HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT      #4670

PERIOD COVERED: 5am August 7 - 5am August 8, 2008 (DOY 220/0900z-221/0900z)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

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.

NIC1 11136

Resolving Ultracool Astrophysics with Brown Dwarf Binaries

We propose to obtain resolved far-red and near-IR photometry of 13 brown

dwarf binaries with HST/NICMOS in order to study one of the

long-standing puzzles in ultracool astrophysics, namely the rapid change

in spectra from L dwarfs to T dwarfs at nearly constant effective

temperature (a.k.a. the "L/T transition''). While many nearby brown

dwarfs have been studied, use of such samples is inevitably hindered by

the unknown ages, masses, and metallicities of the field population.

Characterization of resolved ultracool binaries is a promising avenue

for addressing this problem, by providing coeval systems of the same

composition with comparable masses and temperatures. Our proposed

HST/NICMOS (0.9-1.6 micron) observations will be combined with longer

wavelength ground-based photometry and spectroscopy from Keck laser

guide star adaptive optics. The resulting multiband (0.9-2.5 micron)

dataset will be a unique resource for measuring the evolution of

spectral energy distributions across the L/T transition, to test

state-of-the-art atmospheric models, and to determine the physical

process(es) that dominate the L/T transition. Understanding the L/T

transition is important not only for testing brown dwarf atmospheres,

but also provides a key pathway for understanding the same physical

effects, namely the formation and removal of clouds, in the atmospheres

of the extrasolar planets.

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 11164

Molecular Hydrogen Disks Around T Tauri Stars

We propose to measure the properties of planetary system-sized disks

around Sun- like, pre-main sequence stars by imaging the inner parts of

these disks for the first time in gaseous emission from their most

dominant constituent, molecular hydrogen gas. Specifically, we will use

the F212N filter and NICMOS to determine the spatial distribution of

ro-vibrational H2 emission from protoplanetary disks around selected

classical and weak-lined T Tauri stars. The target stars are among those

detected by members of this team through high resolution, ground-based

infrared spectroscopy. The spectra reveal H2 emission at the rest

velocities of the stars and at positions spatially coincident with the

stars at the spatial resolution of the spectroscopic data. This imaging

experiment, which is impossible to do using ground- based facilities, is

possible using the NICMOS camera aboard the HST because the point spread

function of this system is extremely stable and can be measured to a

very high accuracy. This experiment is an important test of the

interpretation that the 2.122 micron H2 line emission seen toward T

Tauri stars is produced at distances of 10 to 30 AU from the stars, the

region in which giant planets are expected to form around these stars.

These observations will contribute toward developing a better

understanding of the process, likelihood, and timescale for the

formation of planets around Sun-like stars.

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}.

NIC3 11072

Measuring the Physical Properties of the First Two WASP Transiting

Extrasolar planets

We have recently discovered the first two transiting extrasolar planets

from the Wide Angle Search for Planets {WASP} project and confirmed both

as planets using SOPHIE radial velocity measurements. Both WASP-1b and

WASP-2b orbit about stars brighter than V=12, and are thus ideal targets

for HST followup. WASP-1b is probably inflated in a manner similar to

HD209458b but is in a closer orbit about the parent, which itself is the

earliest-type parent star yet announced for a transiting extrasolar

planet. At 0.03 AU from the parent star, WASP-2b is close to the minimum

separation at which planets of this mass range are thought to survive.

We request DD observations of WASP-1b and WASP-2b, to constrain the

masses and radii of both objects to a precision of a few tenths of a

percent. Both parent stars have very similar brightnesses to the TrES-1

parent star, thus we will achieve equivalent photometric precision to

previous successful observations of TrES-1b. As all further physical

investigations {such as interior heating} depend on precise mass- and

radius-determinations, this investigation is the essential next step in

uncovering the physical characteristics of these planets and their

parent stars. We have requested 12 orbits, though 9 orbits would provide

the minimum acceptable coverage for our program. The consortium will

formally announce the discoveries of WASP-1b and WASP-2b on Tuesday 26th

September 2006. We ask that all material in this proposal be kept

confidential until that date. We can supply the discovery paper on

request after this date.

WFPC2 11202

The Structure of Early-type Galaxies: 0.1-100 Effective Radii

The structure, formation and evolution of early-type galaxies is still

largely an open problem in cosmology: how does the Universe evolve from

large linear scales dominated by dark matter to the highly non-linear

scales of galaxies, where baryons and dark matter both play important,

interacting, roles? To understand the complex physical processes

involved in their formation scenario, and why they have the tight

scaling relations that we observe today {e.g. the Fundamental Plane}, it

is critically important not only to understand their stellar structure,

but also their dark-matter distribution from the smallest to the largest

scales. Over the last three years the SLACS collaboration has developed

a toolbox to tackle these issues in a unique and encompassing way by

combining new non-parametric strong lensing techniques, stellar

dynamics, and most recently weak gravitational lensing, with

high-quality Hubble Space Telescope imaging and VLT/Keck spectroscopic

data of early-type lens systems. This allows us to break degeneracies

that are inherent to each of these techniques separately and probe the

mass structure of early-type galaxies from 0.1 to 100 effective radii.

The large dynamic range to which lensing is sensitive allows us both to

probe the clumpy substructure of these galaxies, as well as their

low-density outer haloes. These methods have convincingly been

demonstrated, by our team, using smaller pilot-samples of SLACS lens

systems with HST data. In this proposal, we request observing time with

WFPC2 and NICMOS to observe 53 strong lens systems from SLACS, to obtain

complete multi-color imaging for each system. This would bring the total

number of SLACS lens systems to 87 with completed HST imaging and

effectively doubles the known number of galaxy-scale strong lenses. The

deep HST images enable us to fully exploit our new techniques, beat down

low-number statistics, and probe the structure and evolution of early-

type galaxies, not only with a uniform data-set an order of magnitude

larger than what is available now, but also with a fully coherent and

self-consistent methodological approach!

WFPC2 11796

WFPC2 Cycle 16 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 11804

WFPC2 Closeout Calibration -- CTE Effects on Standard Star

Observations of the primary standard star GRW+70D5824 are made at

several different places on the CCD to directly estimate the impact of

CTE. All four CCDs are evaluated. Filters F170W and F555W are used to

evaluate the effects of background and different PSF shapes / sizes.

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: (None)

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

                       SCHEDULED      SUCCESSFUL

FGS GSacq               07                 07              

FGS REacq               08                 08              

OBAD with Maneuver  30                 30            

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)