HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to Collect World Class Science
DAILY
REPORT #4936
PERIOD
COVERED: 5am September 22 - 5am September 23, 2009 (DOY 265/09:00z-266/09:00z)
OBSERVATIONS
SCHEDULED
ACS/WFC3/STIS/CCD
11889
Photometric
Cross-Calibration using Stellar Flux Standards
The
purpose of this proposal is to: A) Verify the ACS HRC and WFC
photometric
calibrations with a repeat visit to one of the three primary
WDs.
B) Measure the change in sensitivity with time for bright stars
(which
would include any small CTE contributions). C) Continue to
investigate
the ~2% discrepancy between ACS flux calibration and that of
STIS
(ACS ISR 2007-06). The goal is to measure any filter bandpass
shifts
in ACS or rule out the possibility of shifts as the primary
contributors
to the ACS/STIS discrepancy for cool stars.
COS/FUV
11482
FUV
Detector Dark
The
purpose of this proposal is to measure the FUV detector dark rate by
taking
long science exposures with no light on the detector. The
detector
dark rate and spatial distribution of counts will be compared
to
pre-launch data in order to verify the nominal operation of the
detector,
and for use in the CalCOS calibration pipeline. Variations of
count
rate as a function of orbital position will be analyzed to find
dependence
of dark rate on proximity to the SAA.
This
is SMOV Activity COS-24.
COS/FUV
11895
FUV
Detector Dark Monitor
The
purpose of this proposal is to monitor the FUV detector dark rate by
taking
long science exposures without illuminating the detector. The
detector
dark rate and spatial distribution of counts will be compared
to
pre-launch and SMOV data in order to verify the nominal operation of
the
detector. Variations of count rate as a function of orbital position
will
be analyzed to find dependence of dark rate on proximity to the
SAA.
Dependence of dark rate as function of time will also be tracked.
COS/NUV
11466
NUV
Detector Dark
The
purpose of this proposal is to measure the NUV detector dark rate by
taking
long science exposures with no light on the detector. The
detector
dark rate and spatial distribution of counts will be compared
to
pre-launch data in order to verify the nominal operation of the
detector,
and for use in the CalCOS calibration pipeline. Variations of
count
rate as a function of orbital position will be analyzed to find
dependence
of dark rate on proximity to the SAA.
COS/NUV
11481
COS
NUV High S/N Verification
The
purpose of this proposal is to collect data at several central
wavelengths
for each NUV grating in Time-Tag mode, using multiple FP-POS
positions,
in order to verify that high signal-to-noise spectra can be
obtained.
All spectra will have enough counts to permit standard
reduction
techniques to be used to obtain spectra with a signal-to-noise
ratio
of at least 30. Very high signal-to-noise spectra will also be
obtained
in some medium resolution modes in order to demonstrate that a
signal-to-noise
ratio of at least 100 is possible.
COS/NUV/FUV/WFC3/UVIS/IR
11520
COS-GTO:
QSO Absorbers, Galaxies and Large-Scale Structures in the Local Universe
This
is a program to probe the large scale structure of baryons in the
universe,
including addressing questions of baryon fraction, physical
conditions
and relationships between absorbers and large-scale
structures
of galaxies. Besides these specific goals, this proposed GTO
program
also probes a large enough total path length in Ly alpha and OVI
to
add significantly to what STIS/FUSE has already observed. Several
Galactic
High Velocity Cloud Complexes also are probed by these
sightlines,
particularly the M Complex. The total path length of this
proposed
program for Ly alpha large-scale structure surveys is
delta_z~5.5.
We
have selected a variety of targets to address these questions, under
the
following subcategories:
1.
Target 8 bright BL Lac objects to search for low contrast Ly alpha
absorbers
from the warm-hot interstellar medium (WHIM).
2.
Ly alpha cloud sizes: The targets are a bright AGN pair which yield
tangential
distance separations of 100--500 kpc at z=0.01--0.05, where
galaxy
surveys are excellent. This pair has two filaments and two voids
in
this distance range.
3.
Probes of starburst outflows: The targets are bright AGN, <= 100 kpc
in
projection out of the minor axis of nearby starburst galaxies.
4.
A large galaxy's gaseous halo: Three probes of the kinematics and
metallicity
of a single L* galaxy halo. These observations includes
G130M,
G160M exposures at SNR~20 and G285M at 2850A and SNR~10 for MgII.
The
2L* galaxy, ESO 157-G049 (cz=1678 km/s), being probed by these
sightlines
has an available H I 21cm map from ATCA, H alpha imaging from
CTIO
and long-slit spectra from MSSSO.
5.
Dwarf galaxy winds: These targets probe the kinematics and
metallicities
of outflows from active and inactive (in terms of star
formation)
dwarfs.
FGS
11704
The
Ages of Globular Clusters and the Population II Distance Scale
Globular
clusters are the oldest objects in the universe whose age can
be
accurately determined. The dominant error in globular cluster age
determinations
is the uncertain Population II distance scale. We propose
to
use FGS 1R to obtain parallaxes with an accuracy of 0.2
milliarcsecond
for 9 main sequence stars with [Fe/H] < -1.5. This will
determine
the absolute magnitude of these stars with accuracies of 0.04
to
0.06mag. This data will be used to determine the distance to 24
metal-poor
globular clusters using main sequence fitting. These
distances
(with errors of 0.05 mag) will be used to determine the ages
of
globular clusters using the luminosity of the subgiant branch as an
age
indicator. This will yield absolute ages with an accuracy of 5%,
about
a factor of two improvement over current estimates. Coupled with
existing
parallaxes for more metal-rich stars, we will be able to
accurately
determine the age for globular clusters over a wide range of
metallicities
in order to study the early formation history of the Milky
Way
and provide an independent estimate of the age of the universe.
The
Hipparcos database contains only 1 star with [Fe/H] < -1.4 and an
absolute
magnitude error less than 0.18 mag which is suitable for use in
main
sequence fitting. Previous attempts at main sequence fitting to
metal-poor
globular clusters have had to rely on theoretical
calibrations
of the color of the main sequence. Our HST parallax program
will
remove this source of possible systematic error and yield distances
to
metal- poor globular clusters which are significantly more accurate
than
possible with the current parallax data. The HST parallax data will
have
errors which are 10 times smaller than the current parallax data.
Using
the HST parallaxes, we will obtain main sequence fitting distances
to
11 globular clusters which contain over 500 RR Lyrae stars. This will
allow
us to calibrate the absolute magnitude of RR Lyrae stars, a
commonly
used Population II distance indicator.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3
11947
Extended
Dark Monitoring
This
program takes a series of darks to obtain darks (including
amplifier
glow, dark current, and shading profiles) for all three
cameras
in the read-out sequences used in Cycle 17. A set of 12 orbits
will
be observed every two months for a total of 72 orbits for a 12
month
Cycle 17. This is a continuation of Cycle 16 program 11330 scaled
down
by ~80%.
The
first orbit (Visit A0) should be scheduled in the NICMOS SMOV after
the
DC Transfer Test (11406) and at least 36h before the Filter Wheel
Test
(11407). Data download using fast track.
The
following 28 orbits (visit A1-N2) should be scheduled AFTER the SMOV
Proposal
11407 (Filter Wheel Test). This is done in order to monitor the
dark
current following an adjustment of the NCS set-point. These visits
should
be executed until the final temperature is reached during SMOV.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3
8795
NICMOS
Post-SAA Calibration - CR Persistence Part 6
This
is 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 'Use After' 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 darks. 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
images. Each observation will need its own CRMAP, as different
SAA
passages leave different imprints on the NICMOS detectors.
STIS/CCD
11844
CCD
Dark Monitor Part 1
The
purpose of this proposal is to monitor the darks for the STIS CCD.
STIS/CCD
11846
CCD
Bias Monitor-Part 1
The
purpose of this proposal is to monitor the bias in the 1x1, 1x2,
2x1,
and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at gain = 4, to build up
high-S/N
superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns.
STIS/MA1/MA2
11857
STIS
Cycle 17 MAMA Dark Monitor
This
proposal monitors the behavior of the dark current in each of the
MAMA
detectors.
The
basic monitor takes two 1380s ACCUM darks each week with each
detector.
However, starting Oct 5, pairs are only included for weeks
that
the LRP has external MAMA observations planned. The weekly pairs of
exposures
for each detector are linked so that they are taken at
opposite
ends of the same SAA free interval. This pairing of exposures
will
make it easier to separate long and short term temporal variability
from
temperature dependent changes.
For
both detectors, additional blocks of exposures are taken once every
six
months. These are groups of five 1314s FUV-MAMA Time-Tag darks or
five
3x315s NUV ACCUM darks distributed over a single SAA-free interval.
This
will give more information on the brightness of the FUV MAMA dark
current
as a function of the amount of time that the HV has been on, and
for
the NUV MAMA will give a better measure of the short term
temperature
dependence.
WFC3/ACS/IR
11359
Panchromatic
WFC3 Survey of Galaxies at Intermediate z: Early Release
Science
Program for Wide Field Camera 3
The
unique panchromatic capabilities of WFC3 will be used to survey the
structure
and evolution of galaxies at the peak of the galaxy assembly
epoch.
Deep ultraviolet and near-IR imaging and slitless spectroscopy of
existing
deep multi-color ACS fields will be used to gauge
star-formation
and the growth of stellar mass as a function of
morphology,
structure and surrounding density in the critical epoch 1 <
z
< 4. Images in the F225W, F275W, and F336W filters will identify
galaxies
at z < 1.5 from their UV continuum breaks, and provide
star-formation
indicators tied directly to both local and z > 3
populations.
Deep near-IR (F125W and F160W) images will probe the
stellar
mass function well below 10^9 Msun for mass-complete samples.
Lastly,
the WFC3 slitless UV and near-IR grisms will be used to measure
redshifts
and star-formation rates from H- alpha and rest-frame UV
continuum
slope. This WFC3 ERS program will survey one 4 x 2 mosaic for
a
total area of 50 square arcminutes to 5-sigma depths of m_AB = 27 in
most
filters from the mid-UV through the near-IR.
This
multicolor high spatial resolution data set will allow the user to
gauge
the growth of galaxies through star-formation and merging. High
precision
photometric and low- resolution spectroscopic redshifts will
allow
accurate determinations of the faint-end of the luminosity and
mass
functions, and will shed light on merging and tidal disruption of
stellar
and gaseous disks. The WFC3 images will also allow detailed
studies
of the internal structure of galaxies, and the distribution of
young
and old stellar populations. This program will demonstrate the
unique
power of WFC3 by applying its many diverse modes and full
panchromatic
capability to a forefront problem in astrophysics.
WFC3/IR/S/C
11929
IR
Dark Current Monitor
Analyses
of ground test data showed that dark current signals are more
reliably
removed from science data using darks taken with the same
exposure
sequences as the science data, than with a single dark current
image
scaled by desired exposure time. Therefore, dark current images
must
be collected using all sample sequences that will be used in
science
observations. These observations will be used to monitor changes
in
the dark current of the WFC3-IR channel on a day-to-day basis, and to
build
calibration dark current ramps for each of the sample sequences to
be
used by GOs in Cycle 17. For each sample sequence/array size
combination,
a median ramp will be created and delivered to the
calibration
database system (CDBS).
WFC3/IR/S/C
12006
CSM
Test
The
purpose of this proposal is to test of the repeatability of the CSM
mechanism
as measured using bright IR blobs. This proposal will also
test
the amount of motion of the CSM per commanded CSM step. This
proposal
observe the same field, with a high background level, using
increasing
number of CSM steps and then progressively moves the CSM
back,
backtracking the first half of the observations.
WFC3/UVIS
11559
Jovian
Upheaval and Its Impact on Vortices
We
propose observations of Jupiter with global coverage at high
resolution
to quantify changes in its atmosphere during and following
the
global upheaval. Only HST has the capability to obtain images with
enough
spatial resolution and contrast to extract velocity fields (we
will
use our newly developed technique to accomplish this), and with
WFC3
we can image Jupiter in its entirety in a single exposure. We are
in
particular interested in the Red Oval BA: Will the Oval be long
lived,
remain red, or turn white again, disappear? Both the merger of
its
precursors, and change in color has never before been witnessed. The
Great
Red Spot: This storm system appears to decrease in size and has
become
rounder, both as derived from its associated cloud deck, but also
from
its potential vorticity, a more dynamically-relevant quantity. How
will
the GRS evolve? Will it swallow the new vortices detected in
amateur
images at this same latitude band? How will this effect the
potential
vorticity? In addition, we hope to understand disturbances and
stagnation
points, both of which were detected during the present global
upheaval:
are these cyclonic regions, can they spawn anticyclones (as
suggested
by amateur images)?
WFC3/UVIS
11657
The
Population of Compact Planetary Nebulae in the Galactic Disk
We
propose to secure narrow- and broad-band images of compact planetary
nebulae
(PNe) in the Galactic Disk to study the missing link of the
early
phases of post-AGB evolution. Ejected AGB envelopes become PNe
when
the gas is ionized. PNe expand, and, when large enough, can be
studied
in detail from the ground. In the interim, only the HST
capabilities
can resolve their size, morphology, and central stars. Our
proposed
observations will be the basis for a systematic study of the
onset
of morphology. Dust properties of the proposed targets will be
available
through approved Spitzer/IRS spectra, and so will the
abundances
of the alpha-elements. We will be able thus to explore the
interconnection
of morphology, dust grains, stellar evolution, and
populations.
The target selection is suitable to explore the nebular and
stellar
properties across the Galactic Disk, and to set constraints on
the
galactic evolutionary models through the analysis of metallicity and
population
gradients.
WFC3/UVIS
11905
WFC3
UVIS CCD Daily Monitor
The
behavior of the WFC3 UVIS CCD will be monitored daily with a set of
full-frame,
four-amp bias and dark frames. A smaller set of 2Kx4K
subarray
biases are acquired at less frequent intervals throughout the
cycle
to support subarray science observations. The internals from this
proposal,
along with those from the anneal procedure (Proposal 11909),
will
be used to generate the necessary superbias and superdark reference
files
for the calibration pipeline (CDBS).
WFC3/UVIS
11908
Cycle
17: UVIS Bowtie Monitor
Ground
testing revealed an intermittent hysteresis type effect in the
UVIS
detector (both CCDs) at the level of ~1%, lasting hours to days.
Initially
found via an unexpected bowtie-shaped feature in flatfield
ratios,
subsequent lab tests on similar e2v devices have since shown
that
it is also present as simply an overall offset across the entire
CCD,
i.e., a QE offset without any discernable pattern. These lab tests
have
further revealed that overexposing the detector to count levels
several
times full well fills the traps and effectively neutralizes the
bowtie.
Each visit in this proposal acquires a set of three 3x3 binned
internal
flatfields: the first unsaturated image will be used to detect
any
bowtie, the second, highly exposed image will neutralize the bowtie
if
it is present, and the final image will allow for verification that
the
bowtie is gone.
FLIGHT
OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant
Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports
of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS:
12018
- GSAcq (1,2,1), scheduled from 265/09:27:51z - 265/09:34:40z, resulted in
Fine Lock Back-up (1,0,1).
Observations possibly affected: COS 119 Proposal ID# 11895;
STIS 20 & 21,
Proposal ID# 11889.
12021
- WFC3 Channel Select Mechanism (CSM) move scheduled at
265/22:53:50z was unsuccessful because the final position achieved
was
not within tolerance of the desired position.
Observations affected: WFC3 33 - 36 Proposal Id#12006.
COMPLETED
OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED
OPS NOTES:
1912-0
- Adjust WFC3 FSW Error Count @ 266/0043z
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSAcq
13
13
FGS
REAcq
02
02
OBAD
with Maneuver
13
13
SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS: (None)