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Old September 8th 08, 02:17 PM posted to sci.astro.hubble
Cooper, Joe
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Default Daily Report #4690

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT****** #4690

PERIOD COVERED: 5am September 5 - 5am September 8, 2008 (DOY
249/0900z-252/0900z)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

NIC2 11826

NICMOS Pre-/post-SM4 Photometry Test

This proposal contains the necessary exposures to re-calibrate NICMOS.
We will observe all filters that are not part of the standard
monitoring program with a standard 4-point (NIC1 & NIC2) and 7-point
(NIC3) dither pattern.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 11820

NICMOS Post-SAA Calibration - CR Persistence Part 7

Internals for CR persistence

NIC2 11548

NICMOS Imaging of Protostars in the Orion A Cloud: The Role of
Environment in Star Formation

We propose NICMOS observations of a sample of 252 protostars
identified in the Orion A cloud with the Spitzer Space Telescope.
These observations will image the scattered light escaping the
protostellar envelopes, providing information on the shapes of outflow
cavities, the inclinations of the protostars, and the overall
morphologies of the envelopes. In addition, we ask for Spitzer time to
obtain 55-95 micron spectra of 75 of the protostars. Combining these
new data with existing 3.6 to 70 micron photometry and forthcoming
5-40 micron spectra measured with the Spitzer Space Telescope, we will
determine the physical properties of the protostars such as envelope
density, luminosity, infall rate, and outflow cavity opening angle. By
examining how these properties vary with stellar density (i.e.
clusters vs groups vs isolation) and the properties of the surrounding
molecular cloud; we can directly measure how the surrounding
environment influences protostellar evolution, and consequently, the
formation of stars and planetary systems. Ultimately, this data will
guide the development of a theory of protostellar evolution.

WFPC2 11500

ERO: WFPC2 Image of Eta Car

This is a WFPC2 program to be executed before SM4 but used in
coordination with EROs. It will be among the last images to be taken
with WFPC2.

FGS 11298

Calibrating Cosmological Chronometers: White Dwarf Masses

We propose to use HST/FGS1R to determine White Dwarf {WD} masses. The
unmatched resolving power of HST/FGS1R will be utilized to follow up
four selected WD binary pairs. This high precision obtained with
HST/FGS1R simply cannot be equaled by any ground based technique. This
proposed effort complements that done by CoI Nelan in which a sample
of WDs is being observed with HST/FGS1R. This proposal will
dramatically increase the number of WDs for which dynamical mass
measurements are possible, enabling a better calibration of the WD
mass-radius relation, cooling curves, initial to final mass relations,
and ultimately giving important clues to the star formation history of
our Galaxy and the age of its disk as well as in other galaxies. {This
project is part of Subasavage's PhD thesis work at Georgia State
University.}

WFPC2 11235

HST NICMOS Survey of the Nuclear Regions of Luminous Infrared Galaxies
in the Local Universe

At luminosities above 10^11.4 L_sun, the space density of far-infrared
selected galaxies exceeds that of optically selected galaxies. These
`luminous infrared galaxies' {LIRGs} are primarily interacting or
merging disk galaxies undergoing enhanced star formation and Active
Galactic Nuclei {AGN} activity, possibly triggered as the objects
transform into massive S0 and elliptical merger remnants. We propose
NICMOS NIC2 imaging of the nuclear regions of a complete sample of 88
L_IR 10^11.4 L_sun luminous infrared galaxies in the IRAS Revised
Bright Galaxy Sample {RBGS: i.e., 60 micron flux density 5.24 Jy}.
This sample is ideal not only in its completeness and sample size, but
also in the proximity and brightness of the galaxies. The superb
sensitivity and resolution of NICMOS NIC2 on HST enables a unique
opportunity to study the detailed structure of the nuclear regions,
where dust obscuration may mask star clusters, AGN and additional
nuclei from optical view, with a resolution significantly higher than
possible with Spitzer IRAC. This survey thus provides a crucial
component to our study of the dynamics and evolution of IR galaxies
presently underway with Wide-Field, HST ACS/WFC and Spitzer IRAC
observations of these 88 galaxies. Imaging will be done with the F160W
filter {H-band} to examine as a function of both luminosity and merger
stage {i} the luminosity and distribution of embedded star clusters,
{ii} the presence of optically obscured AGN and nuclei, {iii} the
correlation between the distribution of 1.6 micron emission and the
mid-IR emission as detected by Spitzer IRAC, {iv} the evidence of bars
or bridges that may funnel fuel into the nuclear region, and {v} the
ages of star clusters for which photometry is available via ACS/WFC
observations. The NICMOS data, combined with the HST ACS, Spitzer, and
GALEX observations of this sample, will result in the most
comprehensive study of merging and interacting galaxies to date.

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 11205

The Effects of Multiplicity on the Evolution of Young Stellar Objects:
A NICMOS Imaging Study

We propose to use NICMOS to investigate the multiplicity of young
stellar objects (YSOs) in the Orion B molecular cloud. Previous
observations with the Spitzer Space Telescope have revealed a
remarkable star forming filament near the NGC 2068 reflection nebula.
The population of YSOs associated with the filament exhibit a
surprisingly wide range of circumstellar evolutionary states, from
deeply embedded protostars to T Tauri accretion disks. Many of the
circumstellar disks themselves show evidence for significant dust
evolution, including grain growth and settling and cleared inner
holes, apparently in spite of the very young age of these stars. We
will estimate the binary fraction of a representative sample of
objects in these various stages of evolution in order to test whether
companions may play a significant role in that evolution.

WFPC2 11203

A Search for Circumstellar Disks and Planetary-Mass Companions around
Brown Dwarfs in Taurus

During a 1-orbit program in Cycle 14, we used WFPC2 to obtain the
first direct image of a circumstellar disk around a brown dwarf. These
data have provided fundamental new constraints on the formation
process of brown dwarfs and the properties of their disks. To search
for additional direct detections of disks around brown dwarfs and to
search for planetary-mass companions to these objects, we propose a
WFPC2 survey of 32 brown dwarfs in the Taurus star-forming region.

WFPC2 11178

Probing Solar System History with Orbits, Masses, and Colors of
Transneptunian Binaries

The recent discovery of numerous transneptunian binaries {TNBs} opens
a window into dynamical conditions in the protoplanetary disk where
they formed as well as the history of subsequent events which sculpted
the outer Solar System and emplaced them onto their present day
heliocentric orbits. To date, at least 47 TNBs have been discovered,
but only about a dozen have had their mutual orbits and separate
colors determined, frustrating their use to investigate numerous
important scientific questions. The current shortage of data
especially cripples scientific investigations requiring statistical
comparisons among the ensemble characteristics. We propose to obtain
sufficient astrometry and photometry of 23 TNBs to compute their
mutual orbits and system masses and to determine separate primary and
secondary colors, roughly tripling the sample for which this
information is known, as well as extending it to include systems of
two near-equal size bodies. To make the most efficient possible use of
HST, we will use a Monte Carlo technique to optimally schedule our
observations.

WFPC2 11156

Monitoring Active Atmospheres on Uranus and Neptune

We propose Snapshot observations of Uranus and Neptune to monitor
changes in their atmospheres on time scales of weeks and months.
Uranus equinox is only months away, in December 2007. Hubble Space
Telescope observations during the past several years {Hammel et al.
2005, Icarus 175, 284 and references therein} have revealed strongly
wavelength- dependent latitudinal structure, the presence of numerous
visible-wavelength cloud features in the northern hemisphere, at least
one very long-lived discrete cloud in the southern hemisphere, and in
2006 the first dark spot ever seen on Uranus. Long-term ground-based
observations {Lockwood and Jerzekiewicz, 2006, Icarus 180, 442; Hammel
and Lockwood 2007, Icarus 186, 291} reveal seasonal brightness changes
whose origins are not well understood. Recent near- IR images of
Neptune obtained using adaptive optics on the Keck Telescope, together
with HST observations {Sromovsky et al. 2003, Icarus 163, 256 and
references therein} which include previous Snapshot programs {GO 8634,
10170, 10534} show a general increase in activity at south temperate
latitudes until 2004, when Neptune returned to a rather Voyager-like
appearance. Further Snapshot observations of these two dynamic planets
will elucidate the nature of long-term changes in their zonal
atmospheric bands and clarify the processes of formation, evolution,
and dissipation of discrete albedo features.

NIC2 11135

Extreme Makeovers: Tracing the Transformation of Massive Galaxies at
z~2.5

To obtain a full spectroscopic census of the universe at z~2.5 we have
conducted a near-infrared spectroscopic survey for K-selected
galaxies. We found that, in contrast to the local universe, massive
high-redshift galaxies span a wide range of properties, varying from
(dusty) star burst to "red and dead" galaxies. This may imply that
massive galaxies transform from star-forming to quiescent galaxies in
the targeted redshift range. To understand whether the 9 quiescent
galaxies in our sample are the progenitors of local elliptical, we are
observing them in the current cycle with NIC2. For cycle 16 we propose
to complete our sample of massive z~2.5 galaxies and image the
remaining 10 galaxies, which all have emission lines. Based on
emission-line diagnostics, 6 of these galaxies are identified as
star-forming objects and 4 harbor an active galactic nucleus. The
goals are to 1) determine whether star formation in massive z~2.5
galaxies takes place in disks or is triggered by merger activity, 2)
derive the contribution of AGNs to the rest-frame optical emission,
and 3) test whether the morphologies are consistent with the idea that
the star-forming galaxies, AGNs, and quiescent galaxies represent
subsequent phases of an evolutionary sequence. The combination of both
programs will provide the first morphological study of a
spectroscopically confirmed massive galaxy sample at z~2.5.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary
reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)

HSTARS:

11473 - GSAcq(1,2,1) not attempted

The GSacq(1,2,1) scheduled at 251/00:16:15 was not attempted.

Observations affected: NIC Proposal 175 and 176

11475 - REAcq(1,2,1) not attempted

REacq(1,2,1) scheduled at 251/01:53:31 was not attempted.

Observations affected: NIC Proposal 177, 178 and 179

11476 - REAcq(1,2,1) fails while LOS

REACQ(1,2,1) at 13:51:48 appears to have failed but engineering
recorder data is needed for determination of actual events. TERM EXP
command was at 14:47:16 (before AOS time), therefore vehicle was not
expected to be in fine lock at AOS.

Further information and data extracts after engineering recorder dump
currently scheduled for day 251/22:41.

Observations affected: WFPC 46, proposal 11178.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

*********************** SCHEDULED***** SUCCESSFUL

FGS GSacq************** 26***************** 25
FGS REacq************** 14***************** 12
OBAD with Maneuver **** 80***************** 78

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)