HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT       # 4547

PERIOD COVERED: UT February 13, 2008 (DOY 044)

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}.

ACS/SBC 11154

Optical-UV Spectrum of the Middle-aged Pulsar B1055-52

The middle-aged radio, X-ray and gamma-ray pulsar B1055-52 is one of the

few pulsars that allow a multiwavelength study of pulsar radiation. An

optical counterpart of the pulsar has been detected with the HST FOC,

but it was observed in only one filter (F342W, m=24.9). To understand

the nature of the pulsar radiation, its spectrum must be measured in a

broad wavelength range. We propose imaging observations of the pulsar's

counterpart with WFPC2 in the red part of the spectrum and ACS/SBC in

the UV part to measure the broadband spectral distribution, compare it

with the X-ray spectrum, and investigate the thermal and magnetospheric

components of the pulsar's radiation.

ACS/SBC 11220

Mapping the FUV Evolution of Type IIn Supernovae

We will use the PR110L prism on the SBC of ACS to map the FUV evolution

of Type IIn supernovae {SNe}. The main goal of this proposal is to

measure the FUV continuum, Ly-a emission line flux, and their evolution

to {1} quantify and interpret Type IIn SN transient event detections at

high redshift and {2} dramatically improve current high redshift Type

IIn selection criteria. We show that the inherent properties of Type IIn

SNe facilitate high redshift detection. We will observe the rest-frame

FUV of a sample of eight 0.02 < z < 0.33 Type IIn SNe to directly

measure the survival of Ly-alpha photons in low to intermediate redshift

Type IIn SNe environments and extrapolate the results to high redshift.

We will calibrate relationships such as FUV luminosity vs. emission line

flux and measure emission line evolution vs. FUV light evolution. The

intent is to categorize and improve the utility of Type IIn SNe.

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 11236

Did Rare, Large Escape-Fraction Galaxies Reionize the Universe?

Lyman continuum photons produced in massive starbursts may have played a

dominant role in the reionization of the Universe. Starbursts are

important contributors to the ionizing metagalactic background at lower

redshifts as well. However, their contribution to the background depends

upon the fraction of ionizing radiation that escapes from the intrinsic

opacity of galaxies below the Lyman limit. Current surveys suggest that

the escape fraction is close to zero in most galaxies, even among young

starbursts, but is large in 15-25% of them. Non-uniform escape fractions

are expected as a result of violent events creating clear paths in small

parts of galaxies. The number of galaxies observed with high escape

fraction will result from the combination of the intrinsic number with

clear lines of sight and their orientation with respect to the observer.

We propose to measure the fraction of escaping Lyman continuum radiation

in a large sample (47) of z~0.7 starbursts in the COSMOS field. These

compact UV-luminous galaxies are good analogs to high redshift LBGs.

Using the SBC/PR130L we can quickly (1-4 orbits) detect relative escape

fractions (f_LC/f_1500) of 25% or more. This will be the first

measurement of the escape fraction in sources between z=1 and the local

universe. We expect ~10 detections. Stacking will set limits of <4% on

the relative escape fraction in the rest. We will correlate the LC

detections with the properties of the galaxies. By targeting z~0.7 in

COSMOS, we will have tremendous ancillary information on those sources.

A non-detection in all sources would be significant (99% confidence).

This would imply that QSOs provide the overwhelming majority of ionizing

radiation at z<1, requiring substantial evolution in the processes within

Lyman break galaxies which allow large escape fractions at high

redshift.

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.

WFPC2 11103

A Snapshot Survey of The Most Massive Clusters of Galaxies

We propose the continuation of our highly successful SNAPshot survey of

a sample of 125 very X-ray luminous clusters in the redshift range

0.3-0.7. As demonstrated by the 25 snapshots obtained so far in Cycle14

and Cycle15 these systems frequently exhibit strong gravitational

lensing as well as spectacular examples of violent galaxy interactions.

The proposed observations will provide important constraints on the

cluster mass distributions, the physical nature of galaxy-galaxy and

galaxy-gas interactions in cluster cores, and a set of optically bright,

lensed galaxies for further 8-10m spectroscopy. All of our primary

science goals require only the detection and characterization of

high-surface-brightness features and are thus achievable even at the

reduced sensitivity of WFPC2. Because of their high redshift and thus

compact angular scale our target clusters are less adversely affected by

the smaller field of view of WFPC2 than more nearby systems.

Acknowledging the broad community interest in this sample we waive our

data rights for these observations. Due to a clerical error at STScI our

approved Cycle15 SNAP program was barred from execution for 3 months and

only 6 observations have been performed to date - reinstating this SNAP

at Cycle16 priority is of paramount importance to reach meaningful

statistics.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports

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

HSTARS:

11189 - GSACQ(2,1,2) fine lock backup on FGS 2

GSACQ(2,1,2) at 045/06:48:56 acquired in fine lock backup on FGS 2 only,

with QF1STOPF and QSTOP flags set on FGS 1 at 06:53:44. No other flags

were seen.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

                      SCHEDULED      SUCCESSFUL  

FGS GSacq               09                 09             

FGS REacq               06                 06                

OBAD with Maneuver 30                 30               

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)

-Lynn
____________________________________________________________
Lynn F. Bassford
Hubble Space Telescope
CHAMP Mission Operations Manager

CHAMP Flight Operations Team Manager
Lockheed Martin Mission Services (LMMS)

NASA GSFC PH#: 301-286-2876

"The Hubble Space Telescope is the astronomical observatory and key to unlocking the most cosmic mysteries of the past, present and future."    - 7/26/6