HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE<br /><br />DAILY REPORT # 3189<br /><br />PERIOD COVERED: DOY 240<br /><br />OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED [see HSTARS below for possible observation problems]<br /><br />NICMOS 8790<br /><br />NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 1.<br /><br />A new procedure proposed to alleviate the CR-persistence problem of NICMOS. Dark<br />frames will be obtained immediately upon exiting the SAA contour 23, and every<br />time a NICMOS exposure is scheduled within 50 minutes of coming out of the SAA.<br />The darks will be obtained in parallel in all three NICMOS Cameras. The POST-SAA<br />darks will be non-standard reference files available to users with a USEAFTER<br />date/time mark.<br /><br />STIS/CCD 8902<br /><br />Dark Monitor-Part 2.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to monitor the darks.<br /><br />STIS/CCD 8904<br /><br />Bias Monitor-Part 2.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to monitor the bias in<br />the 1x1, 1x2, 2x1, and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at gain = 4 in order<br />to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns.<br /><br />WFPC2 8938<br /><br />WFPC2 CYCLE 9 SUPPLEMENTAL DARKS pt3/3.<br /><br />characterizing the evolution of hot pixels.<br /><br />STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9109<br /><br />Mapping the Chromosphere of the K Supergiant in the Eclipsing Binary 31 Cygni.<br /><br />wind of the supergiant primary in the long-period {10.36 yr} eclipsing binary 31<br />Cygni. This binary has the largest orbital separation relative to primary size<br />{and the least interaction} of the known Zeta Aur binaries.<br /><br />STIS/CCD 9114<br /><br />SINS: The Supernova Intensive Study-- Cycle 10.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to perform closer<br />observations of supernovae that will create the chemical history of the<br />Universe, energize the interstellar gas, stiffen the spine of the extragalactic<br />distance scale and provide the only evidence for an accelerating universe. A<br />violent encounter is underway between the fast-moving debris and the stationary<br />inner ring. Monitoring this interaction will help solve the riddles of stellar<br />evolution posed by the enigmatic three-ring system of SN 1987A. Our UV<br />observations of Ly- Alpha emission reveal the present location and velocity of a<br />remarkable reverse shock that provides a unique laboratory for studying fast<br />shocks and a powerful tool for dissecting the structure of the vanished star.<br /><br />WF/PC-2 9125<br /><br />Are there Large Dust Grains in Orion's Proto-Planetary Disks?.<br /><br />The WF/PC-2 was used to acquire dithered PC images of six of the largest<br />circumstellar disks in the Orion nebula to study the unique properties of dust<br />within these systems.<br /><br />STIS/CCD 9317<br /><br />Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 10.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to perform the default<br />archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 10.<br /><br />NICMOS 9360<br /><br />Paschen-alpha Imaging of a SIRTF-Selected Nearby Galaxy Sample<br /><br />We propose to carry out a NICMOS snapshot survey in the Paschen-alpha {PAlpha}<br />emission line and H-band of the sample of galaxies being observed at 3.5 -- 160<br />microns as part of SIRTF Nearby Galaxies Survey {SINGS} and a related guaranteed<br />time survey of starburst galaxies. The PAlpha images, accessible only from HST,<br />will be combined with groundbased HAlpha imaging to measure the extinction in<br />the star-forming centers of these galaxies, and obtain robust, extinction-<br />corrected maps of the massive star formation rate {SFR}. The PAlpha data by<br />themselves will provide reliable `extinction- free' SFRs, and a<br />cross-calibration of the {dust--affected} HAlpha-- and UV--based SFRs. The<br />PAlpha--based SFR measurements will extend the SFR-vs.-gas density law<br />{Schmidt--law} to surface densities at least 30 times higher than what is<br />accessible using HAlpha--based SFR measurements alone, bridging the gap between<br />normal galaxies and IR--luminous starbursts. Furthermore, the combination of the<br />HST PAlpha images with the SIRTF images and spectra, as well as ancillary<br />ground--based UBVRIJHK images and GALEX UV images being obtained as part of the<br />SINGS project, will provide a definitive study of the radiative transfer of<br />starlight and dust heating in star--forming galaxies. The processed NICMOS<br />images will be incorporated into the public SINGS Legacy Data Archive, to enable<br />scores of follow-up studies by the astronomical community at large.<br /><br />NICMOS 9366<br /><br />H_2 Imaging of Proto-Planetary Nebulae: Probing the Dynamics and Morphology<br /><br />H_2 emission provides an excellent probe of the physical conditions in planetary<br />nebulae {PNs} and also in proto- planetary nebulae {PPNs}, objects in transition<br />between the asymptotic giant branch {AGB} and PN phases. It is thought that the<br />shaping of the PN occurs when a fast wind interacts with the remnant of the AGB<br />progenitor during the PPN phase. The study of shock-excited H_2 in PPNs will<br />allow us to study this process. We request HST/NICMOS H_2 and complementary K<br />and H broad-band images of 13 PPNs with a range of spectral types of the central<br />star. We presently have very high- resolution {~100, 000} H_2 spectra for 7 of<br />these, which we will use with the high-resolution images to study the velocity<br />structure of the fast wind. We will also explore the relationship between the<br />presence of H_2 and a bipolar shape for the nebula, as has been found in PNs.<br />However, the role of the equatorial torus is expected to be different in these<br />two cases, and in the PPNs it is expected to collimate the wind rather than<br />shield the molecules. Thus the H_2 in the PPNs is expected at the ends of the<br />lobes rather than in the torus. Radiatively-excited H_2 emission appears to be<br />common in PPNs with central stars of B spectral types; this appears to be a<br />transitional stage in the evolution of the H_2 in the nebula which these images<br />will help us to better understand.<br /><br />NICMOS 9402<br /><br />A NICMOS Study of Merging Nuclei in the Toomre Sequence: Finding Order Amid<br />Chaos<br /><br />The final death throes of merging spiral galaxy nuclei are hidden behind dusty<br />maelstroms of colliding gas clouds and glaring star formation activity. The<br />dynamically important centers of mass can only be uncovered by imaging at NIR<br />wavelengths and with the high spatial resolution of HST. We propose a<br />near-infrared imaging program to inspect the physical processes of merging at<br />spatial scales of ~100 pc. The Toomre Sequence provides the best sample of<br />merging galaxies for such a study, because it has been studied extensively from<br />the ground, and the global properties are well understood. Our previous Cycle 9<br />WFPC2 images of the nuclei have revealed a wealth of information on star forming<br />activity and dust, but based on those data alone it is impossible to determine<br />the locations of the current centers<br /><br />of mass. Determining the mass centers and stellar density profiles is important<br />for understanding both the kinematics and the dynamical evolution of the nuclei,<br />and the formation of nuclear density cusps in galaxies. We propose J, H and K<br />band imaging of the nuclei in early and intermediate stage mergers in the Toomre<br />Sequence. Because of the much reduced effect of dust extinction, the<br />near-infrared images are also optimally suited to searches for nuclear rings and<br />bars around the nuclei. Combined with our ongoing Cycle 9 program, these data<br />will provide a detailed view of the structure and evolution of a sequence of<br />merger nuclei.<br /><br />ACS 9427<br /><br />Globular Cluster Systems in Supergiant E Galaxies<br /><br />he most populous globular cluster systems are found in the giant ellipticals at<br />the centers of galaxy clusters {Brightest Cluster Galaxies}. It is among this<br />BCG class that the characteristics of globular cluster systems display their<br />widest range in metallicity distribution and specific frequency and thus<br />confront galaxy formation models with their most varied challenges. Were these<br />systems built primarily by early in situ conversion of gas clouds, by later<br />mergers, or by ongoing accretions of dwarfs? Their extensive halo cluster<br />systems contain many clues to these relic events. BCGs are the biggest and<br />rarest type of galaxy, and to date the globular clusters in only two BCGs {M87,<br />NGC 1399} are well studied. The ACS camera now brings many more such systems<br />within reach. We propose to image the globular cluster systems in 13 BCGs in the<br />distance regime cz ~eq 2000 - 5000 km s^-1. With deep {B, I} exposures we will<br />measure the globular cluster metallicity distribution functions, specific<br />frequency, radial distributions, and luminosity distributions, as well as<br />correlations among these quantities. This work will be the first comprehensive,<br />homogeneous deep survey of globular clusters in BCGs. The superior area and<br />sensitivity of ACS will yield a gain of a factor of eight over previous WFPC2<br />studies for sample size and metallicity discrimination.<br /><br />ACS 9480<br /><br />Cosmic Shear With ACS Pure Parallels<br /><br />Small distortions in the shapes of background galaxies by foreground mass<br />provide a powerful method of directly measuring the amount and distribution of<br />dark matter. Several groups have recently detected this weak lensing by<br />large-scale structure, also called cosmic shear. The high resolution and<br />sensitivity of HST/ACS provide a unique opportunity to measure cosmic shear<br />accurately on small scales. Using 260 parallel orbits in Sloan textiti {F775W}<br />we will measure for the first time: beginlistosetlength sep0cm setlengthemsep0cm<br />setlength opsep0cm em the cosmic shear variance on scales <0.7 arcmin, em the<br />skewness of the shear distribution, and em the magnification effect. endlist Our<br />measurements will determine the amplitude of the mass power spectrum<br />sigma_8Omega_m^0.5, with signal-to-noise {s/n} ~ 20, and the mass density<br />Omega_m with s/n=4. They will be done at small angular scales where non-linear<br />effects dominate the power spectrum, providing a test of the gravitational<br />instability paradigm for structure formation. Measurements on these scales are<br />not possible from the ground, because of the systematic effects induced by PSF<br />smearing from seeing. Having many independent lines of sight reduces the<br />uncertainty due to cosmic variance, making parallel observations ideal.<br /><br />NICMOS 9484<br /><br />The NICMOS Parallel Observing Program<br /><br />We propose to manage the default set of pure parallels with NICMOS. Our<br />experience with both our GO NICMOS parallel program and the public parallel<br />NICMOS programs in cycle 7 prepared us to make optimal use of the parallel<br />opportunities. The NICMOS G141 grism remains the most powerful survey tool for<br />HAlpha emission-line galaxies at cosmologically interesting redshifts. It is<br />particularly well suited to addressing two key uncertainties regarding the<br />global history of star formation: the peak rate of star formation in the<br />relatively unexplored but critical 1<= z <= 2 epoch, and the amount of star<br />formation missing from UV continuum-based estimates due to high extinction. Our<br />proposed deep G141 exposures will increase the sample of known HAlpha emission-<br />line objects at z ~ 1.3 by roughly an order of magnitude. We will also obtain a<br />mix of F110W and F160W images along random sight-lines to examine the space<br />density and morphologies of the reddest galaxies. The nature of the extremely<br />red galaxies remains unclear and our program of imaging and grism spectroscopy<br />provides unique information<br /><br />regarding both the incidence of obscured star bursts and the build up of stellar<br />mass at intermediate redshifts. In addition to carrying out the parallel program<br />we will populate a public database with calibrated spectra and images, and<br />provide limited ground- based optical and near-IR data for the deepest parallel<br />fields.<br /><br />NICMOS 9485<br /><br />Completing A Near-Infrared Search for Very Low Mass Companions to Stars within<br />10 pc of the Sun<br /><br />Most stars are fainter and less massive than the Sun. Nevertheless, our<br />knowledge of very low mass {VLM} red dwarfs and their brown dwarf cousins is<br />quite limited. Unknown are the true luminosity function {LF}, multiplicity<br />fraction, mass function, and mass-luminosity relation for red and brown dwarfs,<br />though they dominate the Galaxy in both numbers and total mass. The best way to<br />constrain these relations is a search for faint companions to nearby stars. Such<br />a search has several advantages over field surveys, including greater<br />sensitivity to VLM objects and the availability of precise parallaxes from which<br />luminosities and masses can be derived. We propose to complete our four-filter<br />NICMOS snapshot search for companions to stars within 10 pc. With a 10 sigma<br />detection limit of M_J ~ 20 at 10 pc, we can detect companions between 10 and<br />100 AU that are at least 9 mag fainter than the empirical end of the main<br />sequence and at least 6.5 mag fainter than the brown dwarf Gl 229B. When<br />completed, our search will be the largest, most sensitive, volume-limited search<br />for VLM companions ever undertaken. Our four-filter search will permit<br />unambiguous identification of VLM-companion candidates for follow-up<br />observation. Together with IR speckle and deep imaging surveys, our program will<br />firmly establish the LF for VLM companions at separations of 1-1000 AU and the<br />multiplicity fraction of all stars within 10 pc.<br /><br />STIS 9487<br /><br />UV Sounding of the M-Giant Atmosphere in the Symbiotic Binary EG-AND<br /><br />EG-AND is an eclipsing system which provides us with the capability to study the<br />structure of a fairly normal non- variable red giant point-by-point through its<br />atmosphere. The white dwarf secondary provides a bright far-UV continuum source<br />against which absorption from a broad range of ionization levels can be seen,<br />ranging from molecular hydrogen close to the giant star to ionized material<br />further away. The systemic velocity is such that these features are well<br />resolved from the intervening ISM component. In addition, the system has low<br />extinction {A_V = 0.15}, has never been observed to undergo an eruption, and has<br />a circular orbit, so there is no periodic disturbance of the giant atmosphere.<br />Both calculation and direct observation show that the effect of the dwarf star's<br />ionizing continuum on the red giant is minimal. We have an on-going FUSE program<br />that has covered part of the orbital cycle. We have proposed for FUSE Cycle 3,<br />and we request observing time with STIS to complete the picture. The resolution<br />of the FUSE and STIS spectra are well-matched and suitable for detailed<br />comparison of the intrinsic atmospheric features. Existing archival IUE data is<br />insufficient for our purposes due to low resolution and/or low S/N. HRS data is<br />of low S/N, partial wavelength coverage, and may suffer from instrumental<br />scattered light. Even when both datasets are combined, some phases have never<br />been observed in the UV.<br /><br />ACS/CAL 9558<br /><br />ACS weekly Test<br /><br />This program consists of basic tests to monitor, the read noise, the development<br />of hot pixels and test for any source of noise in ACS CCD detectors. This<br />programme will be executed once a day for the entire lifetime of ACS.<br /><br />ACS 9564<br /><br />ACS Cycle 11: UV Earth Flats<br /><br />This proposal will obtain sequences of UV flats by observing the bright Earth.<br />The HRC UV filters were chosen for modes which were not obtained in the lab.<br />Since the UV transmission is likely to vary as a function of position on the<br />Pol_UV filters and on the coronograph, and since this behavior is currently<br />unconstrained by measurement, a good estimate for the missing UV flats cannot be<br />made. Although POL_UV and CORON transmissions change little at long wavelengths,<br />the UV transmission may change by amounts larger than can be estimated in the<br />absence of actual UV transmission measurements<br /><br />ACS/WFC 9584<br /><br />ACS Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program II.<br /><br />The Advanced Camera for Surveys [WFC] was used to test ACS pure parallels.<br /><br />WFPC2 9676<br /><br />POMS Test Proposal: WFII parallel archive proposal<br /><br />This is the generic target version of the WFPC2 Archival Pure Parallel program.<br />The program will be used to take parallel images of random areas of the sky,<br />following the recommendations of the 2002 Parallels Working Group.<br /><br />STIS 9692<br /><br />STIS Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 10<br /><br />This is the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 10.<br /><br />FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:<br /><br />HSTARS [For details see ]http://hst-sers.hst.nasa.gov/SERS/HST/HSTAR.nsf]<br /><br />HSTAR 8770: CCS "A" String system variables were not reset to default<br /> after system was re-cycled @ 240/11:15Z. Under investigation.<br /><br />COMPLETED OPS REQs: None<br /><br />OPS NOTES EXECUTED:<br />1033 - Adjust ACS +5 Volt CEB Related Limits @ 240/2225z<br /><br /> SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES<br /><br />FGS GSacq 9 9<br />FGS REacq 8 8<br />FHST Update 17 17<br />LOSS of LOCK<br /><br />Operations Notes:<br /><br />CDS 31394: Non-recoverable data loss 240/23:05Z - 23:27Z.<br /><br />SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: