HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to Collect World Class Science
DAILY
REPORT #5126
PERIOD
COVERED: 5am June 25 - 5am June 28, 2010 (DOY 176/09:00z-179/09:00z)
FLIGHT
OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant
Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports
of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS:
12311
- REAcq(2,3,3) scheduled at 177/14:42:15z initially failed FL walk
down with scan step limit exceeded on FGS3. The second attempt was
successful.
Observations possibly affected ACS 62, 61, Proposal ID#11591
12312
- GSAcq1,2,1 scheduled at 178/01:38:48z resulted in Fine Lock
Back-up on FGS1.
Observations possibly affected: WFC3 1-3, Proposal ID#11662
COMPLETED
OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED
OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSAcq
20
20
FGS
REAcq
25
25
OBAD
with Maneuver 11
11
SIGNIFICANT
EVENTS: (None)
OBSERVATIONS
SCHEDULED:
WFC3/UV
12118
PTF10fqs:
A Luminous Red Nova in the Spiral Messier 99
The
Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) has discovered a rare type of
transient
in the luminosity "gap'' between novae and supernovae. Located
in
a spiral arm of Messier 99, PTF10fqs is very red (effective
temperature
3500 K) and slowly evolving. The spectrum is dominated by
intermediate-width
H-alpha (680 km/s) and calcium lines. The explosion
signature
is similar to M85 OT2006-1, SN 2008S and NGC 300-OT2008. The
origin
of these events is shrouded in mystery and controversy (and in
some
cases, in dust). Here, we propose a single-orbit observation to
derive
a precise astrometric position of this transient while it is
still
bright. This would allow us to firmly tie this HST observation
with
future searches of any remnant and serve as legacy observation for
this
rare and interesting source.
ACS/WFC
12016
The
Stars and Edge-on Disks of PDS 144: An Intermediate-Mass Analog of
Wide
T Tauri Multiple Stars
High-Inclination
PMS stars are optimally oriented to measure disk size,
height,
to detect jets, and to directly probe disk composition. Placing
these
data into evolutionary context requires dates for the systems and
measurements
of L bol, and extinction. For such stars, X-ray data
provide
L x, but also N(H) and the total extinction. FUV data measures L
UV,
and constrains the shape of the extinction curve. Recent studies
have
suggested that the frequency of Jovian-mass planets is higher for
systems
with intermediate-mass stars, due to disk mass or composition.
While
suitable low mass YSOs are well-represented in the Chandra and HST
archives,
similar data are lacking for higher mass systems. We propose
joint
Chandra and HST imaging of PDS 144 to fill this gap.
ACS/WFC
11996
CCD
Daily Monitor (Part 3)
This
program comprises basic tests for measuring the read noise and dark
current
of the ACS WFC and for tracking the growth of hot pixels. The
recorded
frames are used to create bias and dark reference images for
science
data reduction and calibration. This program will be executed
four
days per week (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) for the duration of Cycle 17. To
facilitate
scheduling, this program is split into three proposals. This
proposal
covers 308 orbits (19.25 weeks) from 21 June 2010 to 1 November
2010.
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
11915
IR
Internal Flat Fields
This
program is the same as 11433 (SMOV) and depends on the completion
of
the IR initial alignment (Program 11425). This version contains three
instances
of 37 internal orbits: to be scheduled early, middle, and near
the
end of Cycle 17, in order to use the entire 110-orbit allocation.
In
this test, we will study the stability and structure of the IR
channel
flat field images through all filter elements in the WFC3-IR
channel.
Flats will be monitored, i.e. to capture any temporal trends in
the
flat fields and delta flats produced. High signal observations will
provide
a map of the pixel-to-pixel flat field structure, as well as
identify
the positions of any dust particles.
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.
WFC3/UVIS
11907
UVIS
Cycle 17 Contamination Monitor
The
UV throughput of WFC3 during Cycle 17 is monitored via weekly
standard
star observations in a subset of key filters covering 200-600nm
and
F606W, F814W as controls on the red end. The data will provide a
measure
of throughput levels as a function of time and wavelength,
allowing
for detection of the presence of possible contaminants.
STIS/MA1
11861
MAMA
FUV Flats
This
program will obtain FUV-MAMA observations of the STIS internal
Krypton
lamp to construct an FUV flat applicable to all FUV modes.
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.
STIS/CC
11847
CCD
Bias Monitor-Part 2
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/CC
11845
CCD
Dark Monitor Part 2
Monitor
the darks for the STIS CCD.
WFC3/IR
11696
Infrared
Survey of Star Formation Across Cosmic Time
We
propose to use the unique power of WFC3 slitless spectroscopy to
measure
the evolution of cosmic star formation from the end of the
reionization
epoch at z>6 to the close of the galaxy- building era at
z~0.3.Pure
parallel observations with the grisms have proven to be
efficient
for identifying line emission from galaxies across a broad
range
of redshifts. The G102 grism on WFC3 was designed to extend this
capability
to search for Ly-alpha emission from the first galaxies.
Using
up to 250 orbits of pure parallel WFC3 spectroscopy, we will
observe
about 40 deep (4-5 orbit) fields with the combination of G102
and
G141, and about 20 shallow (2-3 orbit) fields with G141 alone.
Our
primary science goals at the highest redshifts are: (1) Detect Lya
in
~100 galaxies with z>5.6 and measure the evolution of the Lya
luminosity
function, independent of of cosmic variance; 2) Determine the
connection
between emission line selected and continuum-break selected
galaxies
at these high redshifts, and 3) Search for the proposed
signature
of neutral hydrogen absorption at re-ionization. At
intermediate
redshifts we will (4) Detect more than 1000 galaxies in
Halpha
at 0.5<z<1.8 to measure the evolution of the extinction-corrected
star
formation density across the peak epoch of star formation. This is
over
an order-of-magnitude improvement in the current statistics, from
the
NICMOS Parallel grism survey. (5) Trace ``cosmic downsizing" from
0.5<z<2.2;
and (6) Estimate the evolution in reddening and metallicty in
star-
forming galaxies and measure the evolution of the Seyfert
population.
For hundreds of spectra we will be able to measure one or
even
two line pair ratios -- in particular, the Balmer decrement and
[OII]/[OIII]
are sensitive to gas reddening and metallicity. As a bonus,
the
G102 grism offers the possibility of detecting Lya emission at
z=7-8.8.
To
identify single-line Lya emitters, we will exploit the wide
0.8--1.9um
wavelength coverage of the combined G102+G141 spectra. All
[OII]
and [OIII] interlopers detected in G102 will be reliably separated
from
true LAEs by the detection of at least one strong line in the G141
spectrum,
without the need for any ancillary data. We waive all
proprietary
rights to our data and will make high-level data products
available
through the ST/ECF.
COS/NUV
11667
Detailed
Probing of a 3000 km/s Ly-alpha + Metal Line Absorption Complex
Near
Two Galaxies at z=0.67
At
intermediate redshifts, Ly-alpha absorbers cluster around rich
metal-line
systems [those with numerous low and high ionization species
(Bahcall
et al.)], and at z=3, higher ionization clouds reside at the
velocity
extremes of clustered Ly-alpha lines, a signature of the
physics
of collapse and layered gas structures (Songaila & Cowie). These
extraordinary
HI environments provide unique astrophysical laboratories
for
probing relatively high overdensity IGM structures and for placing
powerful
constraints on our understanding of the intergalactic medium
and
extended galaxy halos in the context of structure evolution,
galactic
stellar feedback chemical enrichment to large galactocentric
distances,
and the cosmic baryon budget.
We
have undertaken a comprehensive study of the remarkable 1400 km/s
velocity
width, optically thin Ly-alpha only complex (five components)
at
z=0.67 within 1600 km/s of the Lyman limit z=0.66 metal-line system
toward
TON 153 (Churchill et al.). We have collected FOS, STIS, and
HIRES
quasar spectra covering the Lyman series, OVI, CIV, and MgII
absorption,
an F702W/WFPC-2 image, and set of ground based narrow-band
SDSS
filter images of the quasar field. Two galaxies aligned in velocity
with
the z=0.67 Ly-alpha complex and z=0.66 metal-line system lie within
100
kpc of the quasar sightline; the absorption is not consistent with
our
standard model of extended "halo" gas for either galaxy, which
suggests
that a large scale structure (i.e., filament) may extend
between
these galaxies.
We
propose to obtain G160M/1600 and G185M/1921+1941 (S/N>10) COS spectra
of
the z=1.01 quasar TON 153 to obtain detailed kinematic, chemical, and
ionization
conditions of this extraordinary absorber/galaxy system
(total
velocity spread 3000 km/s). The propose observations will provide
an
unprecedented first high resolution examination of the full Lyman
series
and MgII, CIV, and OVI metal lines arising in galaxy halos or a
possible
large scale structure (i.e., filament) associated with
thoroughly
studied galaxies. We aim to discern if the HI extends between
the
galaxies and test for multiphase absorption signatures suggestive of
a
galactic feedback or large scale collapsing structure.
WFC3/UV/IR
11664
The
WFC3 Galactic Bulge Treasury Program: Populations, Formation
History,
and Planets
Exploiting
the full power of the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), we propose
deep
panchromatic imaging of four fields in the Galactic bulge. These
data
will enable a sensitive dissection of its stellar populations,
using
a new set of reddening-free photometric indices we have
constructed
from broad-band filters across UV, optical, and near-IR
wavelengths.
These indices will provide accurate temperatures and
metallicities
for hundreds of thousands of individual bulge stars.
Proper
motions of these stars derived from multi-epoch observations will
allow
separation of pure bulge samples from foreground disk
contamination.
Our catalogs of proper motions and panchromatic
photometry
will support a wide range of bulge studies.
Using
these photometric and astrometric tools, we will reconstruct the
detailed
star-formation history as a function of position within the
bulge,
and thus differentiate between rapid- and extended-formation
scenarios.
We will also measure the dependence of the stellar mass
function
on metallicity, revealing how the characteristic mass of star
formation
varies with chemistry. Our sample of bulge stars with accurate
metallicities
will include 12 candidate hosts of extrasolar planets.
Planet
frequency is correlated with metallicity in the solar
neighborhood;
our measurements will extend this knowledge to a remote
environment
with a very distinct chemistry.
Our
proposal also includes observations of six well-studied globular and
open
star clusters; these observations will serve to calibrate our
photometric
indices, provide empirical population templates, and
transform
the theoretical isochrone libraries into the WFC3 filter
system.
Besides enabling our own program, these products will provide
powerful
new tools for a host of other stellar-population investigations
with
HST/WFC3. We will deliver all of the products from this Treasury
Program
to the community in a timely fashion.
WFC3/UVIS/IR
11662
Improving
the Radius-Luminosity Relationship for Broad-Lined AGNs with a
New
Reverberation Sample
The
radius-luminosity (R-L) relationship is currently the fundamental
basis
for all techniques used to estimate black hole masses in AGNs, in
both
the nearby and distant universe. However, the current R-L
relationship
is based on 34 objects that cover a limited range in black
hole
mass and luminosity. To improve our understanding of black hole
growth
and evolution, the R-L relationship must be extended to cover a
broader
range of black hole masses using the technique known as
reverberation
mapping. To this end, we have been awarded an
unprecedented
64 nights on the Lick Observatory 3-m telescope between
March
24 and May 31, 2008, to spectroscopically monitor 12 AGNs in order
to
measure their black hole masses. To properly determine the
luminosities
of these 12 AGNs, we must correct them for their
host-galaxy
starlight contributions using high-resolution images.
Previous
work by Bentz et al. (2006) has shown that the starlight
correction
to AGN luminosity measurements is an essential component to
interpreting
the R-L relationship. The correction will be substantial
for
each of the 12 sources we will monitor, as the AGNs are relatively
faint
and embedded in nearby, bright galaxies. Starlight corrections are
not
possible with ground-based images, as the PSF and bulge
contributions
become indistinguishable under typical seeing conditions,
and
adaptive optics are not yet operational in the spectral range where
the
corrections are needed. In addition, spectral decompositions are
very
model-dependent and are limited by the degree of accuracy to which
we
understand emission processes and stellar populations in galaxies.
Without
correcting for starlight, we will be unable to apply the results
of
our Spring 2008 campaign to the body of knowledge from previous
reverberation
mapping work. Therefore, we propose to obtain high
resolution,
high dynamic range images of the host galaxies of the 12
AGNs
in our ground-based monitoring sample, as well as one white dwarf
which
will be used as a PSF model.
ACS/WFC
11655
Dynamics
of the Galactic Bulge/bar
We
request second-epoch ACS observations of four star fields in the
Galactic
bar. These will allow us to measure proper motions for tens of
thousands
of stars well below the turnoff, to construct a dynamical
model
for the bulge/bar (in combination with data already in hand from
other
HST fields, and from VLT spectroscopy), and hence to take a unique
look
at the internal dynamical structure of the central regions of our
Galaxy.
By relating the kinematics with stellar population we can
elucidate
the formation history of the bulge and bar, and their relation
to
the surrounding Galactic disk. This is a resubmission of an approved
Cycle
15 proposal that was hit by the ACS malfunction.
WFC3/IR
11648
WFC3
Spectroscopy of an X-ray Luminous Galaxy Cluster at z>2
We
propose to obtain deep WFC3+G141 grism observations to
spectroscopically
confirm a remarkable z>2 cluster of galaxy candidate.
Over
a 1000 arcmin^2 field imaged with Spitzer's IRAC we have discovered
a
compact (<30ÕÕ diameter) concentration of extremely red galaxies with
a
factor of >40 overdensity over the adjacent field. Among these
galaxies
for which we can derive meaningful photometric redshifts, 17
are
consistent with zphot=2-2.5, making it very likely that the
concentration
is a real cluster at such high redshift. This is further
supported
by a 3.5 sigma detection of extended X-Ray emission on
XMM-Newton
data, by a likely color magnitude sequence of red galaxies,
and
by the presence of a giant galaxy consistent with a BCG at the
cluster
redshift. The general faintness of the red galaxies in all
optical
bands and their high redshifts prevent confirmation of this
cluster
with ordinary optical spectroscopy. The WFC3 camera with G141
grism
provides the only way to confirm this record high-z cluster and
measure
its redshift from spectral breaks typical of old stellar
populations.
Our deep integrations will reveal redshifts for at least 19
ultra-red
galaxies in the area and of a similar number of bluer galaxies
at
the cluster redshift. Knowledge of the cluster redshift based on the
HST
spectra will allow us to reach important scientific aims: find the
most
distant Xray emitting evolved galaxy cluster, determine membership
of
the other galaxies from photometric SED analysis, study their stellar
population
properties, characterize the color-magnitude relation with
constraints
on the formation redshift. The proposed observations will
establish
a first z>2 benchmark for cluster field comparisons of galaxy
formation
at this highest redshift and will firmly establish the
progenitors
of local rich Abell clusters.
WFC3/UVIS/IR
11644
A
Dynamical-Compositional Survey of the Kuiper Belt: A New Window Into
the
Formation of the Outer Solar System
The
eight planets overwhelmingly dominate the solar system by mass, but
their
small numbers, coupled with their stochastic pasts, make it
impossible
to construct a unique formation history from the dynamical or
compositional
characteristics of them alone. In contrast, the huge
numbers
of small bodies scattered throughout and even beyond the
planets,
while insignificant by mass, provide an almost unlimited number
of
probes of the statistical conditions, history, and interactions in
the
solar system. To date, attempts to understand the formation and
evolution
of the Kuiper Belt have largely been dynamical simulations
where
a hypothesized starting condition is evolved under the
gravitational
influence of the early giant planets and an attempt is
made
to reproduce the current observed populations. With little
compositional
information known for the real Kuiper Belt, the test
particles
in the simulation are free to have any formation location and
history
as long as they end at the correct point. Allowing compositional
information
to guide and constrain the formation, thermal, and
collisional
histories of these objects would add an entire new dimension
to
our understanding of the evolution of the outer solar system. While
ground
based compositional studies have hit their flux limits already
with
only a few objects sampled, we propose to exploit the new
capabilities
of WFC3 to perform the first ever large-scale
dynamical-compositional
study of Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) and their
progeny
to study the chemical, dynamical, and collisional history of the
region
of the giant planets. The sensitivity of the WFC3 observations
will
allow us to go up to two magnitudes deeper than our ground based
studies,
allowing us the capability of optimally selecting a target list
for
a large survey rather than simply taking the few objects that can be
measured,
as we have had to do to date. We have carefully constructed a
sample
of 120 objects which provides both overall breadth, for a general
understanding
of these objects, plus a large enough number of objects in
the
individual dynamical subclass to allow detailed comparison between
and
within these groups. These objects will likely define the core
Kuiper
Belt compositional sample for years to come. While we have many
specific
results anticipated to come from this survey, as with any
project
where the field is rich, our current knowledge level is low, and
a
new instrument suddenly appears which can exploit vastly larger
segments
of the population, the potential for discovery -- both
anticipated
and not -- is extraordinary.
WFC3/ACS/IR
11597
Spectroscopy
of IR-Selected Galaxy Clusters at 1 < z < 1.5
We
propose to obtain WFC3 G141 and G102 slitless spectroscopy of galaxy
clusters
at 1 < z < 1.5 that were selected from the IRAC survey of the
Bootes
NDWFS field. Our IRAC survey contains the largest sample of
spectroscopically
confirmed clusters at z > 1. The WFC3 grism data will
measure
H-alpha to determine SFR, and fit models to the low resolution
continua
to determine stellar population histories for the brighter
cluster
members, and redshifts for the red galaxies too faint for
ground-based
optical spectroscopy.
WFC3/IR
11591
Are
Low-Luminosity Galaxies Responsible for Cosmic Reionization?
Our
group has demonstrated that massive clusters, acting as powerful
cosmic
lenses, can constrain the abundance and properties of
low-luminosity
star-forming sources beyond z~6; such sources are thought
to
be responsible for ending cosmic reionization. The large
magnification
possible in the critical regions of well-constrained
clusters
brings sources into view that lie at or beyond the limits of
conventional
exposures such as the UDF. We have shown that the
combination
of HST and Spitzer is particularly effective in delivering
the
physical properties of these distant sources, constraining their
mass,
age and past star formation history. Indirectly, we therefore gain
a
valuable glimpse to yet earlier epochs. Recognizing the result (and
limitations)
of blank field surveys, we propose a systematic search
through
10 lensing clusters with ACS/F814W and WFC3/[F110W+F160W] (in
conjunction
with existing deep IRAC data). Our goal is to measure with
great
accuracy the luminosity function at z~7 over a range of at least 3
magnitude,
based on the identification of about 50 lensed galaxies at
6.5<z<8.
Our survey will mitigate cosmic variance and extend the search
both
to lower luminosities and, by virtue of the WFC3/IRAC combination,
to
higher redshift. Thanks to the lensing amplification spectroscopic
follow-up
will be possible and make our findings the most robust prior
to
the era of JWST and the ELTs.
ACS/SBC/COS/NUV/FUV
11579
The
Difference Between Neutral- and Ionized-Gas Metal Abundances in
Local
Star-Forming Galaxies with COS
The
metallicity of galaxies and its evolution with redshift is of
paramount
importance for understanding galaxy formation. Abundances in
the
interstellar medium (ISM) are typically determined using
emission-line
spectroscopy of HII regions. However, since HII regions
are
associated with recent SF they may not have abundances typical for
the
galaxy as a whole. This is true in particular for star-forming
galaxies
(SFGs), in which the bulk of the metals may be contained in the
neutral
gas. It is therefore important to directly probe the metal
abundances
in the neutral gas. This can be done using absorption lines
in
the Far UV. We have developed techniques to do this in SFGs, where
the
absorption is measured for sightlines toward bright SF regions
within
the galaxy itself. We have successfully applied this technique to
a
sample of galaxies observed with FUSE. The results have been very
promising,
suggesting in I Zw 18 that abundances in the neutral gas may
be
up to 0.5 dex lower than in the ionized gas. However, the
interpretation
of the FUSE data is complicated by the very large FUSE
aperture
(30 arcsec), the modest S/N, and the limited selection of
species
available in the FUSE bandpass. The advent of COS on HST now
allows
a significant advance in all of these areas. We will therefore
obtain
absorption line spectroscopy with G130M in the same sample for
which
we already have crude constraints from FUSE. We will obtain
ACS/SBC
images to select the few optimal sightlines to target in each
galaxy.
The results will be interpreted through line-profile fitting to
determine
the metal abundances constrained by the available lines. The
results
will provide important new insights into the metallicities of
galaxies,
and into outstanding problems at high redshift such as the
observed
offset between the metallicities of Lyman Break Galaxies and
Damped
Lyman Alpha systems.
WFC3/UVIS
11565
A
Search for Astrometric Companions to Very Low-Mass, Population II
Stars
We
propose to carry out a Snapshot search for astrometric companions in
a
subsample of very low-mass, halo subdwarfs identified within 120
parsecs
of the Sun. These ultra-cool M subdwarfs are local
representatives
of the lowest-mass H burning objects from the Galactic
Population
II. The expected 3-4 astrometric doubles that will be
discovered
will be invaluable in that they will be the first systems
from
which gravitational masses of metal-poor stars at the bottom of the
main
sequence can be directly measured.
WFC3/UV
11556
Investigations
of the Pluto System
We
propose a set of high SNR observations of the Pluto system that will
provide
improved lightcurves, orbits, and photometric properties of Nix
and
Hydra. The key photometric result for Nix and Hydra will be a vastly
improved
lightcurve shape and rotation period to test if the objects are
in
synchronous rotation or not. A second goal of this program will be to
retrieve
a new epoch of albedo map for the surface of Pluto. These
observations
will also improve masses and in some case densities for the
bodies
in the Pluto system.