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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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