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    # 4387

PERIOD COVERED: UT June 19, 2007 (DOY 170)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

FGS 10612

Binary Stars in Cyg OB2: Relics of Massive Star Formation in a

Super-Star Cluster

We propose to make a high angular resolution SNAP survey of the massive

stars in the nearby, super-star cluster Cyg OB2. We will use FGS1r TRANS

mode observations to search for astrometric companions in the separation

range of 0.01 to 1.00 arcsec and in the magnitude difference range

smaller than 4 magnitudes. The observations will test the idea that the

formation of very massive stars involves mergers and the presence of

nearby companions. Discovery of companions to massive stars in this

relatively nearby complex will provide guidance in the interpretation of

apparently supermassive stars in distant locations. The search for

companions will also be important for verification of fundamental

parameters derived from spectroscopy, adjustments to main sequence

fitting and distance estimations, determining third light contributions

of eclipsing binaries, identifying wide colliding wind binaries,

studying the relationship between orbital and spin angular momentum, and

discovering binaries amenable to future mass determinations. The massive

star environment in Cyg OB2 may be similar to the kinds found in the

earliest epoch of star formation, so that a study of the role of

binaries in Cyg OB2 will help us understand the formation processes of

the first stars in the Universe.

FGS 10927

The Weight-Watcher Program for Subdwarfs

We propose to use HST/FGS1r to measure five subdwarf spectroscopic

binaries to determine masses for the components. Their metallicities,

[Fe/H], range from -0.5 to -2.5, and their projected minimum separations

range from 9 to 24 mas. These binaries are resolvable with HST/FGS1r but

not any ground-based technique. Currently, there are only two subdwarf

systems having any mass measurements. The proposed work will boost the

total number of subdwarf systems with masses from two to seven, and

allow us to construct the first mass-luminosity relation for

low-metallicity stars.

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.

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.

NIC3 11072

Measuring the Physical Properties of the first two WASP transiting

extrasolar planets

We have recently discovered the first two transiting extrasolar planets

from the Wide Angle Search for Planets {WASP} project and confirmed both

as planets using SOPHIE radial velocity measurements. Both WASP-1b and

WASP-2b orbit about stars brighter than V=12, and are thus ideal targets

for HST followup. WASP-1b is probably inflated in a manner similar to

HD209458b but is in a closer orbit about the parent, which itself is the

earliest-type parent star yet announced for a transiting extrasolar

planet. At 0.03 AU from the parent star, WASP-2b is close to the minimum

separation at which planets of this mass range are thought to survive.

We request DD observations of WASP-1b and WASP- 2b, to constrain the

masses and radii of both objects to a precision of a few tenths of a

percent. Both parent stars have very similar brightnesses to the TrES-1

parent star, thus we will achieve equivalent photometric precision to

previous successful observations of TrES-1b. As all further physical

investigations {such as interior heating} depend on precise mass- and

radius-determinations, this investigation is the essential next step in

uncovering the physical characteristics of these planets and their

parent stars. We have requested 12 orbits, though 9 orbits would provide

the minimum acceptable coverage for our program. The consortium will

formally announce the discoveries of WASP-1b and WASP-2b on Tuesday 26th

September 2006. We ask that all material in this proposal be kept

confidential until that date. We can supply the discovery paper on

request after this date.

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 10915

ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey

Existing HST observations of nearby galaxies comprise a sparse and

highly non-uniform archive, making comprehensive comparative studies

among galaxies essentially impossible. We propose to secure HST's

lasting impact on the study of nearby galaxies by undertaking a

systematic, complete, and carefully crafted imaging survey of ALL

galaxies in the Local Universe outside the Local Group. The resulting

images will allow unprecedented measurements of: {1} the star formation

history {SFH} of a >100 Mpc^3 volume of the Universe with a time

resolution of Delta[log{t}]=0.25; {2} correlations between spatially

resolved SFHs and environment; {3} the structure and properties of thick

disks and stellar halos; and {4} the color distributions, sizes, and

specific frequencies of globular and disk clusters as a function of

galaxy mass and environment. To reach these goals, we will use a

combination of wide-field tiling and pointed deep imaging to obtain

uniform data on all 72 galaxies within a volume-limited sample extending

to ~3.5 Mpc, with an extension to the M81 group. For each galaxy, the

wide-field imaging will cover out to ~1.5 times the optical radius and

will reach photometric depths of at least 2 magnitudes below the tip of

the red giant branch throughout the limits of the survey volume. One

additional deep pointing per galaxy will reach SNR~10 for red clump

stars, sufficient to recover the ancient SFH from the color-magnitude

diagram. This proposal will produce photometric information for ~100

million stars {comparable to the number in the SDSS survey} and uniform

multi- color images of half a square degree of sky. The resulting

archive will establish the fundamental optical database for nearby

galaxies, in preparation for the shift of high- resolution imaging to

the near-infrared.

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:

18103-1  - MSS/CSS Gyro2 Converged & Remove Gyro2 Test#39 for day 170

18054-0 - Preview KF Sun Vector Data via Telemetry Diags

                        SCHEDULED      SUCCESSFUL    

FGS GSacq                06                  06                               

FGS REacq                08                  08                 

OBAD with Maneuver  28                  28                   

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)