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 #5050



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old March 11th 10, 07:37 PM posted to sci.astro.hubble
Cooper, Joe
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 568
Default Daily Report #5050

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to Collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT #5050

PERIOD COVERED: 5am March 10 - 5am March 11, 2010 (DOY 069/10:00z-070/10:00z)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

ACS/WFC 11995

CCD Daily Monitor (Part 2)

This program comprises basic tests for measuring the read noise and
dark current of the ACS WFC and for tracking the growth of hot pixels.
The recorded frames are used to create bias and dark reference images
for science data reduction and calibration. This program will be
executed four days per week (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) for the duration of
Cycle 17. To facilitate scheduling, this program is split into three
proposals. This proposal covers 320 orbits (20 weeks) from 1 February
2010 to 20 June 2010.

NIC2 11148

High Contrast Imaging of Dusty White Dwarfs

For the past 18 years, only one white dwarf with a circumstellar dust
disk was known to exist. In the last two years, six new disks have
been discovered. Since all material inwards of a few AU should be
scoured clean during post main sequence evolution, the primary
explanation is the presence of a planetary system that is perturbing
relic planetesimals into the tidal disruption radius of the white
dwarf. Dusty disks around white dwarfs should be markers for planets
and we propose to use high contrast imaging to search for faint
companions down to 6 M_$J$ that may be feeding the disks. White dwarfs
are uniquely suited for planet searches, where the planet/white dwarf
contrast is less than for main sequence stars.

STIS/CC 11845

CCD Dark Monitor Part 2

Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD.

STIS/CC 11847

CCD Bias Monitor-Part 2

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 11999

JWST Calibration from a Consistent Absolute Calibration of Spitzer &
Hubble

Recently, Gordon, Bohlin, et al. submitted a successful Spitzer
proposal for cross calibration of HST and Spitzer. The
cross-calibration targets are stars in three categories: WDs, A-stars,
and G-stars. Traditionally, IR flux standards are extrapolations of
stellar models that are tied to absolute fluxes at shorter
wavelengths. HST absolute flux standards are among the best available
with a solid basis that uses pure hydrogen models of hot WD stars for
the SED slopes and is tied to Vega at 5556A via precise Landolt V-band
photometry. Consistently matching models to our three categories of
HST observations along with Spitzer photometry and the few existing
absolute IR flux determinations will provide a solid basis for JWST
flux calibration over its 0.8-30micron range. The goal of this
proposal is to complete the HST observations of the set of HST/Spitzer
cross-calibration stars. Using a variety of standard stars with three
different spectral types will ensure that the final calibration is not
significantly affected by systematic uncertainties.

WFC3/ACS/IR 11142

Revealing the Physical Nature of Infrared Luminous Galaxies at
0.3z2.7 Using HST and Spitzer

We aim to determine physical properties of IR luminous galaxies at
0.3z2.7 by requesting coordinated HST/NIC2 and MIPS 70um
observations of a unique, 24um flux-limited sample with complete
Spitzer mid-IR spectroscopy. The 150 sources investigated in this
program have S(24um) 0.8mJy and their mid-IR spectra have already
provided the majority targets with spectroscopic redshifts
(0.3z2.7). The proposed 150~orbits of NIC2 and 66~hours of MIPS 70um
will provide the physical measurements of the light distribution at
the rest-frame ~8000A and better estimates of the bolometric
luminosity. Combining these parameters together with the rich suite of
spectral diagnostics from the mid-IR spectra, we will (1) measure how
common mergers are among LIRGs and ULIRGs at 0.3z2.7, and establish
if major mergers are the drivers of z1 ULIRGs, as in the local
Universe, (2) study the co-evolution of star formation and blackhole
accretion by investigating the relations between the fraction of
starburst/AGN measured from mid-IR spectra vs. HST morphologies,
L(bol) and z, and (3) obtain the current best estimates of the far-IR
emission, thus L(bol) for this sample, and establish if the relative
contribution of mid-to-far IR dust emission is correlated with
morphology (resolved vs. unresolved).

WFC3/IR 11587

Probing Population III Star Formation in a z=7 Galaxy

Population III (Pop III) stars, the first generation, metal-free stars
in the Universe, have been a main focus of the studies of early galaxy
formation and reionization. HeII 1640 emission originates from
energetic ionizing photons beyond 54.4eV, and is an ideal tracer of
massive Pop III star formation with strong far-UV radiation. HeII has
not yet been detected directly in individual galaxies at z6.3,
indicating a small contribution of Pop III star formation at those
redshifts. We propose to use WFC3 narrow-band imaging to measure the
flux of HeII emission in galaxy IOK-1 (z=6.96), the highest redshift
spectroscopically confirmed galaxy to date. At this redshift, the HeII
line is perfectly located in the WFC3 F130N filter passband. Our deep
narrow-band imaging will detect a HeII flux down to 4x10^-18
erg/s/cm^2 at the 5-sigma level, corresponding to a star formation
rate from massive Pop III stars of ~1 M_sun per year, a factor of ~5
improvement to the best ground-based results at lower redshift. Strong
HeII emission, if detected, will provide the first direct evidence of
significant Pop III formation in early galaxies at the end of the
reionization epoch. We will also carry out short F125W broad-band
observations to measure the rest-frame UV flux of this galaxy in order
to constrain its total star formation rate and to provide continuum
subtraction for narrow-band imaging.

WFC3/IR 11738

SPIDERWEBS AND FLIES: OBSERVING MASSIVE GALAXY FORMATION IN ACTION

Distant luminous radio galaxies are among the brightest known galaxies
in the early Universe, pinpoint likely progenitors of dominant cluster
galaxies and are unique laboratories for studying massive galaxy
formation. Spectacular images with the ACS and NICMOS of one such
object, the "Spiderweb Galaxy" at z = 2.2, show in exquisite detail,
hierarchical merging occurring 11 Gyr ago. By imaging 3 additional
Spiderweb-like galaxies we wish to study this potentially crucial
phase of massive galaxy evolution, when hierarchical merging, galaxy
downsizing and AGN feedback are all likely to be occurring. Properties
of the complete sample of Spiderweb galaxies will be used to (i)
constrain models for the formation and evolution of the most massive
galaxies that dominate rich clusters and (ii) investigate the nature
of chain and tadpole galaxies, a fundamental but poorly understood
constituent of the early Universe.

We shall image rest-frame UV and optical continuum emission from 3
radio galaxies with 2.4 z 3.8 that appear clumpy and large in
shallow WFPC/PC observations. The new observations will typically
reach ~2 magnitudes fainter over 20-40 times larger area than
previously. Photometric and morphological parameters will be measured
for satellite galaxies ("flies") in the clumpy massive hosts and for
galaxies in ~ 1.5 Mpc x 1.5 Mpc regions of surrounding protoclusters.
Locations, sizes, elongations, clumpiness, masses, and star formation
rates of the merging satellite and protocluster galaxies will be
compared with new state of the art simulations. Combination of ACS and
WFC3 images will help disentangle the properties of the young and old
populations.

Specific goals include: (i) investigating star formation histories of
the satellite galaxies and the extended emission, (ii) studying
"downsizing" and merging scenarios and (iii) measuring the statistics
of linear galaxies and relating them to models for the formation of
massive galaxies and to the properties of the important but enigmatic
class of chain/tadpole galaxies in the HUDF.

WFC3/IR 11931

IR Signal Non-Linearity Calibration

These observations will be used to quantify the non-linear signal
behavior of the IR channel, as well as to create the IR channel
non-linearity calibration reference file. The non-linearity behavior
of each pixel in the detector will be investigated through the use of
flat fields, while the photometric behavior of point sources will be
studied using observations of 47 Tuc.

WFC3/IR/S/C 11929

IR Dark Current Monitor

Analyses of ground test data showed that dark current signals are more
reliably removed from science data using darks taken with the same
exposure sequences as the science data, than with a single dark
current image scaled by desired exposure time. Therefore, dark current
images must be collected using all sample sequences that will be used
in science observations. These observations will be used to monitor
changes in the dark current of the WFC3-IR channel on a day-to-day
basis, and to build calibration dark current ramps for each of the
sample sequences to be used by Gos in Cycle 17. For each sample
sequence/array size combination, a median ramp will be created and
delivered to the calibration database system (CDBS).

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).

WFC3/UVIS 11908

Cycle 17: UVIS Bowtie Monitor

Ground testing revealed an intermittent hysteresis type effect in the
UVIS detector (both CCDs) at the level of ~1%, lasting hours to days.
Initially found via an unexpected bowtie-shaped feature in flatfield
ratios, subsequent lab tests on similar e2v devices have since shown
that it is also present as simply an overall offset across the entire
CCD, i.e., a QE offset without any discernable pattern. These lab
tests have further revealed that overexposing the detector to count
levels several times full well fills the traps and effectively
neutralizes the bowtie. Each visit in this proposal acquires a set of
three 3x3 binned internal flatfields: the first unsaturated image will
be used to detect any bowtie, the second, highly exposed image will
neutralize the bowtie if it is present, and the final image will allow
for verification that the bowtie is gone.

WFC3/UV/IR 11664

The WFC3 Galactic Bulge Treasury Program: Populations, Formation
History, and Planets

Exploiting the full power of the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), we
propose deep panchromatic imaging of four fields in the Galactic
bulge. These data will enable a sensitive dissection of its stellar
populations, using a new set of reddening-free photometric indices we
have constructed from broad-band filters across UV, optical, and
near-IR wavelengths. These indices will provide accurate temperatures
and metallicities for hundreds of thousands of individual bulge stars.
Proper motions of these stars derived from multi-epoch observations
will allow separation of pure bulge samples from foreground disk
contamination. Our catalogs of proper motions and panchromatic
photometry will support a wide range of bulge studies.

Using these photometric and astrometric tools, we will reconstruct the
detailed star-formation history as a function of position within the
bulge, and thus differentiate between rapid- and extended-formation
scenarios. We will also measure the dependence of the stellar mass
function on metallicity, revealing how the characteristic mass of star
formation varies with chemistry. Our sample of bulge stars with
accurate metallicities will include 12 candidate hosts of extrasolar
planets. Planet frequency is correlated with metallicity in the solar
neighborhood; our measurements will extend this knowledge to a remote
environment with a very distinct chemistry.

Our proposal also includes observations of six well-studied globular
and open star clusters; these observations will serve to calibrate our
photometric indices, provide empirical population templates, and
transform the theoretical isochrone libraries into the WFC3 filter
system. Besides enabling our own program, these products will provide
powerful new tools for a host of other stellar-population
investigations with HST/WFC3. We will deliver all of the products from
this Treasury Program to the community in a timely fashion.

WFC3/UVIS/IR 11644

A Dynamical-Compositional Survey of the Kuiper Belt: A New Window Into
the Formation of the Outer Solar System

The eight planets overwhelmingly dominate the solar system by mass,
but their small numbers, coupled with their stochastic pasts, make it
impossible to construct a unique formation history from the dynamical
or compositional characteristics of them alone. In contrast, the huge
numbers of small bodies scattered throughout and even beyond the
planets, while insignificant by mass, provide an almost unlimited
number of probes of the statistical conditions, history, and
interactions in the solar system. To date, attempts to understand the
formation and evolution of the Kuiper Belt have largely been dynamical
simulations where a hypothesized starting condition is evolved under
the gravitational influence of the early giant planets and an attempt
is made to reproduce the current observed populations. With little
compositional information known for the real Kuiper Belt, the test
particles in the simulation are free to have any formation location
and history as long as they end at the correct point. Allowing
compositional information to guide and constrain the formation,
thermal, and collisional histories of these objects would add an
entire new dimension to our understanding of the evolution of the
outer solar system. While ground based compositional studies have hit
their flux limits already with only a few objects sampled, we propose
to exploit the new capabilities of WFC3 to perform the first ever
large-scale dynamical-compositional study of Kuiper Belt Objects
(KBOs) and their progeny to study the chemical, dynamical, and
collisional history of the region of the giant planets. The
sensitivity of the WFC3 observations will allow us to go up to two
magnitudes deeper than our ground based studies, allowing us the
capability of optimally selecting a target list for a large survey
rather than simply taking the few objects that can be measured, as we
have had to do to date. We have carefully constructed a sample of 120
objects which provides both overall breadth, for a general
understanding of these objects, plus a large enough number of objects
in the individual dynamical subclass to allow detailed comparison
between and within these groups. These objects will likely define the
core Kuiper Belt compositional sample for years to come. While we have
many specific results anticipated to come from this survey, as with
any project where the field is rich, our current knowledge level is
low, and a new instrument suddenly appears which can exploit vastly
larger segments of the population, the potential for discovery -- both
anticipated and not -- is extraordinary.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

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

HSTARS:

12214 - GSAcq(2,3,3) scheduled at 070/00:55:05 -01:01:54 had failed to
RGA Hold (gyro control) due to search radius limit exceeded on FGS-2.

Observations affected: WFC3 98 - 108, Proposal ID#11664, STIS 54
Proposal ID#11845.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:

18822-0 - Clear GENSLEW Slot-8 for COS proposal 11639 @ 069/2214z

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSAcq 6 5
FGS REAcq 9 9
OBAD with Maneuver 6 5

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 Cooper, Joe Hubble 0 December 22nd 08 06:17 PM
Daily Report # 4429 Cooper, Joe Hubble 0 August 20th 07 02:51 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
Celestron NextStar GT60 & Olympus C-5050 rsc Amateur Astronomy 1 September 9th 03 10:54 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:25 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.