HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY
REPORT # 4545
PERIOD
COVERED: UT February 11, 2007 (DOY 042)
OBSERVATIONS
SCHEDULED
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}.
WFPC2
11024
WFPC2
CYCLE 15 INTERNAL MONITOR
This
calibration proposal is the Cycle 15 routine internal monitor for
WFPC2,
to be run weekly to monitor the health of the cameras. A variety
of
internal exposures are obtained in order to provide a monitor of the
integrity
of the CCD camera electronics in both bays {both gain 7 and
gain
15 -- to test stability of gains and bias levels}, a test for
quantum
efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup of
contaminants
on the CCD windows. These also provide raw data for
generating
annual super-bias reference files for the calibration
pipeline.
NIC1
11057
Cycle
15 NICMOS dark current, shading profile, and read noise monitoring
program
The
purpose of this proposal is to monitor the dark current, read noise,
and
shading profile for all three NICMOS detectors throughout the
duration
of Cycle 15. This proposal is a slightly modified version of
proposal
10380 of cycle 13 and 9993 of cycle12 and is the same as Cycle
14.
that we cut down some exposure time to make the observation fit
within
24 orbits.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3
8795
NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 6
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 i
mages.
Each observation will need its own CRMAP, as different SAA
passages
leave different imprints on the NICMOS detectors.
NIC3
11195
Morphologies
of the Most Extreme High-Redshift Mid-IR-luminous Galaxies
II:
The `Bump' Sources
The
formative phase of some 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,
and thus far we have been restricted to studying the
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 optically
extremely
faint {R>26} but nevertheless bright at mid-infrared
wavelengths
{F[24um] > 0.5 mJy}. Mid-infrared spectroscopy with
Spitzer/IRS
reveals that they have redshifts z~2, implying luminosities
~1E13
Lsun. Their mid-IR SEDs fall into two broad, perhaps overlapping,
categories.
Sources with brighter F[24um] exhibit power-law SEDs and SiO
absorption
features in their mid-IR spectra characteristic of AGN,
whereas
those with fainter F[24um] show a "bump" characteristic of the
redshifted
1.6um peak from a stellar population, and PAH emission
characteristic
of starformation. We have begun obtaining HST images of
the
brighter sources in Cycle 15 to obtain identifications and determine
kpc-scale
morphologies for these galaxies. Here, we aim to target the
second
class {the "bump" sources} with the goal of determining if these
constitute
morphologically different objects, or simply a "low-AGN"
state
of the brighter class. The proposed observations will help us
determine
whether these objects are merging systems, massive obscured
starbursts
{with obscuration on kpc scales!} or very reddened {locally
obscured}
AGN hosted by intrinsically low-luminosity galaxies.
S/C
11320
NICMOS
Focus Monitoring Cycle 16
This
program is a version of the standard focus sweep used since cycle
7.
It has been modified to go deeper and uses more narrow filters for
improved
focus determination. A new source was added in Cycle 14 in
order
to accommodate 2-gyro mode: the open cluster NGC1850. This source
is
part of the current proposal. The old target, the open cluster
NGC3603,
will be used whenever available and the new target used to fill
the
periods when NGC3603 is not visible. Steps: a) Use refined target
field
positions as determined from cycle 7 calibrations b) Use
MULTIACCUM
sequences of sufficient dynamic range to account for defocus
c)
Do a 17-point focus sweep, +/- 8mm about the PAM mechanical zeropoint
for
each cameras 1 and 2, in 1.0mm steps. For NIC3 we step from -0.5mm
to
-9.5mm relative to mechanical zero, in steps of 1.0mm. d) Use PAM X/Y
tilt
and OTA offset slew compensations refined from previous focus
monitoring/optical
alignment activities
WFPC2
11002
A
Census of LIRGs in Clusters of Galaxies in the First Half of the
Universe
from the IRAC Shallow Survey
The
incidence of LIRGs and ULIRGs is roughly two orders of magnitude
higher
in the field at redshift z > 1, and at these redshifts such
objects
dominate the global star formation activity. Mergers which fuel
such
activity might be expected to enhance the frequency of LIRGs in
dense
environments. We propose to use MIPS to obtain a census of LIRGs
in
z > 1 galaxy clusters from a well defined sample found in the IRAC
Shallow
Survey. Supporting IRAC and HST ACS data are also requested.
WFPC2
11022
WFPC2
Cycle 15 Decontaminations and Associated Observations
This
proposal is for the WFPC2 decons. Also included are instrument
monitors
tied to decons: photometric stability check, focus monitor,
pre-
and post-decon internals {bias, intflats, kspots, & darks}, UV
throughput
check, VISFLAT sweep, and internal UV flat check.
WFPC2
11070
WFPC2
CYCLE 15 Standard Darks - part II
This
dark calibration program obtains dark frames every week in order to
provide
data for the ongoing calibration of the CCD dark current rate,
and
to monitor and characterize the evolution of hot pixels. Over an
extended
period these data will also provide a monitor of radiation
damage
to the CCDs.
WFPC2
11083
The
Structure, Formation and Evolution of Galactic Cores and Nuclei
A
surprising result has emerged from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey
{ACSVCS},
a program to obtain ACS/WFC gz imaging for a large, unbiased
sample
of 100 early-type galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. On subarcsecond
scales
{i.e., <0.1"-1"}, the HST brightness profiles vary systematically
from
the brightest giants {which have nearly constant surface brightness
cores}
to the faintest dwarfs {which have compact stellar nuclei}.
Remarkably,
the fraction of galaxy mass contributed by the nuclei in the
faint
galaxies is identical to that contributed by supermassive black
holes
in the bright galaxies {0.2%}. These findings strongly suggest
that
a single mechanism is responsible for both types of Central Massive
Object:
most likely internally or externally modulated gas inflows that
feed
central black holes or lead to the formation of "nuclear star
clusters".
Understanding the history of gas accretion, star formation
and
chemical enrichment on subarcsecond scales has thus emerged as the
single
most pressing question in the study of nearby galactic nuclei,
either
active or quiescent. We propose an ambitious HST program {199
orbits}
that constitutes the next, obvious step forward:
high-resolution,
ultraviolet {WFPC2/F255W} and infrared {NIC1/F160W}
imaging
for the complete ACSVCS sample. By capitalizing on HST's unique
ability
to provide high-resolution images with a sharp and stable PSF at
UV
and IR wavelengths, we will leverage the existing optical HST data to
obtain
the most complete picture currently possible for the history of
star
formation and chemical enrichment on these small scales. Equally
important,
this program will lead to a significant improvement in the
measured
structural parameters and density distributions for the stellar
nuclei
and the underlying galaxies, and provide a sensitive measure of
"frosting"
by young stars in the galaxy cores. By virtue of its superb
image
quality and stable PSF, NICMOS is the sole instrument capable of
the
IR observations proposed here. In the case of the WFPC2
observations,
high-resolution UV imaging {< 0.1"} is a capability unique
to
HST, yet one that could be lost at any time.
FLIGHT
OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant
Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports
of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS:
11185
- FGS-1 acquires incorrect guide star in (1,0,1)
STScI pointed out a possible pointing error for the GSACQ (1,0,1)
acquisition that took place on 034/07:03:02 based on the science
data.
The FGS was looking for a 12.4 magnitude star and found a 13.2
magnitude
star. It had a search radius of 48 arcseconds. The FHST MAP
immediately
after the acq showed errors of V1:238.7, V2:102.9, V3:248.6 which
is
same size as the correction (but opposite sign) as made by the
second
OBAD prior to the acq indicating that the second OBAD may have
introduced the attitude error.
11186
- REacq(1,3,3) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control)
REacq(1,3,3) scheduled at 042/21:26:56- 21:35:01 failed to RGA
Hold due
to a Search Radius Limit Exceeded Error on FGS-1. One 486 ESB
"a05" (FGS
Coarse Track failed-Search Radius Limit Exceeded) was received at
042/21:32:39. Pre-acquisition OBADs were successful. OBAD2 had
(RSS)
value of 53.35 arcseconds. Post-acq OBAD/MAP has not been
scheduled.
Prior guide star acquisition was successful.
COMPLETED
OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED
OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
05
05
FGS
REacq
09
08
OBAD
with Maneuver
28
28
SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS: (None)