A Space & astronomy forum. SpaceBanter.com

Go Back   Home » SpaceBanter.com forum » Astronomy and Astrophysics » Hubble
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Daily Report # 4321



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old March 19th 07, 03:03 PM posted to sci.astro.hubble
Cooper, Joe
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 568
Default Daily Report # 4321

Notice: For the foreseeable future, the daily reports may contain
apparent discrepancies between some proposal descriptions and the
listed instrument usage. This is due to the conversion of previously
approved ACS WFC or HRC observations into WFPC2, or NICMOS
observations subsequent to the loss of ACS CCD science capability in
late January.


HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT # 4321

PERIOD COVERED: UT March 16,17,18, 2007 (DOY 075,076,077)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8795

NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 6

A new proceedure proposed to alleviate the CR-persistence problem of
NICMOS. Dark frames will be obtained immediately upon exiting the SAA
contour 23, and everytime 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.

NIC3 11080

Exploring the Scaling Laws of Star Formation

As a variety of surveys of the local and distant Universe are
approaching a full census of galaxy populations, our attention needs
to turn towards understanding and quantifying the physical mechanisms
that trigger and regulate the large-scale star formation rates {SFRs}
in galaxies.

ACS/SBC 11074

ACS/SBC Darks in Support of Specific SBC Science Observations

This program provides SBC DARK visits to be scheduled in conjuction
with certain specific science observations which require the SBC to be
turned on in the orbit preceeding the science observation.

ACS/SBC 11050

ACS UV contamination monitor

The observations consist of imaging and spectroscopy with SBC of the
cluster NGC 6681 in order to monitor the temporal evolution of the UV
sensitivity of the SBC.

FGS 10989

Astrometric Masses of Extrasolar Planets and Brown Dwarfs

We propose observations with HST/FGS to estimate the astrometric
elements {perturbation orbit semi-major axis and inclination} of
extra-solar planets orbiting six stars. These companions were
originally detected by radial velocity techniques. We have
demonstrated that FGS astrometry of even a short segment of reflex
motion, when combined with extensive radial velocity information, can
yield useful inclination information {McArthur et al. 2004}, allowing
us to determine companion masses. Extrasolar planet masses assist in
two ongoing research frontiers. First, they provide useful boundary
conditions for models of planetary formation and evolution of
planetary systems. Second, knowing that a star in fact has a plantary
mass companion, increases the value of that system to future
extrasolar planet observation missions such as SIM PlanetQuest, TPF,
and GAIA.

NIC2 10906

The Fundamental Plane of Massive Gas-Rich Mergers: II. The QUEST QSOs

We propose deep NICMOS H-band imaging of a carefully selected sample
of 23 local QSOs. This program is the last critical element of a
comprehensive investigation of the most luminous mergers in the nearby
universe, the ultraluminous infrared galaxies {ULIRGs} and the
quasars. This effort is called QUEST: Quasar / ULIRG Evolutionary
STudy. The high-resolution HST images of the QUEST QSOs will
complement an identical set of images on the ULIRG sample obtained
during Cycle 12, an extensive set of ground-based data that include
long-slit NIR spectra from a Large VLT Program, and a large set of
mid-infrared spectra from a Cycle 1 medium-size program with Spitzer.
This unique dataset will allow us to derive with unprecedented
precision structual, kinematic, and activity parameters for a large
unbiased sample of objects spanning the entire ULIRG/QSO luminosity
function. These data will refine the fundamental plane of massive
gas-rich mergers and enable us to answer the following quesitons: {1}
Do ultraluminous mergers form elliptical galaxies, and in particular,
giant ellipticals? {2} Do ULIRGs evolve into optical bright QSOs? The
results from this detailed study of massive mergers in the local
universe will be relevant to understanding the basic physical
processes involved in creating massive early-type host on the one
hand, and growing/feeding embedded massive black holes on the other,
in major galaxy mergers. This is an important question since 50% of
cosmic star formation at high-z and most of the big BHs appear to be
formed in this process.

WFPC2 10890

Morphologies of the Most Extreme High-Redshift Mid-IR-Luminous
Galaxies

The formative phase of the most massive galaxies may be extremely
luminous, characterized by intense star- and AGN-formation. Till now,
few such galaxies have been unambiguously identified at high redshift,
restricting us to the study of low-redshift ultraluminous infrared
galaxies as possible analogs. We have recently discovered a sample of
objects which may indeed represent this early phase in galaxy
formation, and are undertaking an extensive multiwavelength study of
this population. These objects are bright at mid-IR wavelengths
{F[24um]0.8mJy}, but deep ground based imaging suggests extremely
faint {and in some cases extended} optical counterparts {R~24-27}.
Deep K- band images show barely resolved galaxies. Mid-infrared
spectroscopy with Spitzer/IRS reveals that they have redshifts z ~
2-2.5, suggesting bolometric luminosities ~10^{13- 14}Lsun! We propose
to obtain deep ACS F814W and NIC2 F160W images of these sources and
their environs in order to determine kpc-scale morphologies and
surface photometry for these galaxies. The proposed observations will
help us determine whether these extreme objects are merging systems,
massive obscured starbursts {with obscuration on kpc scales!} or very
reddened {locally obscured} AGN hosted by intrinsically low-luminosity
galaxies.

ACS/SBC 10862

Comprehensive Auroral Imaging of Jupiter and Saturn during the
International Heliophysical Year

A comprehensive set of observations of the auroral emissions from
Jupiter and Saturn is proposed for the International Heliophysical
Year in 2007, a unique period of especially concentrated measurements
of space physics phenomena throughout the solar system. We propose to
determine the physical relationship of the various auroral processes
at Jupiter and Saturn with conditions in the solar wind at each
planet. This can be accomplished with campaigns of observations, with
a sampling interval not to exceed one day, covering at least one solar
rotation. The solar wind plasma density approaching Jupiter will be
measured by the New Horizons spacecraft, and a separate campaign near
opposition in May 2007 will determine the effect of large-scale
variations in the interplanetary magnetic field {IMF} on the Jovian
aurora by extrapolation from near-Earth solar wind measurements. A
similar Saturn campaign near opposition in Jan. 2007 will combine
extrapolated solar wind data with measurements from a wide range of
locations within the Saturn magnetosphere by Cassini. In the course of
making these observations, it will be possible to fully map the
auroral footprints of Io and the other satellites to determine both
the local magnetic field geometry and the controlling factors in the
electromagnetic interaction of each satellite with the corotating
magnetic field and plasma density. Also in the course of making these
observations, the auroral emission properties will be compared with
the properties of the near-IR ionospheric emissions {from ground-
based observations} and non thermal radio emissions, from ground-based
observations for Jupiter?s decametric radiation and Cassini plasma
wave measurements of the Saturn Kilometric Radiation {SKR}.

WFPC2 10815

The Blue Hook Populations of Massive Globular Clusters

Blue hook stars are a class of hot {~35,000 K} subluminous horizontal
branch stars that have been recently discovered using HST ultraviolet
images of the globular clusters omega Cen and NGC 2808. These stars
occupy a region of the HR diagram that is unexplained by canonical
stellar evolution theory. Using new theoretical evolutionary and
atmospheric models, we have shown that the blue hook stars are very
likely the progeny of stars that undergo extensive internal mixing
during a late helium core flash on the white dwarf cooling curve. This
"flash mixing" produces an enormous enhancement of the surface helium
and carbon abundances, which suppresses the flux in the far
ultraviolet. Although flash mixing is more likely to occur in stars
that are born with high helium abundances, a high helium abundance, by
itself, does not explain the presence of a blue hook population -
flash mixing of the envelope is required. We propose ACS ultraviolet
{SBC/F150LP and HRC/F250W} observations of the five additional
globular clusters for which the presence of blue hook stars is
suspected from longer wavelength observations. Like omega Cen and NGC
2808, these five targets are also among the most massive globular
clusters, because less massive clusters show no evidence for blue hook
stars. Because our targets span 1.5 dex in metallicity, we will be
able to test our prediction that flash-mixing should be less drastic
in metal-rich blue hook stars. In addition, our observations will test
the hypothesis that blue hook stars only form in globular clusters
massive enough to retain the helium-enriched ejecta from the first
stellar generation. If this hypothesis is correct, then our
observations will yield important constraints on the chemical
evolution and early formation history in globular clusters, as well as
the role of helium self-enrichment in producing blue horizontal branch
morphologies and multiple main sequence turnoffs. Finally, our
observations will provide new insight into the formation of the
hottest horizontal branch stars, with implications for the origin of
the hot helium-rich subdwarfs in the Galactic field.

NIC2 10808

Morphologies of spectroscopically-confirmed "red and dead" galaxies at
z~2.5

Using a combination of wide-field near-infrared imaging and very deep
follow-up near- infrared spectroscopy we have identified a population
of massive "red and dead" galaxies at z~2.5. The galaxies lack
emission lines and have strong Balmer/4000 Angstrom breaks,
demonstrating directly that they have evolved stellar populations.
These objects are very likely progenitors of massive ellipticals today
and may be descendants of the first generation of galaxies. We propose
to image 10 of these objects with the NIC2 camera to determine their
morphologies. The goals are to 1} determine whether they have the
sizes of present-day early-types or are more compact, as predicted by
models, 2} determine the morphology, using visual classification and
quantitative methods, and 3} constrain the evolution of the Kormendy
relation from z~2.5 to the present. These observations will show
whether the oldest and most massive galaxies at z~2.5 were already
fully formed or still in the process of assembly.

NIC2 10802

SHOES-Supernovae, HO, for the Equation of State of Dark energy

The present uncertainty in the value of the Hubble constant {resulting
in an uncertainty in Omega_M} and the paucity of Type Ia supernovae at
redshifts exceeding 1 are now the leading obstacles to determining the
nature of dark energy. We propose a single, integrated set of
observations for Cycle 15 that will provide a 40% improvement in
constraints on dark energy. This program will observe known Cepheids
in six reliable hosts of Type Ia supernovae with NICMOS, reducing the
uncertainty in H_0 by a factor of two because of the smaller
dispersion along the instability strip, the diminished extinction, and
the weaker metallicity dependence in the infrared. In parallel with
ACS, at the same time the NICMOS observations are underway, we will
discover and follow a sample of Type Ia supernovae at z 1. Together,
these measurements, along with prior constraints from WMAP, will
provide a great improvement in HST's ability to distinguish between a
static, cosmological constant and dynamical dark energy. The Hubble
Space Telescope is the only instrument in the world that can make
these IR measurements of Cepheids beyond the Local Group, and it is
the only telescope in the world that can be used to find and follow
supernovae at z 1. Our program exploits both of these unique
capabilities of HST to learn more about one of the greatest mysteries
in science.

NIC2 10798

Dark Halos and Substructure from Arcs & Einstein Rings

The surface brightness distribution of extended gravitationally lensed
arcs and Einstein rings contains super-resolved information about the
lensed object, and, more excitingly, about the smooth and clumpy mass
distribution of the lens galaxies. The source and lens information can
non-parametrically be separated, resulting in a direct "gravitational
image" of the inner mass-distribution of cosmologically-distant
galaxies {Koopmans 2005; Koopmans et al. 2006 [astro-ph/0601628]}.
With this goal in mind, we propose deep HST ACS-F555W/F814W and
NICMOS-F160W WFC imaging of 20 new gravitational-lens systems with
spatially resolved lensed sources, of the 35 new lens systems
discovered by the Sloan Lens ACS Survey {Bolton et al. 2005} so far,
15 of which are being imaged in Cycle-14. Each system has been
selected from the SDSS and confirmed in two time- efficient HST-ACS
snapshot programs {cycle 13&14}. High-fidelity multi-color HST images
are required {not delivered by the 420s snapshots} to isolate these
lensed images {properly cleaned, dithered and extinction-corrected}
from the lens galaxy surface brightness distribution, and apply our
"gravitational maging" technique. Our sample of 35 early-type lens
galaxies to date is by far the largest, still growing, and most
uniformly selected. This minimizes selection biases and small-number
statistics, compared to smaller, often serendipitously discovered,
samples. Moreover, using the WFC provides information on the field
around the lens, higher S/N and a better understood PSF, compared with
the HRC, and one retains high spatial resolution through drizzling.
The sample of galaxy mass distributions - determined through this
method from the arcs and Einstein ring HST images - will be studied
to: {i} measure the smooth mass distribution of the lens galaxies
{dark and luminous mass are separated using the HST images and the
stellar M/L values derived from a joint stellar-dynamical analysis of
each system}; {ii} quantify statistically and individually the
incidence of mass-substructure {with or without obvious luminous
counter-parts such as dwarf galaxies}. Since dark-matter substructure
could be more prevalent at higher redshift, both results provide a
direct test of this prediction of the CDM hierarchical
structure-formation model.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

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

HSTARS:

10742 - GSACQ(1,2,1) failed, Search Radius Limit Exceeded on FGS 1

GSACQ(1,2,1) at 076/13:19:37 failed due to Search Radius Limit
Exceeded on FGS 1 at 13:25:27. OBAD data prior to GSACQ showed RSS
attitude correction of 6.27 arcseconds, OBAD map after GSACQ failure
showed RSS error of 2.09 arcseconds.

REACQ(1,2,1) at 14:52:52 also failed with search radius limit exceeded
on FGS 1.

All subsequent REACQ(1,2,1)s at 16:28:45, 18:04:39, 19:40:33 and
21:16:26 failed.

10744 - REAcq (1,2,1) failed due to Search Radius Limit Exceeded on
FGS 1

At AOS 076/23:53:35, REAcq (1,2,1) scheduled from 22:53:02-23:00:25
had failed due to search radius limit exceeded on FGS 1.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL

FGS GSacq 22 21
FGS REacq 19 13
OBAD with Maneuver 80 80

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)



 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Daily Report #4257 Lynn Bassford Hubble 0 December 12th 06 05:09 PM
Daily Report #4168 Lynn Bassford Hubble 0 August 2nd 06 03:26 PM
Daily Report #4053 Lynn Bassford Hubble 0 February 20th 06 04:52 PM
Daily Report [email protected] Hubble 0 October 29th 04 04:59 PM
HST Daily Report 131 George Barbehenn Hubble 0 May 11th 04 02:48 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:24 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 SpaceBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.