HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class
Science
DAILY REPORT #4644
PERIOD COVERED: 5am July 1 - 5am July 2, 2008 (DOY
183/0900z-184/0900z)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
ACS/SBC 11158
HST Imaging of UV Emission in Quiescent Early-type
Galaxies
We have constructed a sample of early type galaxies at
z~0.1 that have
blue UV-optical colors, yet also show no signs of optical
emission, or
extended blue light. We have cross-correlated the SDSS
catalog and the
Galaxy Evolution Explorer Medium Imaging Survey to select
a sample of
galaxies where this UV emission is strongest. The origin
of the UV
rising flux in these galaxies continues to be debated, and
the
possibility that some fraction of these galaxies may be experiencing
low
levels of star formation cannot be excluded. There is also
a possibility
that low level AGN activity {as evidenced by a point
source} is
responsible We propose to image the UV emission using the
HST/SBC and to
explore the morphology of the UV emission relative to the
optical light.
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.
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 11213
Distances to Eclipsing M Dwarf Binaries
We propose HST FGS observations to measure accurate
distances of 5
nearby M dwarf eclipsing binary systems, from which
model-independent
luminosities can be calculated. These objects have either
poor or no
existing parallax measurements. FGS parallax
determinations for these
systems, with their existing dynamic masses determined to
better than
0.5%, would serve as model-independent anchor points for
the low-mass
end of the mass-luminosity diagram.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 11319
NICMOS Photometric Stability Monitoring
This NICMOS calibration proposal carries out photometric
monitoring
observations during Cycle 15. The format is the same as
the Cycle 14
version of the program (10725), but a few modifications
were made with
respect to the Cycle 12 program 9995 and Cycle 13 program
10381.
Provisions had to be made to adopt to 2-gyro mode (G191B2B
was added as
extra target to provide target visibility through most of
the year).
Where before 4 or 7 dithers were made in a filter before
we moved to the
next filter, now we observe all filters at one position
before moving to
the next dither position. While the previous method was
chosen to
minimize the effect of persistence, we now realize that
persistence may
be connected to charge trapping and by moving through the
filter such
that the count rate increases, we reach equilibrium more
quickly between
charge being trapped and released. We have also increased
exposure times
where possible to reduce the charge trapping non-linearity
effects.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 11330
NICMOS Cycle 16 Extended Dark
This takes a series of Darks in parallel to other
instruments.
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 11545
A NICMOS Survey of Newly-Discovered Young Massive Clusters
We are on the cusp of a revolution in massive star
research triggered by
2MASS and Spitzer/GLIMPSE, and now is the ideal time to
capitalize on
these projects by performing the first survey of massive
stars in young
stellar clusters throughout the Galactic plane. A search
of the 2MASS
and GLIMPSE surveys has produced over 450 newly-identified
massive
stellar cluster candidates in the Galactic plane which are
hidden from
our view at optical wavelengths due to extinction. Here we
propose a
program of 29 orbits to image the most promising candidate
clusters in
broad and narrow band filters using HST/NICMOS. We will be
complementing
these observations with approved Spitzer and Chandra
programs,
numerous approved and planned ground-based spectroscopic
observations,
and state-of-the-art modeling. We expect to substantially
increase the
numbers of massive stars known in the Galaxy, including
main sequence
stars and post-main sequence stars in the Red Supergiant,
Luminous Blue
Variable and Wolf-Rayet stages. Ultimately, this program
will address
many of the fundamental topics in astrophysics: the slope
to the initial
mass function (IMF), an upper-limit to the masses of
stars, the
formation and evolution of the most massive stars,
gamma-ray burst (GRB)
progenitors, the chemical enrichment of the interstellar
medium, and
nature of the first stars in the Universe.
WFPC2 11029
WFPC2 CYCLE 15 Intflat Linearity Check and Filter Rotation
Anomaly
Monitor
Intflat observations will be taken to provide a linearity
check: the
linearity test consists of a series of intflats in F555W,
in each gain
and each shutter. A combination of intflats, visflats, and
earthflats
will be used to check the repeatability of filter wheel
motions.
{Intflat sequences tied to decons, visits 1-18 in prop
10363, have been
moved to the cycle 15 decon proposal xxxx for easier
scheduling.} Note:
long-exposure WFPC2 intflats must be scheduled during ACS
anneals to
prevent stray light from the WFPC2 lamps from
contaminating long ACS
external exposures.
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 11312
The Local Cluster Substructure Survey {LoCuSS}: Deep
Strong Lensing
Observations with WFPC2
LoCuSS is a systematic and detailed investigation of the
mass,
substructure, and thermodynamics of 100 X-ray luminous
galaxy clusters
at 0.15<z<0.3. The primary goal is to test our
recent suggestion that
this population is dominated by dynamically immature
disturbed clusters,
and that the observed mass-temperature relation suffers
strong
structural segregation. If confirmed, this would represent
a paradigm
shift in our observational understanding of clusters, that
were hitherto
believed to be dominated by mature, undisturbed systems.
We propose to
complete our successful Cycle 15 program {SNAP:10881}
which prior to
premature termination had delivered robust weak-lensing
detections in 17
clusters, and candidate strongly-lensed arcs in 11 of
these 17. These
strong and weak lensing signals will give an accurate
measure of the
total mass and structure of the dark matter distribution
that we will
subsequently compare with X-ray and Sunyaev Zeldovich
Effect
observables. The broader applications of our project include
1} the
calibration of mass-temperature and mass-SZE scaling
relations which
will be critical for the calibration of proposed dark
energy
experiments, and 2} the low redshift baseline study of the
demographics
of massive clusters to aid interpretation of future high
redshift {z>1}
cluster samples. To complete the all-important high
resolution imaging
component of our survey, we request deep WFPC2
observations of 20
clusters through the F606W filter, for which wide-field
weak-lensing
data are already available from our Subaru imaging
program. The
combination of deep WFPC2 and Subaru data for these 20
clusters will
enable us to achieve the science program approved by the
Cycle 15 TAC.
WFPC2 11794
Cycle 16 Visible Earth Flats
This proposal monitors flatfield stability. This proposal
obtains
sequences of Earth streak flats to construct high quality
flat fields
for the WFPC2 filter set. These flat fields will allow
mapping of the
OTA illumination pattern and will be used in conjunction
with previous
internal and external flats to generate new pipeline
superflats. These
Earth flats will complement the Earth flat data obtained
during cycles
4-15.
WFPC2 11797
Supplemental WFPC2 CYCLE 16 Intflat Linearity Check and
Filter Rotation
Anomaly Monitor
Supplemental observations to 11029, to cover period from
Aug 08 to SM4.
Intflat observations will be taken to provide a linearity
check: the
linearity test consists of a series of intflats in F555W,
in each gain
and each shutter. A combination of intflats, visflats, and
earthflats
will be used to check the repeatability of filter wheel
motions.
(Intflat sequences tied to decons, visits 1-18 in prop
10363, have been
moved to the cycle 15 decon proposal 11022 for easier
scheduling.)
Note: long-exposure WFPC2 intflats must be scheduled
during ACS anneals
to prevent stray light from the WFPC2 lamps from
contaminating long ACS
external exposures.
Note: These are supplemental observations to cover June to
SM4 (Oct 8
'08) + 6 months.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are
preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)
HSTARS:
11371 GSAcq(1,2,2) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control) in
LOS @ 183/20:31z
GSAcq @183/20:20:27z and subsequent REAcq @21:58:30z
failed to RGA Hold
with (QF1SRLEX), (QF1STOPF) indication flags set on FGS-1.
Received 486
ESB "a07" (
22:08z. Possible obs affected: NICMOS 137-145,
Proposal ID#11545.
11372 Two REAcqs(2,1,2) failed due to Scan Step Limit
Exceeded on FGS 2
@ 184/04:44:03z & 06:19:47z
GSAcq @184/03:06:23 was successful. REAcqs(2,1,2)
@04:40:34z and 06:16z
failed to RGA hold due to scan step limit exceeded on FGS 2.
Received
QF2SSLEX and QF2STOPF stop flags. Possible obs affected:
NICMOS #157-160,
Proposal #11135 & # 11330.
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
08
07
FGS
REacq
05
02
OBAD with
Maneuver 26
26
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)