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Daily Report #4943



 
 
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Old October 2nd 09, 05:44 PM posted to sci.astro.hubble
Cooper, Joe
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Default Daily Report #4943

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to Collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT #4943

PERIOD COVERED: 5am October 1 - 5am October 2, 2009 (DOY 274/09:00z-275/09:00z)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

ACS/WFC3 11882

CCD Hot Pixel Annealing

All the data for this program is acquired using internal targets
(lamps) only, so all of the exposures should be taken during Earth
occultation time (but not during SAA passages). This program emulates
the ACS pre-flight ground calibration and post launch SMOV testing
(program 8948), so that results from each epoch can be directly
compared. Extended Pixel Edge Response (EPER) and First Pixel Response
(FPR) data will be obtained over a range of signal levels for the Wide
Field Channel (WFC). The High Resolution Channel (HRC) visits have
been removed since it could not be repaired during SM4.

COS/NUV 11899

NUV Imaging Sensitivity, Cycle 17

The purpose of this proposal is to test NUV imaging sensitivity for a
range of target spectral energy distributions. All targets have
wide-slit STIS spectra in the HST Archive. We use eleven horizontal
branch stars in the globular cluster NGC 6681 covering a range of
effective temperatures, plus a solar-analog standard star.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 11947

Extended Dark Monitoring

This program takes a series of darks to obtain darks (including
amplifier glow, dark current, and shading profiles) for all three
cameras in the read-out sequences used in Cycle 17. A set of 12 orbits
will be observed every two months for a total of 72 orbits for a 12
month Cycle 17. This is a continuation of Cycle 16 program 11330
scaled down by ~80%.

The first orbit (Visit A0) should be scheduled in the NICMOS SMOV
after the DC Transfer Test (11406) and at least 36h before the Filter
Wheel Test (11407). Data download using fast track.

The following 28 orbits (visit A1-N2) should be scheduled AFTER the
SMOV Proposal 11407 (Filter Wheel Test). This is done in order to
monitor the dark current following an adjustment of the NCS set-point.
These visits should be executed until the final temperature is reached
during SMOV.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8795

NICMOS Post-SAA Calibration - CR Persistence Part 6

This is 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
'Use After' 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 darks. 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 images. Each observation will need its own CRMAP, as different
SAA passages leave different imprints on the NICMOS detectors.

STIS/CCD 11844

CCD Dark Monitor Part 1

The purpose of this proposal is to monitor the darks for the STIS CCD.

STIS/CCD 11846

CCD Bias Monitor-Part 1

The purpose of this proposal is to monitor the bias in the 1x1, 1x2,
2x1, and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at gain = 4, to build up
high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns.

STIS/CCD/MA1 11525

COS-GTO: STIS High Resolution Observations of the Local ISM

We shall use bright early-type B stars located within 150pc of the Sun
to probe the absorption properties of the interstellar gas associated
with the local cavity. By utilizing the high sensitivity and high
spectral resolution of the HST-STIS spectrograph we shall be able to
place new detection limits on absorption occurring in any highly
ionized gas associated with the lines of NV, SiIV and CIV that may be
present along these sight-lines within the local cavity. These data
will be used to test current theoretical models that generally predict
far higher absorption column densities than have been previously
found. Also, the high spectral resolution will enable far stricter
limits to be placed on the thermal widths of such highly ionized
absorption lines, which previous observations towards the Loop I
region have suggested anomalously narrow profiles consistent with
their formation by either photo ionization or highly non-equilibrium
processes.

STIS/MA1/MA2 11857

STIS Cycle 17 MAMA Dark Monitor

This proposal monitors the behavior of the dark current in each of the
MAMA detectors.

The basic monitor takes two 1380s ACCUM darks each week with each
detector. However, starting Oct 5, pairs are only included for weeks
that the LRP has external MAMA observations planned. The weekly pairs
of exposures for each detector are linked so that they are taken at
opposite ends of the same SAA free interval. This pairing of exposures
will make it easier to separate long and short term temporal
variability from temperature dependent changes.

For both detectors, additional blocks of exposures are taken once
every six months. These are groups of five 1314s FUV-MAMA Time-Tag
darks or five 3x315s NUV ACCUM darks distributed over a single
SAA-free interval. This will give more information on the brightness
of the FUV MAMA dark current as a function of the amount of time that
the HV has been on, and for the NUV MAMA will give a better measure of
the short term temperature dependence.

WFC3/ACS/IR 11359

Panchromatic WFC3 Survey of Galaxies at Intermediate z: Early Release
Science Program for Wide Field Camera 3

The unique panchromatic capabilities of WFC3 will be used to survey
the structure and evolution of galaxies at the peak of the galaxy
assembly epoch. Deep ultraviolet and near-IR imaging and slitless
spectroscopy of existing deep multi-color ACS fields will be used to
gauge star-formation and the growth of stellar mass as a function of
morphology, structure and surrounding density in the critical epoch 1
z 4. Images in the F225W, F275W, and F336W filters will identify
galaxies at z 1.5 from their UV continuum breaks, and provide
star-formation indicators tied directly to both local and z 3
populations. Deep near-IR (F125W and F160W) images will probe the
stellar mass function well below 10^9 Msun for mass-complete samples.
Lastly, the WFC3 slitless UV and near-IR grisms will be used to
measure redshifts and star-formation rates from H- alpha and
rest-frame UV continuum slope. This WFC3 ERS program will survey one 4
x 2 mosaic for a total area of 50 square arcminutes to 5-sigma depths
of m_AB = 27 in most filters from the mid-UV through the near-IR.

This multicolor high spatial resolution data set will allow the user
to gauge the growth of galaxies through star-formation and merging.
High precision photometric and low- resolution spectroscopic redshifts
will allow accurate determinations of the faint-end of the luminosity
and mass functions, and will shed light on merging and tidal
disruption of stellar and gaseous disks. The WFC3 images will also
allow detailed studies of the internal structure of galaxies, and the
distribution of young and old stellar populations. This program will
demonstrate the unique power of WFC3 by applying its many diverse
modes and full panchromatic capability to a forefront problem in
astrophysics.

WFC3/ACS/IR 11584

Resolving the Smallest Galaxies with ACS

An order of magnitude more dwarf galaxies are expected to inhabit the
Local Group, based on currently accepted galaxy formation models, than
have been observed. This discrepancy has been noted in environments
ranging from the field to rich clusters, with evidence emerging that
lower density regions contain fewer dwarfs per giant than higher
density regions, in further contrast to model predictions. However,
there is no complete census of the faintest dwarf galaxies in any
environment. The discovery of the smallest and faintest dwarfs is
hampered by the limitations in detecting such compact or low surface
brightness galaxies, and this is compounded by the great difficulty in
determining accurate distances to, or ascertaining group membership
for, such faint objects. The M81 group provides a powerful means for
establishing membership for faint galaxies in a low density region.
With a distance modulus of 27.8, the tip of the red giant branch
(TRGB) appears at I ~ 24, just within the reach of ground based
surveys. We have completed a 65 square degree survey in the region
around M81 with the CFHT/MegaCam. Half of our survey was completed
before Cycle 16 and we were awarded time with WFPC2 to observe 15 new
candidate dwarf galaxy group members in F606W and F814W bands in order
to construct color-magnitude diagrams from which to measure accurate
TRGB distances and determine star formation and metallicity histories.
The data obtained show that 8 - 9 of these objects are galaxies at the
same distance as M81. In completing our survey, we have discovered an
additional 8 candidate galaxies we propose to image with ACS in order
to measure TRGB distances and establish membership. We also wish to
re-observe our smallest candidate group member and a tidal dwarf
candidate with deeper observations made possible with ACS. Once
membership has been established for this second set of candidates, we
will have a complete census of the dwarf galaxy population in the M8
group to M_r ~ -10, allowing us to obtain a firm measurement of the
luminosity function faint-end slope, and, combined with previous HST
data, to provide a complete inventory of the age and abundance
properties for the collapsed core of the M81 group.

WFC3/IR 11838

Completing a Flux-limited Survey for X-ray Emission from Radio Jets

We will measure the changing flow speeds, magnetic fields, and energy
fluxes in well- resolved quasar jets found in our short-exposure
Chandra survey by combining new, deep Chandra data with radio and
optical imaging. We will image each jet with sufficient sensitivity to
estimate beaming factors and magnetic fields in several distinct
regions, and so map the variations in these parameters down the jets.
HST observations will help diagnose the role of synchrotron emission
in the overall SED, and may reveal condensations on scales less than
0.1 arcsec.

WFC3/IR 11915

IR Internal Flat Fields

This program is the same as 11433 (SMOV) and depends on the completion
of the IR initial alignment (Program 11425). This version contains
three instances of 37 internal orbits: to be scheduled early, middle,
and near the end of Cycle 17, in order to use the entire 110-orbit
allocation.

In this test, we will study the stability and structure of the IR
channel flat field images through all filter elements in the WFC3-IR
channel. Flats will be monitored, i.e. to capture any temporal trends
in the flat fields and delta flats produced. High signal observations
will provide a map of the pixel-to-pixel flat field structure, as well
as identify the positions of any dust particles.

WFC3/IR 11926

IR Zero Points

We will measure and monitor the zeropoints through the IR filters
using observations of the white dwarf standard stars, GD153, GD71 and
GD191B2B and the solar analog standard star, P330E. Data will be taken
monthly during Cycle 17. Observations of the star cluster, NGC 104,
are made twice to check color transformations. We expect an accuracy
of 2% in the wide filter zeropoints relative to the HST photometric
system, and 5% in the medium- and narrow-band filters.

WFC3/UVIS 11657

The Population of Compact Planetary Nebulae in the Galactic Disk

We propose to secure narrow- and broad-band images of compact
planetary nebulae (PNe) in the Galactic Disk to study the missing link
of the early phases of post-AGB evolution. Ejected AGB envelopes
become PNe when the gas is ionized. PNe expand, and, when large
enough, can be studied in detail from the ground. In the interim, only
the HST capabilities can resolve their size, morphology, and central
stars. Our proposed observations will be the basis for a systematic
study of the onset of morphology. Dust properties of the proposed
targets will be available through approved Spitzer/IRS spectra, and so
will the abundances of the alpha-elements. We will be able thus to
explore the interconnection of morphology, dust grains, stellar
evolution, and populations. The target selection is suitable to
explore the nebular and stellar properties across the galactic disk,
and to set constraints on the galactic evolutionary models through the
analysis of metallicity and population gradients.

WFC3/UVIS 11707

Detecting Isolated Black Holes through Astrometric Microlensing

This proposal aims to make the first detection of isolated
stellar-mass black holes (BHs) in the Milky Way, and to determine
their masses. Until now, the only directly measured BH masses have
come from radial-velocity measurements of X-ray binaries. Our proposed
method uses the astrometric shifts that occur when a galactic-bulge
microlensing event is caused by a BH lens. Out of the hundreds of
bulge microlensing events found annually by the OGLE and MOA surveys,
a few are found to have very long durations (200 days). It is
generally believed that the majority of these long- duration events
are caused by lenses that are isolated BHs.

To test this hypothesis, we will carry out high-precision astrometry
of 5 long-duration events, using the ACS/HRC camera. The expected
astrometric signal from a BH lens is 1.4 mas, at least 7 times the
demonstrated astrometric precision attainable with the HRC.

This proposal will thus potentially lead to the first unambiguous
detection of isolated stellar-mass BHs, and the first direct mass
measurement for isolated stellar-mass BHs through any technique.
Detection of several BHs will provide information on the frequency of
BHs in the galaxy, with implications for the slope of the IMF at high
masses, the minimum mass of progenitors that produce BHs, and
constraints on theoretical models of BH formation.

WFC3/UVIS 11905

WFC3 UVIS CCD Daily Monitor

The behavior of the WFC3 UVIS CCD will be monitored daily with a set
of full-frame, four-amp bias and dark frames. A smaller set of 2Kx4K
subarray biases are acquired at less frequent intervals throughout the
cycle to support subarray science observations. The internals from
this proposal, along with those from the anneal procedure (Proposal
11909), will be used to generate the necessary superbias and superdark
reference files for the calibration pipeline (CDBS).

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

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

HSTARS:

12028 - GSAcq(2,1,1) at 274/17:57z failed due search radius exceeded
flag on FGS2.

Observation affected: ACS 78-82 Proposal ID# 11882 and WFC3 95-96
Proposal ID# 11657 and 11915.

12030 - REAcq(1, 2, 1) scheduled for 274/20:30:09z failed to RGA HOLD.

Observation affected: STIS 55-59 Proposals ID# 11525, 11857.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSAcq 07 06
FGS REAcq 10 09
OBAD with Maneuver 06 06

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)

 




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