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 #4603



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old May 5th 08, 01:50 PM posted to sci.astro.hubble
Cooper, Joe
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 568
Default Daily Report #4603

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT***** # 4603

PERIOD COVERED: 5am May 02 - 5am May 05, 2008 (DOY 123/0900z -
126/0900z)

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 images. Each observation will need its
own CRMAP, as different SAA passages leave different imprints on the
NICMOS detectors.

NIC 11495

The first direct detection of an extrasolar planetary stratosphere?

We request NICMOS grism spectroscopy to observe the transit of
WASP-3b. This newly discovered planet is the hottest nearby planet
discovered so far. The atmosphere is predicted to be so hot that TiO
and VO remain in the gas phase, creating a hot, strongly absorbing
stratosphere. This molecular absorption will cause a 6% enhancement in
the transit depth at 0.8 microns, compared to that at 1.3 microns.
NICMOS/G096 and NICMOS/G141 observations will therefore provide a
straightforward test of the hot stratosphere hypothesis. The HST
observations will provide a precisely determined radius measurement.
This is required to drive advances in theories of planetary formation,
evolution, and atmospheric physics and chemistry. The atmospheric TiO
and VO absorption is predicted to cause an anomalously high IR
brightness temperature for the planet. We need HST's direct test of
the hot stratosphere hypothesis promptly to enable appropriate
cold-Spitzer observations to be planned and interpreted. Spitzer is
likely to exhaust its cryogens before these observations could be
scheduled via the cycle 17 GO process.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 11321

NICMOS Cycle 16 Flats Stability

This calibration proposal is the Cycle 16 NICMOS flat field monitor
program. A series of camera 1, 2, & 3 flat fields will be obtained to
monitor the health of the cameras.

FGS 11213

Distances to Eclipsing M Dwarf Binaries

We propose HST FGS observations to measure accurate distances of 5
nearby M dwarf eclipsing binary systems, from which model-independent
luminosities can be calculated. These objects have either poor or non
existing parallax measurements. FGS parallax determinations for these
systems, with their existing dynamic masses determined to better than
0.5%, would serve as model-independent anchor points for the low-mass
end of the mass-luminosity diagram.

WFPC2 11202

The Structure of Early-type Galaxies: 0.1-100 Effective Radii

The structure, formation and evolution of early-type galaxies is still
largely an open problem in cosmology: how does the Universe evolve
from large linear scales dominated by dark matter to the highly
non-linear scales of galaxies, where baryons and dark matter both play
important, interacting, roles? To understand the complex physical
processes involved in their formation scenario, and why they have the
tight scaling relations that we observe today {e.g. the Fundamental
Plane}, it is critically important not only to understand their
stellar structure, but also their dark-matter distribution from the
smallest to the largest scales. Over the last three years the SLACS
collaboration has developed a toolbox to tackle these issues in a
unique and encompassing way by combining new non-parametric strong
lensing techniques, stellar dynamics, and most recently weak
gravitational lensing, with high-quality Hubble Space Telescope
imaging and VLT/Keck spectroscopic data of early-type lens systems.
This allows us to break degeneracies that are inherent to each of
these techniques separately and probe the mass structure of early-type
galaxies from 0.1 to 100 effective radii. The large dynamic range to
which lensing is sensitive allows us both to probe the clumpy
substructure of these galaxies, as well as their low-density outer
haloes. These methods have convincingly been demonstrated, by our
team, using smaller pilot-samples of SLACS lens systems with HST data.
In this proposal, we request observing time with WFPC2 and NICMOS to
observe 53 strong lens systems from SLACS, to obtain complete
multi-color imaging for each system. This would bring the total number
of SLACS lens systems to 87 with completed HST imaging and effectively
doubles the known number of galaxy-scale strong lenses. The deep HST
images enable us to fully exploit our new techniques, beat down
low-number statistics, and probe the structure and evolution of
early-type galaxies, not only with a uniform data-set an order of
magnitude larger than what is available now, but also with a fully
coherent and self-consistent methodological approach!

NIC2/WFPC2 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. {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}.

NIC1 11117

The Search for Atmospheric Water in the Transiting Planet HD189733b

We propose to use the NICMOS camera to search for transit NIR
signatures of atmospheric water in HD189733b. While water absorption
bands exist in the optical and IR, space-based NIR signatures are
uniquely positioned to offer the best chance at detection. Using
narrow band photometric filters, we will be able to detect absorption
signatures while the planet is in primary transit. A positive
detection would be the first proof of water on an extrasolar planet.
Furthermore, it would provide invaluable planetary information,
constraining the entire chemistry. As a byproduct of the high SNR
required for our primary science goal, we will be able to improve on
the value of the planetary radius, a result independent of our primary
science objective. The accurate radius estimate, together with planet
structure models, will allow constraining the planet interior and its
relationship with formation models and stellar metallicity.

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: (None)

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

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

FGS GSacq************** 26**************** 26
FGS REacq************** 15**************** 15
OBAD with Maneuver **** 82**************** 81

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 #4390 Cooper, Joe Hubble 0 June 25th 07 02:15 PM
Daily Report # 4372 Cooper, Joe Hubble 0 May 30th 07 01:35 PM
Daily Report # 4361 Cooper, Joe Hubble 0 May 14th 07 02:15 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 12:51 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.