Daily Report #4774

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT***** #4774

PERIOD COVERED: 5am January 16 - 5am January 21, 2009 (DOY
*************************** 016/1000z-021/1000z)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

WFPC2 11968

The Light Echoes Around V838 Monocerotis: Cycle 16 DD

This is a DD program in which we propose to obtain WFPC2 imaging of
the light echo around V838 Mon in late 2008 or early 2009. We were
awarded Cycle 17 time to image the echo with ACS at 2 epochs (3+4
orbits). To obtain data of similar quality with WFPC2 requires 7
orbits at 2 different pointings. Because of the SM4 delay, we are
therefore requesting a 14-orbit DD program for Cycle 16, leaving the
Cycle 17 allocation unchanged for continued monitoring of the event in
late 2009 and 2010.

V838 Monocerotis, which burst upon the astronomical scene in early
2002, is a completely unanticipated new object. It underwent a
large-amplitude and very luminous outburst, during which its spectrum
remained that of an extremely cool supergiant. A rapidly evolving set
of light echoes around V838 Mon was discovered soon after the
outburst, quickly becoming the most spectacular display of the
phenomenon yet seen. These light echoes provide the means to
accomplish three unique types of measurements based on continued HST
imaging: (1) study MHD turbulence at high resolution and in 3
dimensions; (2) construct the first unambiguous and fully 3-D map of a
circumstellar dust envelope; (3) study dust physics in a unique
setting where the spectrum and light curve of the illumination, and
the scattering angle, are unambiguously known. We have also used our
HST data to determine the distance to V838 Mon through a novel
geometric technique.

Because of the extreme rarity of light echoes, this program of regular
monitoring provides the only opportunity to achieve such results
during the HST lifetime. We propose WFPC2 imaging in late 2008/early
2009, in order to continue the mapping of the circumstellar dust and
to accomplish the other goals listed above.

WFPC2 11966

The Recent Star Formation History of SINGS Galaxies

The Spitzer Legacy project SINGS provided a unique view of the current
state of star formation and dust in a sample of galaxies of all Hubble
types. This multi-wavelength view allowed the team to create current
star formation diagnostics that are independent of the dust content
and increased our understanding of the dust in galaxies. Even so,
using the SINGS data alone we can only make rough estimates of the
recent star formation history of these galaxies. The lack of high
resolution observations (especially U-band and H-alpha) means that it
is impossible to estimate the ages of young clusters. In addition, the
low resolution of the Spitzer and ground-based observations means that
what appear to be individual Spitzer sources can actually be composed
of many individual clusters with varying ages. We need to know the
ages, star formation histories, and extinction of these individual
clusters to understand how these clusters form and age and thus
influence the evolution of the galaxy. In this proposal we address
this missing area of SINGS by obtaining high-resolution WFPC2 UBVI &
H-alpha observations to not only accurately locate and determine the
ages of the young stellar clusters in the actively star forming SINGS
galaxies but to also address a variety of other scientific issues.
Over 500 HST orbits and 500 hours of Spitzter observing time have been
dedicated to observations of the SINGS sample. But the HST
observations have not been systematic. By adding a relatively small
fraction of this time for these requested observations, we will
greatly enhance the legacy value of the SINGS observations by creating
a uniform high resolution multi-wavelength HST archive that matches
the quality of the lower resolution SINGS archive.

WFPC2 11962

A New Supernova in the Antennae; Narrowing in on the Hubble Constant
and Dark Energy

A measurement of the Hubble constant to a precision of a few percent
would be a powerful aid to the investigation of the nature of dark
energy and a potent "end-to-end" test of the present cosmological
model. In Cycle 15 we constructed a new, streamlined distance ladder
utilizing high-quality type Ia supernova data and observations of
Cepheids with HST in the near-IR to minimize the dominant sources of
systematic uncertainty in past measurements of the Hubble constant and
reduce its total uncertainty to a little under 5%. Here we propose to
exploit this new route with a rare opportunity to begin reducing the
remaining uncertainty. SN 2007sr in the Antennae (NGC 4038/9) is the
rare SN Ia which is suitable for increasing the precision of small
calibration sample of SNe Ia. Even rarer is that it is close enough
that it's Cepheids are within range of observing with WFPC2 (and
NICMOS, should it return to life). But we need to act fast as the
window of long visibility and fixed orient runs from mid-early
December 2008 to early March 2009. We request 34 orbits with WFPC2 to
find the Cepheids in the SN host. We also request 16 orbits to observe
the Cepheids we find with Camera 2, F160W if NICMOS becomes available
by April 2009 . (If NICMOS does not return we would forgo these
observations and ask the TTRB to let us make them with our own WFC3-IR
allocation, though we much prefer the smaller pixel size of NIC2).

WFPC2 11956

Hubble Heritage: Side B

We propose a program of 39 orbits to observe 6 targets with WFPC2
following a successful return to science using side B electronics.
These observations will be used for Hubble Heritage releases in the
months leading up to servicing mission 4. Because of launch delays,
our reserve of releasable images is growing dangerously slim. We are
proposing here to replenish one of our important lines of
communication with the public.

We have carefully chosen targets that can efficiently use single
pointings of WFPC2 to obtain images of visually striking and
astrophysically interesting targets. Observations will reach high S/N
and will be dithered and subsampled to improve the resolution and
pixel scale to near ACS/WFC3 quality at a modest cost in exposure
time. Most of the observations will schedule in the interim between a
return to science and the availability of new science proposals that
may be selected in response to an interim call for proposals.

WFPC2 11944

Binaries at the Extremes of the H-R Diagram

We propose to use HST/Fine Guidance Sensor 1r to survey for binaries
among some of the most massive, least massive, and oldest stars in our
part of the Galaxy. FGS allows us to spatially resolve binary systems
that are too faint to observe using ground-based, speckle or optical
long baseline interferometry, and too close to resolve with AO. We
propose a SNAP-style program of single orbit FGS TRANS mode
observations of very massive stars in the cluster NGC 3603, luminous
blue variables, nearby low mass main sequence stars, cool subdwarf
stars, and white dwarfs. These observations will help us to (1)
identify systems suitable for follow up studies for mass
determination, (2) study the role of binaries in stellar birth and in
advanced evolutionary states, (3) explore the fundamental properties
of stars near the main sequence-brown dwarf boundary, (4) understand
the role of binaries for X-ray bright systems, (5) find binaries among
ancient and nearby subdwarf stars, and (6) help calibrate the white
dwarf mass - radius relation.

FGS 11943

Binaries at the Extremes of the H-R Diagram

We propose to use HST/Fine Guidance Sensor 1r to survey for binaries
among some of the most massive, least massive, and oldest stars in our
part of the Galaxy. FGS allows us to spatially resolve binary systems
that are too faint for ground-based, speckle or optical long baseline
interferometry, and too close to resolve with AO. We propose a
SNAP-style program of single orbit FGS TRANS mode observations of very
massive stars in the cluster NGC 3603, luminous blue variables, nearby
low mass main sequence stars, cool subdwarf stars, and white dwarfs.
These observations will help us to (1) identify systems suitable for
follow up studies for mass determination, (2) study the role of
binaries in stellar birth and in advanced evolutionary states, (3)
explore the fundamental properties of stars near the main
sequence-brown dwarf boundary, (4) understand the role of binaries for
X-ray bright systems, (5) find binaries among ancient and nearby
subdwarf stars, and (6) help calibrate the white dwarf mass - radius
relation.

WFPC2 11793

WFPC2 Cycle 16 Internal Monitor

This calibration proposal is the Cycle 15 routine internal monitor for
WFPC2, to be run weekly to monitor the health of the cameras. A
variety of internal exposures are obtained in order to provide a
monitor of the integrity of the CCD camera electronics in both bays
(both gain 7 and gain 15 -- to test stability of gains and bias
levels), a test for quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for
possible buildup of contaminants on the CCD windows. These also
provide raw data for generating annual super-bias reference files for
the calibration pipeline.

WFPC2 11302

WFPC2 CYCLE 16 Standard Darks - Part III

This dark calibration program obtains dark frames every week in order
to provide data for the ongoing calibration of the CCD dark current
rate, and to monitor and characterize the evolution of hot pixels.
Over an extended period these data will also provide a monitor of
radiation damage to the CCDs.

ACS/SBC 11236

Did Rare, Large Escape-Fraction Galaxies Reionize the Universe?

Lyman continuum photons produced in massive starbursts may have played
a dominant role in the reionization of the Universe. Starbursts are
important contributors to the ionizing metagalactic background at
lower redshifts as well. However, their contribution to the background
depends upon the fraction of ionizing radiation that escapes from the
intrinsic opacity of galaxies below the Lyman limit. Current surveys
suggest that the escape fraction is close to zero in most galaxies,
even among young starbursts, but is large in 15-25% of them.
Non-uniform escape fractions are expected as a result of violent
events creating clear paths in small parts of galaxies. The number of
galaxies observed with high escape fraction will result from the
combination of the intrinsic number with clear lines of sight and
their orientation with respect to the observer. We propose to measure
the fraction of escaping Lyman continuum radiation in a large sample
(47) of z~0.7 starbursts in the COSMOS field. These compact
UV-luminous galaxies are good analogs to high redshift LBGs. Using the
SBC/PR130L we can quickly (1-4 orbits) detect relative escape
fractions (f_LC/f_1500) of 25% or more. This will be the first
measurement of the escape fraction in sources between z=1 and the
local universe. We expect ~10 detections. Stacking will set limits of
4% on the relative escape fraction in the rest. We will correlate the
LC detections with the properties of the galaxies. By targeting z~0.7
in COSMOS, we will have tremendous ancillary information on those
sources. A non-detection in all sources would be significant (99%
confidence). This would imply that QSOs provide the overwhelming
majority of ionizing radiation at z1, requiring substantial evolution
in the processes within Lyman break galaxies which allow large escape
fractions at high redshift.

ACS/SBC/WFPC2 11230

HST FUV Observations of Brightest Cluster Galaxies: The Role of Star
Formation in Cooling Flows and BCG Evolution

The intracluster medium (ICM) now appears to be a very dynamic place
where heating and cooling processes vie for dominance and an uneasy
equilibrium is maintained. Since these same processes may operate
during the process of galaxy formation, the centers of clusters of
galaxies provide low redshift laboratories for studying the critical
processes involved in galaxy formation and black hole growth. At the
present time, the main questions are (1) How much gas is cooling out
of the ICM? (2) How much star formation is ongoing? (3) What is the
impact of the gas and star formation on the central BCG? In order to
measure the current star formation in BCGs we have undertaken a
program of Spitzer IRAC and MIPS observations. We are in process of
obtaining observations of a sample of Brightest Cluster Galaxies in 70
clusters selected from the ROSAT all sky survey. In about 25% of the
sources observed so far, we detect a mid-IR excess which we attribute
to dust heated by star formation. We propose to obtain ACS/SBC
observations of the Lyman Alpha emission line and the adjacent FUV
continuum in 7 BCGs which are in cooling core clusters of galaxies and
have a large mid-IR excess. We also propose WFPC2 F606W observations
of the two clusters without high resolution imaging to allow us to
image the dust on the same scale as the Far UV continuum. The FUV will
allow us to confirm the presence of ongoing star formation in these
BCGs and will allow us to rule out an AGN as the dominant contributor
to the mid-IR. The morphology and spatial extent of the young stars
and the heated dust and CO will constrain the spatial scale over which
star formation occurs and thus where the cooling gas is deposited. The
combination of our FUV and IR observations will allow us to estimate
the star formation rates which must balance the rate at which cold gas
is deposited in the BCG. Our proposed FUV observations will produce
unique information about the cooling gas, the true mass accretion
rates, and the star formation rates in BCGs and its effect on the
galaxy.

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.

WFPC2 11113

Binaries in the Kuiper Belt: Probes of Solar System Formation and
Evolution

The discovery of binaries in the Kuiper Belt and related small body
populations is powering a revolutionary step forward in the study of
this remote region. Three quarters of the known binaries in the Kuiper
Belt have been discovered with HST, most by our snapshot surveys. The
statistics derived from this work are beginning to yield surprising
and unexpected results. We have found a strong concentration of
binaries among low-inclination Classicals, a possible size cutoff to
binaries among the Centaurs, an apparent preference for nearly equal
mass binaries, and a strong increase in the number of binaries at
small separations. We propose to continue this successful program in
Cycle 16; we expect to discover at least 13 new binary systems,
targeted to subgroups where these discoveries can have the greatest
impact.

WFPC2 10877

A Snapshot Survey of the Sites of Recent, Nearby Supernovae

During the past few years, robotic {or nearly robotic} searches for
supernovae {SNe}, most notably our Lick Observatory Supernova Search
{LOSS}, have found hundreds of SNe, many of them in quite nearby
galaxies {cz 4000 km/s}. Most of the objects were discovered before
maximum brightness, and have follow-up photometry and spectroscopy;
they include some of the best-studied SNe to date. We propose to
conduct a snapshot imaging survey of the sites of some of these nearby
objects, to obtain late-time photometry that {through the shape of the
light and color curves} will help reveal the origin of their lingering
energy. The images will also provide high-resolution information on
the local environments of SNe that are far superior to what we can
procure from the ground. For example, we will obtain color-color and
color-magnitude diagrams of stars in these SN sites, to determine the
SN progenitor masses and constraints on the reddening. Recovery of the
SNe in the new HST images will also allow us to actually pinpoint
their progenitor stars in cases where pre- explosion images exist in
the HST archive. This proposal is an extension of our successful Cycle
13 snapshot survey with ACS. It is complementary to our Cycle 15
archival proposal, which is a continuation of our long-standing
program to use existing HST images to glean information about SN
environments.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

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

HSTARS:

11641 - NCC (NICMOS CRYO-COOLER) safed after restart @ 017/0006z

11642 - GSAcq (2,3,2) failed to RGA Hold due to Search Radius Limit
Exceeded on FGS-3 @017/17:57z

Observation affected: Astrometry Proposal 11944

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:

18370-2 - Adjust NCS CPL Setpoint (20 1º steps) up to 15.0ºC
18382-4 - NCS Restart and Cooldown
18383-1 - 8051 History Buffer Snapshot

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

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

FGS GSacq*************** 30***************** 29
FGS REacq*************** 40***************** 40
OBAD with Maneuver **** 126**************** 125

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

FLASH Report* NCC Compressor Restart:

At 016/14:47:32 UTC, the NCC compressor was successfully restarted

At approximately 017/00:06:31, the NCC safed due to a turboalternator
speed limit violation.