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Daily Rpt #4642



 
 
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Old June 30th 08, 02:15 PM posted to sci.astro.hubble
Bassford, Lynn[_2_]
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Posts: 91
Default Daily Rpt #4642

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT #4642

PERIOD COVERED: 5am June 27 - 5am June 30, 2008 (DOY 179/0900z-182/0900z)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

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.

WFPC2 11498

2008 Passage of Jupiter's Great Red Spot and Oval BA

Jupiter's largest anticyclonic storm, the Great Red Spot (GRS), drifts
slowly westward relative to the radio rotation rate of the planet (System
III W. longitude). In contrast, the next largest storm, Oval BA (a.k.a. the
Little Red Spot or LRS), drifts slowly eastward. The relative drift of the
two is approximately 0.5 deg/day, resulting in a passage of the storms every
two years. The GRS sits at ~22 deg. S planetographic latitude, while the LRS
resides at ~33 deg. S latitude. Both vortices deflect nearby eastward and
westward winds jets around their periphery, and are somewhat confined to
their latitude bands by the alternating, and nearly constant, zonal wind
field. However, they do oscillate slightly in latitude, particularly near
the times of a passage, in part because the deflected wind jets push to keep
the spots separated. It is during these passages that the LRS, and its
predecessor white ovals, is most likely to show changes in size and
morphology, which are related to the internal wind fields and regulate the
vertical cloud structure of the vortex. For example, GRS passages in 1998
and 2000 preceded the merger of the three white ovals into the single large
Oval BA, after the ovals and intervening cyclonic cells were deflected by
the GRS.

We propose to study the 2008 passage to look for changes in internal vortex
winds, nearby zonal winds and vortex upper cloud structure, particularly in
particle size and opacity, using five orbits of WFPC2 and two orbits of
NICMOS. These data will be combined with a multitude of planned ground-based
coverage to offer an unprecedented view of a GRS/Oval passage, which will
give insight on cloud structure, dynamics, and possibly even water abundance
below the cloud decks (water abundance governs the distance of interaction
between the two spots). HST is required to provide adequate spatial
resolution and wavelength coverage while observing the passage. The 2008
passage is expected to be especially important, as Jupiter underwent a
global upheaval in 2007, with disturbances near the GRS and LRS. This
upheaval began after the normal Cycle 16 proposal deadline, raising the
priority of these observations enough to warrant a request for HST time.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 11330

NICMOS Cycle 16 Extended Dark

This Takes a Series of Darks in Parallel to other instruments.

NIC2 11237

The Origin of the Break in the AGN Luminosity Function

We propose to use NICMOS imaging to measure rest-frame optical luminosities
and morphological properties of a complete sample of faint AGN host galaxies
at redshifts z ~ 1.4. The targets are drawn from the VLT-VIMOS Deep Survey,
and they constitute a sample of the lowest luminosity type 1 AGN known at z
1. The spectroscopically estimated black hole masses are up to an order of

magnitude higher than expected given their nuclear luminosities, implying
highly sub-Eddington accretion rates. This exactly matches the prediction
made by recent theoretical models of AGN evolution, according to which the
faint end of the AGN luminosity function is populated mainly by big black
holes that have already exhausted a good part of their fuel. In this
proposal we want to test further predictions of that hypothesis, by focusing
on the host galaxy properties of our low-luminosity, low- accretion AGN. If
the local ratio between black hole and bulge masses holds at least
approximately at these redshifts, one expects most of these low-luminosity
AGN to reside in fairly big ellipticals with stellar masses around and above
10^11 solar masses (in contrast to the Seyfert phenomenon in the local
universe). With NICMOS imaging we will find out whether that is true,
implying also a sensitive test for the validity of the M_BH/M_bulge relation
at z ~ 1.4.

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.

WFPC2 11233

Multiple Generations of Stars in Massive Galactic Globular Clusters

This is a follow-up to recent HST imaging of NGC 2808, which discovered that
its main sequence is triple, with three well-separated parallel branches
{Fig.~1}. Along with the double MS of Omega Centauri, this challenges the
long-held paradigm that globular clusters are simple, single stellar
populations. The cause of this main sequence multiplicity in both clusters
is likely to be differences in helium abundance, which could play a
fundamental role in the understanding of stellar populations. We propose to
image seven more of the most massive globular clusters, to examine their
main sequences for indications of splitting.

FGS 11210

The Architecture of Exoplanetary Systems

Are all planetary systems coplanar? Concordance cosmogony makes that
prediction. It is, however, a prediction of extrasolar planetary system
architecture as yet untested by direct observation for main sequence stars
other than the Sun. To provide such a test, we propose to carry out FGS
astrometric studies on four stars hosting seven companions. Our
understanding of the planet formation process will grow as we match not only
system architecture, but formed planet mass and true distance from the
primary with host star characteristics for a wide variety of host stars and
exoplanet masses. We propose that a series of FGS astrometric observations
with demonstrated 1 millisecond of arc per-observation precision can
establish the degree of coplanarity and component true masses for four
extrasolar systems: HD 202206 {brown dwarf+planet}; HD 128311
{planet+planet}, HD 160691 = mu Arae {planet+planet}, and HD 222404AB =
gamma Cephei {planet+star}. In each case the companion is identified as such
by assuming that the minimum mass is the actual mass. For the last target, a
known stellar binary system, the companion orbit is stable only if coplanar
with the AB binary orbit.

WFPC2 11206

At the Cradle of the Milky Way: Formation of the Most Massive Field Disk
Galaxies at z1

We propose to obtain 2 orbit WFPC2 F814W images of a sample of the 15 most
massive galaxies found at $1 z 1.3$. These were culled from over 20,000
Keck spectra collected as part of DEEP and are unique among high redshift
massive galaxy samples in being kinematically selected. Through a recent HST
NICMOS-2 imaging program {GO-10532}, we have confirmed that these galaxies
have regular stellar disks, and their emission line kinematics are not due
to gradients from merging components. These potentially very young galaxies
are likely precursors to massive local disks, assuming no further merging.
The proposed WFPC2 and existing NIC-2 data provide colors, stellar masses,
and ages of bulge and disk subcomponents, to assess whether old stellar
bulges and disks are in place at that time or still being built, and
constrain their formation epochs. Finally, this sample will yield the first
statistically significant results on the $z 1$ evolution of the
size-velocity-luminosity scaling relations, for massive galaxies at
different wavelengths, and constrain whether this evolution reflects stellar
mass growth, or passive evolution, of either bulge or disk components.

WEPC2 11196

An Ultraviolet Survey 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 starbursts and creating/fueling central AGN. We propose
far {ACS/SBC/F140LP} and near {WFPC2/PC/F218W} UV imaging of a sample of 27
galaxies drawn from the complete IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample {RBGS}
LIRGs sample and known, from our Cycle 14 B and I-band ACS imaging
observations, to have significant numbers of bright {23 B 21 mag} star
clusters in the central 30 arcsec. The HST UV data will be combined with
previously obtained HST, Spitzer, and GALEX images to {i} calculate the ages
of the clusters as function of merger stage, {ii} measure the amount of UV
light in massive star clusters relative to diffuse regions of star
formation, {iii} assess the feasibility of using the UV slope to predict the
far-IR luminosity {and thus the star formation rate} both among and within
IR-luminous galaxies, and {iv} provide a much needed catalog of rest- frame
UV morphologies for comparison with rest-frame UV images of high-z LIRGs and
Lyman Break Galaxies. These observations will achieve the resolution
required to perform both detailed photometry of compact structures and
spatial correlations between UV and redder wavelengths for a physical
interpretation our IRX-Beta results. The HST UV data, combined with the HST
ACS, Spitzer, Chandra, and GALEX observations of this sample, will result in
the most comprehensive study of luminous starburst galaxies to date.

WFPC2/NIC3 11188

First Resolved Imaging of Escaping Lyman Continuum

The emission from star-forming galaxies appears to be responsible for
reionization of the universe at z6. However, the models that attempt to
describe the detailed impact of high- redshift galaxies on the surrounding
inter-galactic medium {IGM} are strongly dependent upon several uncertain
parameters. Perhaps the most uncertain is the fraction of HI-ionizing
photons produced by young stars which escape into the IGM. Most attempts to
measure this "escape fraction" {f_esc} have produced null results. Recently,
a small subset of z~3 Lyman Break Galaxies {LBGs} has been found exhibiting
large escape fractions. It remains unclear however, what differentiates them
from other LBGs. Several models attempt to explain how such a large fraction
of ionizing continuum can escape through the HI and dust in the ISM {eg.
"chimneys" created by SNe winds, globular cluster formation, etc.}, each
producing unique signatures which can be observed with resolved imaging of
the escaping Lyman continuum. We propose a deep, high resolution WFPC2 image
of the ionizing continuum {F336W} and the rest-frame 1500 Angstrom continuum
{F606W} of five of the six known LBGs with large escape fractions. These
LBGs all fit within a single WFPC2 pointing, yielding high observing
efficiency. Additionally, they all have z~3.1 or higher, the optimal
redshift range for probing the Lyman Continuum region with available WFPC2
filters. These factors make our proposed sample especially suitable for
follow- up. With these data we will discern the mechanisms responsible for
producing large escape fractions, and therefore gain insight into the
process of reionization.

ACS/SBC 11186

Investigation of the Spatial and Temporal Structure of Europa's
Atmospheric Emissions

We propose to explore the spatial structure and temporal variability of
Europa's O2 atmosphere with ACS/SBC. Previous HST images display non-uniform
UV emission from Europa's atmosphere, which maximizes within the disk of
Europa on its anti-Jovian northern quadrant. These images were taken at
western elongation and are not conclusive, but bring up the exciting
question whether the non-uniform emission is due to a locally enhanced
neutral atmosphere. A locally inhomogeneous atmosphere would imply locally
modified surface properties. This might provide clues on inhomogeneities of
the underlying ice structure and thus properties of a potential subsurface
ocean. Since the inhomogeneous emission comes from within the disk of
Europa, we propose to study Europa at eastern and western elongation to
decide if the locally enhanced emission is truly an atmospheric effect. We
propose to take for each elongation five contiguous observations within one
rotation period of Jupiter to discriminate between a competing effect that
produces inhomogeneous emission patterns, i.e., the electrodynamic
interaction with Jupiter's magnetosphere. We will use ACS/SBC with PR130L
prism to completely separate the two prominent FUV oxygen lines OI 1304 A
and OI 1356 A emitted from Europa's atmosphere.

NIC2 11183

Ultraviolet Imaging of Lyman-Alpha-Selected Galaxies at High Redshift

We propose to carry out deep NICMOS/NIC2 imaging in the rest-frame,
ultraviolet continuum of galaxies discovered in the Magellan Multi-Slit
Lyman Alpha Survey. This spectroscopic survey identified ultra-faint,
redshift 5.7 Lyman-alpha emitters (LAEs) in a 15 nm wide, OH-free band at
819 nm. Imaging with HST is the only way to measure their continuum
intensity near rest-frame 160 nm. The ultraviolet photometry will directly
measure the rate of star formation in common objects; and, when combined
with ground based Lyman-alpha luminosities, provide a reliable cross-
calibration of Lyman-alpha attenuation and emission equivalent width. Direct
measurement of the size of the star-forming regions, unresolved in the
ground based data, will extend measurements of the intensity of star
formation to common objects in the high-redshift universe. Gaseous outflows
from these galaxies are thought to be the source of their asymmetric line
profiles, and area-averaged star formation rates are needed to calibrate
feedback recipes, as well as eventually extend the Schmidt-Kennicutt law to
high-redshift. The three targets proposed in Cycle~16 lie in fields covered
by major galaxy surveys, are not as bright as the unusually luminous sources
identified by such surveys at high-redshift, and present an opportunity to
study properties of more common galaxies at high-redshift.

ACS/SBC 11158

HST Imaging of UV emission in Quiescent Early-type Galaxies

We have constructed a sample of early type galaxies at z~0.1 that have blue
UV-optical colors, yet also show no signs of optical emission, or extended
blue light. We have cross-correlated the SDSS catalog and the Galaxy
Evolution Explorer Medium Imaging Survey to select a sample of galaxies
where this UV emission is strongest. The origin of the UV rising flux in
these galaxies continues to be debated, and the possibility that some
fraction of these galaxies may be experiencing low levels of star formation
cannot be excluded. There is also a possibility that low level AGN activity
{as evidenced by a point source} is responsible We propose to image the UV
emission using the HST/SBC and to explore the morphology of the UV emission
relative to the optical light.

WFPC2 11130

AGNs with Intermediate-mass Black Holes: Testing the Black Hole-Bulge
Paradigm, Part II

The recent progress in the study of central black holes in galactic nuclei
has led to a general consensus that supermassive {10^6-10^9 solar mass}
black holes are closely connected with the formation and evolutionary
history of large galaxies, especially their bulge component. Two outstanding
issues, however, remain unresolved. Can central black holes form in the
absence of a bulge? And does the mass function of central black holes extend
below 10^6 solar masses? Intermediate-mass black holes {10^6 solar masses},
if they exist, may offer important clues to the nature of the seeds of
supermassive black holes. Using the SDSS, our group has successfully
uncovered a new population of AGNs with intermediate-mass black holes that
reside in low-luminosity galaxies. However, very little is known about the
detailed morphologies or structural parameters of the host galaxies
themselves, including the crucial question of whether they have bulges or
not. Surprisingly, the majority of the targets of our Cycle 14 pilot program
have structural properties similar to dwarf elliptical galaxies. The
statistics from this initial study, however, are really too sparse to reach
definitive conclusions on this important new class of black holes. We wish
to extend this study to a larger sample, by using the Snapshot mode to
obtain WFPC2 F814W images from a parent sample of 175 AGNs with
intermediate- mass black holes selected from our final SDSS search. We are
particularly keen to determine whether the hosts contain bulges, and if so,
how the fundamental plane properties of the host depend on the mass of their
central black holes. We will also investigate the environment of this unique
class of AGNs.

NIC3 11107

Imaging of Local Lyman Break Galaxy Analogs: New Clues to Galaxy
Formation in the Early Universe

We have used the ultraviolet all-sky imaging survey currently being
conducted by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer {GALEX} to identify for the first
time a rare population of low-redshift starbursts with properties remarkably
similar to high-redshift Lyman Break Galaxies {LBGs}. These "compact UV
luminous galaxies" {UVLGs} resemble LBGs in terms of size, SFR, surface
brightness, mass, metallicity, kinematics, dust, and color. The UVLG sample
offers the unique opportunity of investigating some very important
properties of LBGs that have remained virtually inaccessible at high
redshift: their morphology and the mechanism that drives their star
formation. Therefore, in Cycle 15 we have imaged 7 UVLGs using ACS in order
to 1} characterize their morphology and look for signs of interactions and
mergers, and 2} probe their star formation histories over a variety of
timescales. The images show a striking trend of small- scale mergers turning
large amounts of gas into vigorous starbursts {a process referred to as
dissipational or "wet" merging}. Here, we propose to complete our sample of
31 LBG analogs using the ACS/SBC F150LP {FUV} and WFPC2 F606W {R} filters in
order to create a statistical sample to study the mechanism that triggers
star formation in UVLGs and its implications for the nature of LBGs.
Specifically, we will 1} study the trend between galaxy merging and SFR in
UVLGs, 2} artificially redshift the FUV images to z=1-4 and compare
morphologies with those in similarly sized samples of LBGs at the same
rest-frame wavelengths in e.g. GOODS, UDF, and COSMOS, 3} determine the
presence and morphology of significant stellar mass in "pre- burst" stars,
and 4} study their immediate environment. Together with our Spitzer
{IRAC+MIPS}, GALEX, SDSS and radio data, the HST observations will form a
unique union of data that may for the first time shed light on how the
earliest major episodes of star formation in high redshift galaxies came
about. This proposal was adapted from an ACS HRC+WFC proposal to meet the
new Cycle 16 observing constraints, and can be carried out using the ACS/SBC
and WFPC2 without compromising our original science goals.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

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

HSTARS:

11366 GSAcq (1,2,2) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control) @ 182/04:37:21z

At Acquisition of signal (182/04:37:21), GSAcq (1,2,2) scheduled from
182/04:14:3-04:22:00z had failed to RGA Hold. Received QF1STOPF flag on FGS
1. OBAD #1 data was unavailable due to loss of signal. OBAD #2: V1 6.01, V2
9.36, V3 -1.84, RSS 11.28 arc-seconds. An OBAD MAP was not scheduled.
Awaiting engineering data dump for further analysis. Possible observations
affected: Proposal #11168, NICMOS 2-9.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL

FGS GSacq 17 16
FGS REacq 24 24
OBAD with Maneuver 82 82
LOSS of LOCK

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)

 




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