks from co-orbital bodies of planetary mass.
Unfortunately,
existing imaging data provides only rudimentary
information abou the
disk grains and their environments. Our proposed
observations, which can
be obtained only with HST, will enable us to
quantitatively determine
the sizes of the grains and optical depths as functions of
their
location within the disks {i.e., detailed tomography}.
Armed with these
well-determine physical and geometrical systemic
parameters, we will
develop a set of self- consistent models of disk
structures to
investigate possible interactions between unseen planets
and the disks
from which they formed. Our results will also calibrate
models of the
thermal emission from these disks, that will in turn
enable us to infer
the properties of other debris disks that cannot be
spatially resolved
with current or planned instruments and telescopes.
NIC2 10849
Imaging Scattered Light from Debris Disks Discovered by
the Spitzer
Space Telescope around 21 Sun-like Stars
We propose to use the high-contrast capability of the
NICMOS coronagraph
to image a sample of newly discovered circumstellar disks
associated
with Sun-like stars. These systems were identified by
their strong
thermal infrared {IR} emission with the Spitzer Space
Telescope as part
of the Spitzer Legacy Science program titled "The
Formation and
Evolution of Planetary Systems" {FEPS, P.I.:
M.Meyer}. Modeling of the
thermal excess emission from the spectral energy
distributions alone
cannot distinguish between narrowly confined high-opacity
disks and
broadly distributed, low-opacity disks. By resolving light
scattered by
the circumstellar material, our proposed NICMOS
observations can break
this degeneracy, thus revealing the conditions under which
planet
formation processes are occuring or have occured. For
three of our
IR-excess stars that have known radial-velocity planets,
resolved
imaging of the circumstellar debris disks may further
offer an
unprecedented view of planet-disk interactions in an
extrasolar
planetary system. Even non-detections of the light
scattered by the
circumstellar material will place strong constraints on
the disk
geometries, ruling out disk models with high optical
depth. Unlike
previous disk imaging programs, our program contains a well-defined
sample of ~1 solar mass stars covering a range of ages
from 3 Myr to 3
Gyr, thus allowing us to study the evolution of disks from
primordial to
debris for the first time. The results from our program
will greatly
improve our understanding of the architecture of debris
disks around
Sun-like stars, and will create a morphological context
for the
existence of our own solar system. This proposal is for a
continuation
of an approved Cycle 14 program {GO/10527, P.I.: D.
Hines}.
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 10792
Quasars at Redshift z=6 and Early Star Formation History
We propose to observe four high-redshift quasars {z=6} in
the NIR in
order to estimate relative Fe/Mg abundances and the
central black hole
mass. The results of this study will critically constrain
models of
joint quasar and galaxy formation, early star formation,
and the growth
of supermassive black holes. Different time scales and
yields for
alpha-elements {like O or Mg} and for iron result into an
iron
enrichment delay of ~0.3 to 0.6 Gyr. Hence, despite the
well-known
complexity of the FeII emission line spectrum, the ratio
iron/alpha -
element is a potentially useful cosmological clock. The
central black
hole mass will be estimated based on a recently revised
back hole mass -
luminosity relationship. The time delay of the iron
enrichment and the
time required to form a supermassive black hole {logM>8
Msol, tau
~0.5Gyr} as evidenced by quasar activity will be used to
date the
beginning of the first intense star formation, marking the
formation of
the first massive galaxies that host luminous quasars, and
to constrain
the epoch when supermassive black holes start to grow by
accretion.
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:
10797 - REacq(1,2,1) failed to RGA control
The REacq(1,2,1) scheduled at 123/01:24:40 failed to RGA contro1. At
01:28:330 Stop flags QF1STOPF and QSTOP were received for FGS 1. OBAD1
showed errors of V1=-31.98, V2=-793.32, V3= -21.99, and RSS=794.27.
OBAD2 showed errors of V1=1.35, V2= -3.78, V3=1.32, and RSS= 4.22. The
map at 01:32:58 showed errors of V1=-2.89, V2=12.54, V3=-4.03, and
RSS=13.49.
REACQ(1,2,1) at 03:00:31 also failed with QF1STOPF and QSTOP flags
received at 03:04:14. OBAD prior ro REACQ had RSS error of 14.97
arcseconds
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:
18062-0 - MSS KF Initialization Convergence Testing for
SMS 120 (Test # 1)
18066-3 - PCS KF OOT Support, 122/18:15
18061-1 - MSS KF Adding Gyro1 Convergence Testing for SMS
120 (Test # 24)
18054-0 - Preview KF Sun Vector Data via Telemetry Diags,
Generic
18062-0 - MSS KF Initialization Convergence Testing for
SMS 120 (Test #4)
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq
10
10
FGS REacq
05
03
OBAD with Maneuver 30
30
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
122.
The KF was halted at 122/11:26 (OR 18062-0) during orbit
day and during
a T2G guiding interval. The filter was restarted at
122/11:27 with the
CCS input disabled, during an M2G period, during a vehicle
slew and
during a fast changing B-field. The filter was activated
with only the
MSS enabled. All UKF parameters showed nominal operation.
The test was
an MSS Initialization test case during a vehicle slew and
during a fast
changing B-field (M_0_IVF, Test #1). The MSS/CSS default
KF
configuration was restored at 122/12:11.
The KF was halted at 122/17:48 during orbit day with no
vehicle slew and
during an F2G guiding interval. The filter was restarted
at 122/17:50
with the CSS input disabled. The Gyro1 sensor input was
added to the
converged KF at 122/17:59 during orbit day and with no
ongoing vehicle
maneuver. The Gyro1 sensor input was then removed at
122/18:20 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/Gyro1 test
case with the Gyro1 input removed from an already
converged KF with the
MSS and Gyro1 sensor input enabled, during a vehicle
maneuver and during
a slow changing B-field (M_G1_HVS, Test #24).
The CSS sensor input was re-enabled at 122/19:04 to
restore the default
MSS/CSS configuration of the filter. The KF estimated sun
vector TMDIAG
slot 1 was overwritten at 122/17:59 and restored at
122/19:06. The KF
was halted at 122/19:56 (OR 18062-0) during orbit day and
during an M2G
guiding interval. The filter was restarted at 122/19:58
during orbit day
with no ongoing vehicle maneuver and during a slow
changing B-field. All
UKF parameters showed nominal operation. The test was an
MSS Only
Initialization with the vehicle inertially fixed and
during a slow
changing B-field (M_0_INS, Test #4). The KF was halted,
the CCS sensor
input was re-enabled and the KF restarted at 122/20:25 to
reconfigure
the KF to its default configuration. The test above
completed testing
for day 122.