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Daily Report #4582
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 4582 PERIOD COVERED: UT April 03, 2008 (DOY 094) 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 images. Each observation will need its own CRMAP, as different SAA passages leave different imprints on the NICMOS detectors. NIC2 11219 Active Galactic Nuclei in nearby galaxies: a new view of the origin of the radio-loud radio-quiet dichotomy? Using archival HST and Chandra observations of 34 nearby early-type galaxies {drawn from a complete radio selected sample} we have found evidence that the radio-loud/radio-quiet dichotomy is directly connected to the structure of the inner regions of their host galaxies in the following sense: [1] Radio-loud AGN are associated with galaxies with shallow cores in their light profiles [2] Radio-quiet AGN are only hosted by galaxies with steep cusps. Since the brightness profile is determined by the galaxy's evolution, through its merger history, our results suggest that the same process sets the AGN flavour. This provides us with a novel tool to explore the co-evolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes, and it opens a new path to understand the origin of the radio-loud/radio-quiet AGN dichotomy. Currently our analysis is statistically incomplete as the brightness profile is not available for 82 of the 116 targets. Most galaxies were not observed with HST, while in some cases the study is obstructed by the presence of dust features. We here propose to perform an infrared NICMOS snapshot survey of these 82 galaxies. This will enable us to i} test the reality of the dichotomic behaviour in a substantially larger sample; ii} extend the comparison between radio-loud and radio-quiet AGN to a larger range of luminosities. NIC3 11120 A Paschen-Alpha Study of Massive Stars and the ISM in the Galactic Center The Galactic center (GC) is a unique site for a detailed study of a multitude of complex astrophysical phenomena, which may be common to nuclear regions of many galaxies. Observable at resolutions unapproachable in other galaxies, the GC provides an unparalleled opportunity to improve our understanding of the interrelationships of massive stars, young stellar clusters, warm and hot ionized gases, molecular clouds, large scale magnetic fields, and black holes. We propose the first large-scale hydrogen Paschen alpha line survey of the GC using NICMOS on the Hubble Space Telescope. This survey will lead to a high resolution and high sensitivity map of the Paschen alpha line emission in addition to a map of foreground extinction, made by comparing Paschen alpha to radio emission. This survey of the inner 75 pc of the Galaxy will provide an unprecedented and complete search for sites of massive star formation. In particular, we will be able to (1) uncover the distribution of young massive stars in this region, (2) locate the surfaces of adjacent molecular clouds, (3) determine important physical parameters of the ionized gas, (4) identify compact and ultra-compact HII regions throughout the GC. When combined with existing Chandra and Spitzer surveys as well as a wealth of other multi-wavelength observations, the results will allow us to address such questions as where and how massive stars form, how stellar clusters are disrupted, how massive stars shape and heat the surrounding medium, and how various phases of this medium are interspersed. WFPC2 11029 WFPC2 CYCLE 15 Intflat Linearity Check and Filter Rotation Anomaly Monitor Intflat observations will be taken to provide a linearity check: the linearity test consists of a series of intflats in F555W, in each gain and each shutter. A combination of intflats, visflats, and earthflats will be used to check the repeatability of filter wheel motions. {Intflat sequences tied to decons, visits 1-18 in prop 10363, have been moved to the cycle 15 decon proposal xxxx for easier scheduling.} Note: long-exposure WFPC2 intflats must be scheduled during ACS anneals to prevent stray light from the WFPC2 lamps from contaminating long ACS external exposures. WFPC2 11083 The Structure, Formation and Evolution of Galactic Cores and Nuclei A surprising result has emerged from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey {ACSVCS}, a program to obtain ACS/WFC gz imaging for a large, unbiased sample of 100 early-type galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. On subarcsecond scales {i.e., 0.1"-1"}, the HST brightness profiles vary systematically from the brightest giants {which have nearly constant surface brightness cores} to the faintest dwarfs {which have compact stellar nuclei}. Remarkably, the fraction of galaxy mass contributed by the nuclei in the faint galaxies is identical to that contributed by supermassive black holes in the bright galaxies {0.2%}. These findings strongly suggest that a single mechanism is responsible for both types of Central Massive Object: most likely internally or externally modulated gas inflows that feed central black holes or lead to the formation of "nuclear star clusters". Understanding the history of gas accretion, star formation and chemical enrichment on subarcsecond scales has thus emerged as the single most pressing question in the study of nearby galactic nuclei, either active or quiescent. We propose an ambitious HST program {199 orbits} that constitutes the next, obvious step forward: high-resolution, ultraviolet {WFPC2/F255W} and infrared {NIC1/F160W} imaging for the complete ACSVCS sample. By capitalizing on HST's unique ability to provide high-resolution images with a sharp and stable PSF at UV and IR wavelengths, we will leverage the existing optical HST data to obtain the most complete picture currently possible for the history of star formation and chemical enrichment on these small scales. Equally important, this program will lead to a significant improvement in the measured structural parameters and density distributions for the stellar nuclei and the underlying galaxies, and provide a sensitive measure of "frosting" by young stars in the galaxy cores. By virtue of its superb image quality and stable PSF, NICMOS is the sole instrument capable of the IR observations proposed here. In the case of the WFPC2 observations, high-resolution UV imaging { 0.1"} is a capability unique to HST, yet one that could be lost at any time. WFPC2 11121 Proper Motion of the Remarkable Irradiated Jet HH399 in the Trifid Nebula The Trifid nebula has recently been of much interest because of its identification with a large number of massive protostars, as well as young stellar objects. HH 399 is one of the most spectacular Herbig-Haro flows recognized to be irradiated by the UV flux of the massive O7.5 star in the Trifid nebula. The irradiated jet, which is propagating in a fully ionized medium, contains numerous knots along the jet and also shows evidence for a number of isolated knots running immediately outside the jet. Two different HST observations of the nebula, with different scientific goals, were carried out in 1997 and 2002, having sensitivities that differed by a factor of 10. We performed preliminary proper motion measurements of the jet based on these observations and discovered a continuous velocity structure of the bright knots of about 230 km/sec. Here we propose four WFPC2 orbits to reobserve HH 399 in order to carry out accurate proper motion measurements over the full extent of the jet, based on observations spanning more than 10 years and having equally deep sensitivity. The proposed observations are not simply a repeat of previous measurements, as this will be the first highly accurate proper motion measurement of an irradiated jet based on two identical epochs of WFPC2 observations. The observations will improve the accuracy of proper motion measurements for HH 399 by more than a factor of five and will address important questions beyond our preliminary result. Currently measured velocity differences between the jet features are barely significant. The factor of 5 increase in accuracy will establish the evidence for deceleration along the jet and the lateral motion of the jet. In addition, these measurements will address the kinematics of individual entrained and isolated blobs of the jet as it propagates into an HII region associated with the nebula. This is the last opportunity to perform this experiment before WFPC2 is removed from HST. WFPC2 11128 Time Scales Of Bulge Formation In Nearby Galaxies Traditionally, bulges are thought to fit well into galaxy formation models of hierarchical merging. However, it is now becoming well established that many bulges formed through internal, secular evolution of the disk rather than through mergers. We call these objects pseudobulges. Much is still unknown about pseudobulges, the most pressing questions being: How, exactly, do they build up their mass? How long does it take? And, how many exist? We are after an answer to these questions. If pseudobulges form and evolve over longer periods than the time between mergers, then a significant population of pseudobulges is hard to explain within current galaxy formation theories. A pseudobulge indicates that a galaxy has most likely not undergone a major merger since the formation of the disk. The ages of pseudobulges give us an estimate for the time scale of this quiescent evolution. We propose to use 24 orbits of HST time to complete UBVIH imaging on a sample of 33 nearby galaxies that we have observed with Spitzer in the mid-IR. These data will be used to measure spatially resolved stellar population parameters {mean stellar age, metallicity, and star formation history}; comparing ages to star formation rates allows us to accurately constrain the time scale of pseudobulge formation. Our sample of bulges includes both pseudo- and classical bulges, and evenly samples barred and unbarred galaxies. Most of our sample is imaged, 13 have complete UBVIH coverage; we merely ask to complete missing observations so that we may construct a uniform sample for studying bulge formation. We also wish to compare the stellar population parameters to a variety of bulge and global galaxy properties including star formation rates, dynamics, internal bulge morphology, structure from bulge-disk decompositions, and gas content. Much of this data set is already or is being assembled. This will allow us to derive methods of pseudobulge identification that can be used to accurately count pseudobulges in large surveys. Aside from our own science goals, we will present this broad set of data to the community. Thus, we waive proprietary periods for all observations. WFPC2 11229 SEEDS: The Search for Evolution of Emission from Dust in Supernovae with HST and Spitzer The role that massive stars play in the dust content of the Universe is extremely uncertain. It has long been hypothesized that dust can condense within the ejecta of supernovae {SNe}, however there is a frustrating discrepancy between the amounts of dust found in the early Universe, or predicted by nucleation theory, and inferred from SN observations. Our SEEDS collaboration has been carefully revisiting the observational case for dust formation by core- collapse SNe, in order to quantify their role as dust contributors in the early Universe. As dust condenses in expanding SN ejecta, it will increase in optical depth, producing three simultaneously observable phenomena: {1} increasing optical extinction; {2} infrared {IR} excesses; and {3} asymmetric blue-shifted emission lines. Our SEEDS collaboration recently reported all three phenomena occurring in SN2003gd, demonstrating the success of our observing strategy, and permitting us to derive a dust mass of up to 0.02 solar masses created in the SN. To advance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the interstellar dust in galaxies, we propose to use HST's WFPC2 and NICMOS instruments plus Spitzer's photometric instruments to monitor ten recent core-collapse SNe for dust formation and, as a bonus, detect light echoes that can affect the dust mass estimates. These space-borne observations will be supplemented by ground-based spectroscopic monitoring of their optical emission line profiles. These observations would continue our 2-year HST and Spitzer monitoring of this phenomena in order to address two key questions: Do all SNe produce dust? and How much dust do they produce? As all the SN are within 15 Mpc, each SN stands an excellent chance of detection with HST and Spitzer and of resolving potential light echoes. WFPC2 11326 Polarizers Closeout (Internal Observations) Verify stability of polarization calibration. FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.) HSTARS: 11239 - GSacq(2,1,2) failed, Search Radius Limit exceeded on FGS 2 Upon acquisition of signal at 12:55:55, vehicle was in gyro control with FGS2 search radius limit and stop flags set. GSACQ(2,1,2) at 12:11:54 failed to RGA control. One 486 status buffer "A05" message (FGS Coarse Track failed- Search Radius Limit exceeded) was received. OBAD at 11:59:49 prior to GSACQ had RSS error correction of 15.40 arc seconds, OBAD map at 12:57:29 after GSACQ had RSS error of 2340.74 arcseconds. OBAD at 11:51:59 prior to GSACQ had RSS error correction of 5217.70 arc seconds. 11240 - GSacq(2,1,2) failed, Search Radius Limit exceeded on FGS 2 Upon acquisition of signal at 14:02:15, vehicle was in gyro control with FGS2 search radius limit and stop flags set. GSACQ(2,1,2) at 13:47:16 failed to RGA control. One 486 status buffer "A05" message (FGS Coarse Track failed- Search Radius Limit exceeded) was received. OBAD at 13:35:37 prior to GSACQ had RSS error correction of 11.12 arc seconds, OBAD map at 14:32:55 after GSACQ had RSS error of 1678.45 arcseconds. 11242 - GSAcq(2,1,2) failed OTA SE review of PTAS processing revealed that GSAcq(2,1,2) at 086/23:42:09 failed to RGA Hold with a stop flag on FGS2. COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None) COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None) SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FGS GSacq 10 08 FGS REacq 03 03 OBAD with Maneuver 28 28 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None) |
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