HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY
REPORT # 4578
PERIOD
COVERED: UT March 28,29,30, 2008 (DOY 088,089,090)
OBSERVATIONS
SCHEDULED
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.
NIC
11495
The
first direct detection of an extrasolar planetary stratosphere?
We
request NICMOS grism spectroscopy to observe the transit of WASP-3b.
This
newly discovered planet is the hottest nearby planet discovered so
far.
The atmosphere is predicted to be so hot that TiO and VO remain in
the
gas phase, creating a hot, strongly absorbing stratosphere. This
molecular
absorption will cause a 6% enhancement in the transit depth at
0.8
microns, compared to that at 1.3 microns. NICMOS/G096 and
NICMOS/G141
observations will therefore provide a straightforward test
of
the hot stratosphere hypothesis. The HST observations will provide a
precisely
determined radius measurement. This is required to drive
advances
in theories of planetary formation, evolution, and atmospheric
physics
and chemistry. The atmospheric TiO and VO absorption is
predicted
to cause an anomalously high IR brightness temperature for the
planet.
We need HST's direct test of the hot stratosphere hypothesis
promptly
to enable appropriate cold-Spitzer observations to be planned
and
interpreted. Spitzer is likely to exhaust its cryogens before these
observations
could be scheduled via the cycle 17 GO process.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3
11330
NICMOS
Cycle 16 Extended Dark
This
takes a series of Darks in parallel to other instruments.
WFPC2
11326
Polarizers
Closeout (Internal Observations)
Verify
stability of polarization calibration.
FGS
11300
Mass
and Radius of a Near-Chandrasekhar-limit magnetic white dwarf
REJ0317-853
is a unique object. According to our analyses it is the most
massive
white dwarf ever found, with a mass of 1.35 solar masses,
approaching
the Chandrasekhar limit. With a period of just 725 seconds
it
is the most rapidly rotating isolated white dwarf ever found.
Moreover,
RE J0317-853 is the hottest magnetic white dwarf discovered so
far
and has a strong magnetic field varying from about 180 to more than
700
MG over the stellar surface. Due to its strong polarization and high
mass
it has been used to test gravitational theories predicting
gravitational
birefringence. However, the existing mass and radius
determination
is indirect and still uncertain and would greatly profit
from
a high- precision parallax determination with the HST FGS.
FGS
11212
Filling
the Period Gap for Massive Binaries
The
current census of binaries among the massive O-type stars is
seriously
incomplete for systems in the period range from years to
millennia
because the radial velocity variations are too small and the
angular
separations too close for easy detection. Here we propose to
discover
binaries in this observational gap through a Faint Guidance
Sensor
SNAP survey of relatively bright targets listed in the Galactic O
Star
Catalog. Our primary goal is to determine the binary frequency
among
those in the cluster/association, field, and runaway groups. The
results
will help us assess the role of binaries in massive star
formation
and in the processes that lead to the ejection of massive
stars
from their natal clusters. The program will also lead to the
identification
of new, close binaries that will be targets of long term
spectroscopic
and high angular resolution observations to determine
their
masses and distances. The results will also be important for the
interpretation
of the spectra of suspected and newly identified binary
and
multiple systems.
FGS
11210
The
Architecture of Exoplanetary Systems
Are
all planetary systems coplanar? Concordance cosmogony makes that
prediction.
It is, however, a prediction of extrasolar planetary system
architecture
as yet untested by direct observation for main sequence
stars
other than the Sun. To provide such a test, we propose to carry
out
FGS astrometric studies on four stars hosting seven companions. Our
understanding
of the planet formation process will grow as we match not
only
system architecture, but formed planet mass and true distance from
the
primary with host star characteristics for a wide variety of host
stars
and exoplanet masses. We propose that a series of FGS astrometric
observations
with demonstrated 1 millisecond of arc per-observation
precision
can establish the degree of coplanarity and component true
masses
for four extrasolar systems: HD 202206 {brown dwarf+planet}; HD
128311
{planet+planet}, HD 160691 = mu Arae {planet+planet}, and HD
222404AB
= gamma Cephei {planet+star}. In each case the companion is
identified
as such by assuming that the minimum mass is the actual mass.
For
the last target, a known stellar binary system, the companion orbit
is
stable only if coplanar with the AB binary orbit.
WFPC2
11198
Pure
Parallel Imaging in the NDWFS Bootes Field
The
NOAO Deep-Wide Field Survey {NDWFS} Bootes field is the target of
one
of the most extensive multiwavelength campaigns in astronomy. In
addition
to ground-based optical and near-infrared imaging, deep radio
mapping,
and extensive spectroscopy, this entire region has been imaged
by
the Chandra, Spitzer {IRAC and MIPS}, and GALEX missions. Robust
photometric
redshifts {calibrated using over 20,000 spectroscopic
redshifts}
exist for all sources brighter than R=24.5 or than 13 uJy at
4.5
microns. To enhance the value of this data set, we propose pure
parallel
observations for all approved Cycle 16 programs in this region
that
lack coordinated parallel observations. The primary aim of this
program
will be to provide a database useful for the broad range of
science
programs underway in this region.
WEPC2
11196
An
Ultraviolet Survey of Luminous Infrared Galaxies in the Local
Universe
At
luminosities above 10^11.4 L_sun, the space density of far-infrared
selected
galaxies exceeds that of optically selected galaxies. These
Luminous
Infrared Galaxies {LIRGs} are primarily interacting or merging
disk
galaxies undergoing starbursts and creating/fueling central AGN. We
propose
far {ACS/SBC/F140LP} and near {WFPC2/PC/F218W} UV imaging of a
sample
of 27 galaxies drawn from the complete IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy
Sample
{RBGS} LIRGs sample and known, from our Cycle 14 B and I-band ACS
imaging
observations, to have significant numbers of bright {23 < B < 21
mag}
star clusters in the central 30 arcsec. The HST UV data will be
combined
with previously obtained HST, Spitzer, and GALEX images to {i}
calculate
the ages of the clusters as function of merger stage, {ii}
measure
the amount of UV light in massive star clusters relative to
diffuse
regions of star formation, {iii} assess the feasibility of using
the
UV slope to predict the far-IR luminosity {and thus the star
formation
rate} both among and within IR-luminous galaxies, and {iv}
provide
a much needed catalog of rest- frame UV morphologies for
comparison
with rest-frame UV images of high-z LIRGs and Lyman Break
Galaxies.
These observations will achieve the resolution required to
perform
both detailed photometry of compact structures and spatial
correlations
between UV and redder wavelengths for a physical
interpretation
our IRX-Beta results. The HST UV data, combined with the
HST
ACS, Spitzer, Chandra, and GALEX observations of this sample, will
result
in the most comprehensive study of luminous starburst galaxies to
date.
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.
WFPC2
11169
Collisions
in the Kuiper belt
For
most of the 15 year history of observations of Kuiper belt objects,
it
has been speculated that impacts must have played a major role in
shaping
the physical and chemical characteristics of these objects, yet
little
direct evidence of the effects of such impacts has been seen. The
past
18 months, however, have seen an explosion of major new discoveries
giving
some of the first insights into the influence of this critical
process.
From a diversity of observations we have been led to the
hypotheses
that: {1} satellite-forming impacts must have been common in
the
Kuiper belt; {2} such impacts led to significant chemical
modification;
and {3} the outcomes of these impacts are sufficiently
predictable
that we can now find and study these impact-derived systems
by
the chemical and physical attributes of both the satellites and the
primaries.
If our picture is correct, we now have in hand for the first
time
a set of incredibly powerful tools to study the frequency and
outcome
of collisions in the outer solar system. Here we propose three
linked
projects that would answer questions critical to the multiple
prongs
of our hypothesis. In these projects we will study the chemical
effects
of collisions through spectrophotometric observations of
collisionally
formed satellites and through the search for additional
satellites
around primaries with potential impact signatures, and we
will
study the physical effects of impacts through the examination of
tidal
evolution in proposed impact systems. The intensive HST program
that
we propose here will allow us to fully test our new hypotheses and
will
provide the ability to obtain the first extensive insights into
outer
solar system impact processes.
WFPC2
11161
Revealing
the Explosion Geometry of Nearby GRB-SNe
The
connection between gamma-ray bursts and Type Ibc supernovae is
well-established
in broad terms. However, our recent identification of
an
intermediate class of sub-energetic GRBs, and the overall overlap in
Nickel
production between GRB-SNe and ordinary SNe Ibc suggest that the
properties
leading to the production of a relativistic engine are yet to
be
uncovered. A fundamental difference between the two classes of
explosions
may be imprinted in the overall geometry of the explosion.
The
relativistic component of GRBs is known to be highly collimated, but
it
is unclear if the SN blast is spherical or mildly collimated as well.
Here
we propose HST observations of the late (>30 days) decay tails of
two
GRB-SNe as an independent measure of the Nickel mass synthesized in
the
explosion. A comparison to the Nickel mass inferred from the peak
brightness
of the SNe will provide a direct measure of the explosion
asymmetry,
since at late time the explosion is essentially spherical.
These
observations will form the core of a multi-wavelength (optical,
X-ray,
radio) effort to fully characterize all aspects of the
explosions,
from the energy and geometry of the relativistic material
(VLA,
Chandra) to the early SN evolution (Keck, Magellan). The proposed
observations
require two slow-response (>30 days) TOOs, ideally suited
to
the 2-gyro operations of HST.
NIC3
11153
The
Physical Nature and Age of Lyman Alpha Galaxies
In
the simplest scenario, strong Lyman alpha emission from high redshift
galaxies
would indicate that stellar populations younger than 10 Myrs
dominate
the UV. This does not, however, constrain the stellar
populations
older than 100 Myrs, which do not contribute to UV light.
Also,
the Lyman alpha line can be boosted if the interstellar medium is
both
clumpy and dusty. Different studies with small samples have reached
different
conclusions about the presence of dust and old stellar
populations
in Lyman alpha emitters. We propose HST- NICMOS and
Spitzer-IRAC
photometry of 35 Lyman-alpha galaxies at redshift
4.5<z<6.5,
in order to determine their spectral energy distribution
{SED}
extending through rest-frame optical. This will allow us to
measure
accurately {1} The total stellar mass in these objects,
including
old stars which may have formed at redshifts {z > 8} not
easily
probed by any other means. {2} The dust extinction in the
rest-frame
UV, and therefore a correction to their present
star-formation
rates. Taken together, these two quantities will yield
the
star-formation histories of Lyman alpha galaxies, which form fully
half
of the known galaxies at z=4-6. They will tell us whether these are
young
or old galaxies by straddling the 4000A break. Data from NICMOS is
essential
for these compact and faint {i=25-26th magnitude AB} high
redshift
galaxies, which are too faint for good near-IR photometry from
the
ground.
WFPC2
11130
AGNs
with Intermediate-mass Black Holes: Testing the Black Hole-Bulge
Paradigm,
Part II
The
recent progress in the study of central black holes in galactic
nuclei
has led to a general consensus that supermassive {10^6-10^9 solar
mass}
black holes are closely connected with the formation and
evolutionary
history of large galaxies, especially their bulge
component.
Two outstanding issues, however, remain unresolved. Can
central
black holes form in the absence of a bulge? And does the mass
function
of central black holes extend below 10^6 solar masses?
Intermediate-mass
black holes {<10^6 solar masses}, if they exist, may
offer
important clues to the nature of the seeds of supermassive black
holes.
Using the SDSS, our group has successfully uncovered a new
population
of AGNs with intermediate-mass black holes that reside in
low-luminosity
galaxies. However, very little is known about the
detailed
morphologies or structural parameters of the host galaxies
themselves,
including the crucial question of whether they have bulges
or
not. Surprisingly, the majority of the targets of our Cycle 14 pilot
program
have structural properties similar to dwarf elliptical galaxies.
The
statistics from this initial study, however, are really too sparse
to
reach definitive conclusions on this important new class of black
holes.
We wish to extend this study to a larger sample, by using the
Snapshot
mode to obtain WFPC2 F814W images from a parent sample of 175
AGNs
with intermediate- mass black holes selected from our final SDSS
search.
We are particularly keen to determine whether the hosts contain
bulges,
and if so, how the fundamental plane properties of the host
depend
on the mass of their central black holes. We will also
investigate
the environment of this unique class of AGNs.
WFPC2
11124
The
Origin of QSO Absorption Lines from QSOs
We
propose using WFPC2 to image the fields of 10 redshift z ~ 0.7
foreground
{FG} QSOs which lie within ~29-151 kpc of the sightlines to
high-z
background {BG} QSOs. A surprisingly high fraction of the BG QSO
spectra
show strong MgII {2796,2803} absorption lines at precisely the
same
redshifts as the FG QSOs. The high resolution capabilities of WFPC2
are
needed to understand the origin of these absorption systems, in two
ways.
First, we wish to explore the FG QSO environment as close as
possible
to the position of the BG QSO, to search for interloping group
or
cluster galaxies which might be responsible for the absorption, or
irregularly
shaped post-merger debris between the FG and BG QSO which
may
indicate the presence of large amount of disrupted gas along a
sightline.
Similarly, high resolution images are needed to search for
signs
of tidal interactions between any galaxies which might be found
close
to the FG QSO. Such features might provide evidence of young
merging
events causing the start of QSO duty cycles and producing
outflows
from the central AGN. Such winds may be responsible for the
observed
absorption lines. Second, we seek to measure the intrinsic
parameters
of the FG QSO host galaxy, such as luminosity and morphology,
to
correlate with the properties of the MgII absorption lines. We wish
to
observe each field through the F814W filter, close to the rest- frame
B-band
of the FG QSO. These blue data can reveal enhanced star formation
regions
close to the nucleus of the host galaxy, which may be indicative
of
galaxy mergers with the FG QSO host. The FG QSO environment offers
quite
a different set of phenomena which might be responsible for MgII
absorption,
providing an important comparison to studies of MgII
absorption
from regular field galaxies.
NIC3
11120
A
Paschen-Alpha Study of Massive Stars and the ISM in the Galactic
Center
The
Galactic center (GC) is a unique site for a detailed study of a
multitude
of complex astrophysical phenomena, which may be common to
nuclear
regions of many galaxies. Observable at resolutions
unapproachable
in other galaxies, the GC provides an unparalleled
opportunity
to improve our understanding of the interrelationships of
massive
stars, young stellar clusters, warm and hot ionized gases,
molecular
clouds, large scale magnetic fields, and black holes. We
propose
the first large-scale hydrogen Paschen alpha line survey of the
GC
using NICMOS on the Hubble Space Telescope. This survey will lead to
a
high resolution and high sensitivity map of the Paschen alpha line
emission
in addition to a map of foreground extinction, made by
comparing
Paschen alpha to radio emission. This survey of the inner 75
pc
of the Galaxy will provide an unprecedented and complete search for
sites
of massive star formation. In particular, we will be able to (1)
uncover
the distribution of young massive stars in this region, (2)
locate
the surfaces of adjacent molecular clouds, (3) determine
important
physical parameters of the ionized gas, (4) identify compact
and
ultra-compact HII regions throughout the GC. When combined with
existing
Chandra and Spitzer surveys as well as a wealth of other
multi-wavelength
observations, the results will allow us to address such
questions
as where and how massive stars form, how stellar clusters are
disrupted,
how massive stars shape and heat the surrounding medium, and
how
various phases of this medium are interspersed.
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.
NIC2
10852
Coronagraphic
Polarimetry with NICMOS: Dust grain evolution in T Tauri
stars
The
formation of planetary systems is intimately linked to the dust
population
in circumstellar disks, thus understanding dust grain
evolution
is essential to advancing our understanding of how planets
form.
By combining {1} the coronagraphic polarimetry capabilities of
NICMOS,
{2} powerful 3-D radiative transfer codes, and {3} observations
of
objects known to span the Class II- III stellar evolutionary phases,
we
will gain crucial insight into dust grain growth. By observing
objects
representative of a known evolutionary sequence of YSOs, we will
be
able to investigate how the dust population evolves in size and
distribution
during the crucial transition from a star+disk system to a
system
containing planetesimals. When combine with our previous study on
dust
grain evolution in the Class I-II phase, the proposed study will
help
to establish the fundamental time scales for the depletion of
ISM-like
grains: the first step in understanding the transformation from
small
submicron sized dust grains, to large millimeter sized grains, and
untimely
to planetary bodies.
FLIGHT
OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant
Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports
of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS:
11236
- GSacq(2,1,2) failed to RGA control.
GSacq(2,1,2) scheduled at 090/17:10:06 failed to RGA control. The
GSacq
failed due to receiving stop flags QF2STOPF and QSTOP on FGS 2. OBAD1
showed errors of V1=1299.52, V2=100.45, V3=-60.96 and RSS=1304.82.
OBAD2
showed errors of V1=-8.74, V2=-2.04, V3=-7.01 and RSS=11.38.
11237
- REacq(2,1,2) failed to RGA control.
The REacq(2,1,2) scheduled at 090/18:45:33 failed during LOS due
to
receiving stop flags on FGS 1 and FGS 2. OBAD2 had an RSS value of
5.20a-s.
COMPLETED
OPS REQUEST:
18218-1
- TGS/KFSP Safemode Reconfiguration @088/1000z @ 088/13:43:31z
18054-0
- Preview KF Sun Vector Data via Telemetry Diags (Generic) @ 088/13:47z
COMPLETED
OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
26
25
FGS
REacq
16
15
OBAD
with Maneuver
84
84
SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS:
FLASH
REPORT KFSP SAFEMODE RECONFIGURATION:
Ops
Request 18218 was successfully executed at 13:43:31 on day 088
(March
28) to uplink and reconfigure FSW with KFSP as a potential
safemode
response. Initial configuration of KFSP parameters were
performed
first using IP-151 to set the proper UKF/KFSP control gains
and
limits, followed by resetting of UKF database parameters for maximum
error
counts for MSS and gyro A using IP-127 and modifying the
co-alignment
angular limit to the expected value of 30 degrees per
IP-152.
Per IP-153, new SMACs, HMACs, safemode response table and
safemode
recovery macro were uplinked to configure for usage of KFSP.
Following
the completion of IP-153, the new KFSP Bypass test was
enabled,
and Ops Note 1681 was executed to restore the limit for the
test.
Telemetry
was monitored for 1 orbit following the macro uplink and
everything
was nominal.