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 # 4368

PERIOD COVERED: UT May 22, 2007 (DOY 142)

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 10832

Solving the microlensing puzzle: An HST high-resolution imaging approach

We propose to use the HST Advanced Camera for Surveys High Resolution

Channel to obtain high resolution imaging data for 10 bona-fide LMC

microlensing events seen in the original MACHO survey. The purpose of

this survey will be to assess whether or not the lens and source stars

have separated enough to be resolved since the original microlensing

event took place - about a decade has passed since the original MACHO

survey and the HST WFPC2 follow-up observations of the microlensing

events. If the components of the lensing event are resolved, we will

determine the apparent magnitude and color of both the lens and the

source stars. These data, in combination with Spitzer/IRAC data and

Magellan near-IR JHK data, will be used to ascertain the basic

properties of the lens stars. With the majority of the microlensing

events in the original MACHO survey observed at the highest spatial

resolution currently possible, we will be able to draw important

conclusions as to what fraction of these events have lenses which belong

to some population of dwarf stars in the disk and what fraction must be

due to lenses in the halo or beyond. These data will greatly increase

our understanding of the structure of the Galaxy by characterizing the

stellar population responsible for the gravitational microlensing.

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 Galaxies

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.

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.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports

of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)

HSTARS:

10826 - GSacq(2,3,2) failed due to search radius limit exceeded.

           At 143/02:56:44 GSacq(2,3,2) scheduled at 143/02:51.21 failed due to

           search radius limit exceeded on FGS 2. An ESB a05 was also received.

           OBAD1 showed errors of V1=212.02, V2=2117.52, V3=481.67, RSS=2181.94.

           OBAD2 showed errors of V1=12.95, V2=20.99, V3=18.46, and RSS=30.81.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)

18087-0 - MSS/Gyro1 Converge & Remove Test#34 @142/1305z

18091-1 - PCS KF OOT Support,142/1308z

18088-1 - MSS/Gyro1 Initialization Test#13 for day142@142/1958z

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

                      SCHEDULED      SUCCESSFUL  

FGS GSacq               08                 07                

FGS REacq               03                 03                 

OBAD with Maneuver 22                 22                 

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

Evaluation of Universal Kalman Filter performance continued. Multiple

text segments were executed, all of them successfully. Details follow.

The KF was halted at 142/12:30. It was restarted at 142/12:33 with the

MSS, CSS and Gyro1 sensor inputs enabled. The initialization occurred

during orbit day in F2G. The Gyro1 sensor input was removed at 142/12:51

in orbit day, in F2G, during a slow changing B-field and while the

vehicle was inertially fixed. All UKF parameters showed nominal

operation. The test was to monitor the removal of the Gyro1 sensor input

from an MSS/CSS/Gyro1 converged filter (MC_G1_HNS, Test #34). The filter

was halted again at 142/13:03 to remove the CSS input from the filter to

restore the current operational configuration of MSS only input. The

filter was restarted at 142/13:05.

The filter was halted at 142/19:38. It was restarted at 142/19:42 with

the MSS and Gyro1 sensor inputs enabled. The initialization occurred

during orbit day during a T2G guiding interval and during a fast

changing B-field period while the vehicle was inertially fixed. All UKF

parameters showed nominal operation. The test was an MSS/Gyro1

Initialization test case with the vehicle inertially fixed during a fast

changing B-field (M_G1_INF, Test #13). The filter was halted again at

142/19:56. reconfigured to use only MSS input and restarted at

142/19:58.