HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT      #4668

PERIOD COVERED: 5am August 5 - 5am August 6, 2008 (DOY 218/0900z-219/0900z)

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.

NIC2/WFPC2 11142

Revealing the Physical Nature of Infrared Luminous Galaxies at 0.3<z<2.7

Using HST and Spitzer

We aim to determine physical properties of IR luminous galaxies at

0.3<z<2.7 by requesting coordinated HST/NIC2 and MIPS 70um observations

of a unique, 24um flux-limited sample with complete Spitzer mid-IR

spectroscopy. The 150 sources investigated in this program have S{24um}

> 0.8mJy and their mid-IR spectra have already provided the majority

targets with spectroscopic redshifts {0.3<z<2.7}. The proposed

150~orbits of NIC2 and 66~hours of MIPS 70um will provide the physical

measurements of the light distribution at the rest-frame ~8000A and

better estimates of the bolometric luminosity. Combining these

parameters together with the rich suite of spectral diagnostics from the

mid-IR spectra, we will {1} measure how common mergers are among LIRGs

and ULIRGs at 0.3<z<2.7, and establish if major mergers are the drivers

of z>1 ULIRGs, as in the local Universe. {2} study the co-evolution of

star formation and blackhole accretion by investigating the relations

between the fraction of starburst/AGN measured from mid-IR spectra vs.

HST morphologies, L{bol} and z. {3} obtain the current best estimates of

the far-IR emission, thus L{bol} for this sample, and establish if the

relative contribution of mid-to-far IR dust emission is correlated with

morphology {resolved vs. unresolved}.

S/C 4974

TRTTEST

The Transient Response Test is for the Periodic Performance Monitoring

of the FGS 2R Servo A Mechanism.

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.

WFPC2 11218

Snapshot Survey for Planetary Nebulae in Globular Clusters of the Local

Group

Planetary nebulae {PNe} in globular clusters {GCs} raise a number of

interesting issues related to stellar and galactic evolution. The number

of PNe known in Milky Way GCs, 4, is surprisingly low if one assumes

that all stars pass through a PN stage. However, it is likely that the

remnants of stars now evolving in Galactic GCs leave the AGB so slowly

that any ejected nebula dissipates long before the star becomes hot

enough to ionize it. Thus there should not be ANY PNe in Milky Way

GCs--but there are four! It has been suggested that these PNe are the

result of mergers of binary stars within GCs, i.e., that they are

descendants of blue stragglers. The frequency of occurrence of PNe in

external galaxies poses more questions, because it shows a range of

almost an order of magnitude. I propose a Snapshot survey aimed at

discovering PNe in the GC systems of Local Group galaxies more distant

than the Magellanic Clouds. These clusters, some of which may be much

younger than their counterparts in the Milky Way, might contain many

more PNe than those of our own galaxy. I will use the standard technique

of emission-line and continuum imaging, which easily discloses PNe.

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:

18254-1 - FGS-2R TRTT #19

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

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

                        SCHEDULED      SUCCESSFUL 

FGS GSacq                10                  10              

FGS REacq                03                  03              

OBAD with Maneuver  28                  28           

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

TRTT Flash Report:

The 19th FGS-2R TRTT was successfully executed via Ops Request 18254.

The data will be analyzed and presented at the September Guide Star

Working Group meeting.

The GSAcq at 218/16:35 immediately following the TRTT was successful