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Daily 3524
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT # 3524 PERIOD COVERED: DOY 5/2004 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED ACS 9984 Cosmic Shear With ACS Pure Parallels Small distortions in the shapes of background galaxies by foreground mass provide a powerful method of directly measuring the amount and distribution of dark matter. Several groups have recently detected this weak lensing by large-scale structure, also called cosmic shear. The high resolution and sensitivity of HST/ACS provide a unique opportunity to measure cosmic shear accurately on small scales. Using 260 parallel orbits in Sloan textiti {F775W} we will measure for the first time: beginlistosetlength sep0cm setlengthemsep0cm setlength opsep0cm em the cosmic shear variance on scales 0.7 arcmin, em the skewness of the shear distribution, and em the magnification effect. endlist Our measurements will determine the amplitude of the mass power spectrum sigma_8Omega_m^0.5, with signal-to-noise {s/n} ~ 20, and the mass density Omega_m with s/n=4. They will be done at small angular scales where non-linear effects dominate the power spectrum, providing a test of the gravitational instability paradigm for structure formation. Measurements on these scales are not possible from the ground, because of the systematic effects induced by PSF smearing from seeing. Having many independent lines of sight reduces the uncertainty due to cosmic variance, making parallel observations ideal. ACS/HRC/WFC 10059 CCD Daily Monitor This program consists of basic tests to monitor, the read noise, the development of hot pixels and test for any source of noise in ACS CCD detectors. This programme will be executed once a day for the entire lifetime of ACS. ACS/WFC 9744 HST Imaging of Gravitational Lenses Gravitational lenses offer unique opportunities to study cosmology, dark matter, galactic structure, galaxy evolution and quasar host galaxies. They are also the only sample of galaxies selected based on their mass rather than their luminosity or surface brightness. While gravitational lenses can be discovered with ground-based optical and radio observations, converting them into astrophysical tools requires HST. HST has demonstrated that it is the only telescope that can in each case precisely locate the lens galaxy, measure its luminosity, color and structure, and search for lensed images of the source host galaxy given the typical image separations of ~1''. We will obtain ACS/WFC V and I images and NICMOS H images of 21 new lenses never observed by HST and NICMOS H images of 16 lenses never observed by HST in the IR. As in previous cycles, we request that the data be made public immediately. ACS/WFC 9772 Galaxy Populations at Very Large Cluster Radii: The Outskirts of MS1054-03 at z=0.83 We propose to use the Advanced Camera for Surveys to image four selected fields in the outskirts of the rich, X-ray luminous cluster MS1054-03 at z=0.83. The high-resolution and sensitivity of ACS is required in order to study the properties of the population of galaxies falling into the cluster for the first time. By targeting regions of the cluster well beyond the virial radius, we will: {1} study the transformation of infalling field spirals into cluster early-types using, e.g., the morphology-density relation to large radii and very low local densities; {2} determine the star-formation histories of those field galaxies most recently accreted by the cluster, using accurate colors, morphologies, bulge-to- disk ratios, bulge and disk scale lengths, M/L ratios and line strengths; and {3} measure the frequency of galaxy-galaxy mergers and interactions in the infall region. By combining wide-field HST/ACS data with wide-field multi-object spectroscopy from the Magellan and Keck telescopes, we can test the predictions made by galaxy formation models, study how field spirals become early-type cluster members, and better constrain the formation and evolution of galaxies in both clusters and the field. ACS/WFC 9860 ESSENCE: Measuring the Dark Energy Equation of State The accelerating universe appears to be dominated by a dark energy with a significant negative pressure. The ratio of the pressure to density of this mysterious energy {its equation of state} is an observable which can differentiate between the proliferating candidate theories. We propose to estimate the dark energy equation of state by observing Type Ia supernovae at redshifts near z=0.7 with HST in concert with the on-going ESSENCE NOAO Survey program that is discovering and studying supernovae between 0.3z0.8. We show that an interesting constraint on the equation of state can be made with supernovae observed at modest redshifts given the current knowledge of the matter density. We will follow 10 Type Ia supernovae discovered from the ground and passed to HST without disrupting its schedule. The full data set will constrain the equation of state to 10% and strictly limit the range of possible dark energy models. In keeping with the ESSENCE policy, these observations will available to the community immediately. NIC/NIC3 9865 The NICMOS Parallel Observing Program We propose to continue managing the NICMOS pure parallel program. Based on our experience, we are well prepared to make optimal use of the parallel opportunities. The improved sensitivity and efficiency of our observations will substantially increase the number of line-emitting galaxies detected. As our previous work has demonstrated, the most frequently detected line is Halpha at 0.7z1.9, which provides an excellent measure of current star formation rate. We will also detect star-forming and active galaxies in other redshift ranges using other emission lines. The grism observations will produce by far the best available Halpha luminosity functions over the crucial--but poorly observed--redshift range where galaxies appear to have assembled most of their stellar mass. This key process of galaxy evolution needs to be studied with IR data; we found that observations at shorter wavelengths appear to have missed a large fraction of the star-formation in galaxies, due to dust reddening. We will also obtain deep F110W and F160W images, to examine the space densities and morphologies of faint red galaxies. In addition to carrying out the public parallels, we will make the fully reduced and calibrated images and spectra available on-line, with some ground-based data for the deepest parallel fields included. NIC2 9726 A NICMOS search for obscured supernovae in starburst galaxies Recent near-IR monitoring campaigns were successful in detecting obscured supernovae {SNe} in starburst galaxies. The inferred SN rate is much higher than that obtained in previous optical campaigns, but it is still significantly lower than expected by the high level star formation of these systems. One possible explanation for the shortage of SNe is that most of them occur in the nuclear region, where the limited angular resolution of groundbased observations prevents their detection. We propose NICMOS SNAP observations of a sample of starburst galaxies already observed once by NICMOS, with the goal of exploiting its sensitivity and angular resolution to detect nuclear obscured SNe which might have been missed by groundbased surveys. These observation will allow to assess the real SN rate in starbust galaxies and deliver a sample of SN occurring in the extreme environment of galactic nuclei. We expect to detect more than 55 SNe {if the whole sample is observed}. If the number of SNe detected in the program is much lower than expected it would prompt for a revision of our understanding of the relation between the star formation rate and the SN rate. NIC2 9801 Are OH/IR Stars the Youngest post-AGB stars? A NICMOS Imaging Survey Essentially all well-characterized preplanetary nebulae {PPNe}-- objects in transition between the AGB and planetary nebula evolutionary phases - are bipolar, whereas the mass-loss envelopes of AGB stars are strikingly spherical. In order to understand the processes leading to bipolar mass-ejection, we need to know at what stage of stellar evolution does bipolarity in the mass-loss first manifest itself. We have recently hypothesized that most OH/IR stars {evolved mass- losing stars with OH maser emission} are very young PPNe. We are conducting a multiwavelength survey program of imaging and spectroscopic observations of such objects, using a large, morphologically unbiased sample selected using IRAS 12-to-25 micron colors. Our ongoing HST/SNAP imaging survey of the optically bright half of this sample with WFPC2 and ACS is highly successful: 19/32 objects observed are extended with bipolar/multipolar shapes {remaining objects are unresolved}. Slightly more than 50% of our sample are optically too faint or undetected but have strong near-IR counterparts -- we therefore propose a NICMOS SNAPshot imaging surve of these optically-faint OH/IR stars. These observations are crucial for determining how and when the bipolar geometry asserts itself. The results from our NICMOS survey {together with the WFPC2/ACS survey} will allow us to draw general conclusions about the onset of bipolar mass-ejection during late stellar evolution. Our complementary program of interferometric mapping of the OH maser emission in our sources is yielding kinematic information with spatial resolution comparable to that in the HST images. The HST/radio data will provide crucial input for theories of post-AGB stellar evolution. In addition, these data will also indicate whether the multiple concentric rings, "searchlight beams'', and truncated equatorial disks recently discovered with HST in a few PPNe, are common or rare phenomena. NICMOS 8790 NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 1. 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. NICMOS 8791 NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 2 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. NICMOS/STIS CCD 9405 The Origin of Gamma-Ray Bursts The rapid and accurate localization of gamma-ray bursts {GRBs} promised by a working HETE-2 during the coming year may well revolutionize our ability to study these enigmatic, highly luminous transients. We propose a program of HST and Chandra observations to capitalize on this extraordinary opportunity. We will perform some of the most stringent tests yet of the standard model, in which GRBs represent collimated relativistic outflows from collapsing massive stars. NICMOS imaging and STIS CCD spectroscopy will detect broad atomic features of supernovae underlying GRB optical transients, at luminosities more than three times fainter than SN 1998bw. UV, optical, and X-ray spectroscopy will be used to study the local ISM around the GRB. Chandra spectroscopy will investigate whether the GRB X-ray lines are from metals freshly ripped from the stellar core by the GRB. HST and CTIO infra-red imaging of the GRBs and their hosts will be used to determine whether `dark' bursts are the product of unusually strong local extinction; imaging studies may for the first time locate the hosts of `short' GRBs. Our early polarimetry and late-time broadband imaging will further test physical models of the relativistic blast wave that produces the bright GRB afterglow, and will provide unique insight into the influence of the GRB environment on the afterglow. STIS/CCD 10017 CCD Dark Monitor-Part 1 Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD. STIS/CCD 10019 CCD Bias Monitor - Part 1 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 10021 CCD Read Noise Monitor This proposal measures the read noise of all the amplifiers {A, B, C, D} on the STIS CCD using pairs of bias frames. Full frame and binned observations are made in both Gain 1 and Gain 4, with binning factors of 1x1, 1x2, 2x1 and 2x2. All exposures are internals. Pairs of visits are scheduled for bimonthly execution. STIS/CCD 10085 STIS Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 12 This is the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 12. STIS/MA1/MA2 10039 Spectroscopic Sensitivity Workout: First-order modes We will observe the primary flux standards G191B2B, GD71 and GD153, obtaining first-order spectra in all L-modes {G191B2B only in the CCD modes due to its high brightness in the UV}. By comparing observed and model spectra, we will update calibration reference files describing spectroscopic sensitivity {and CTE loss} as a function of time. On visit of GD71 will be spent on verifying the recently derived CTE formula for STIS Spectroscopic modes with the CCD, by stepping the target along the slit {7 positions} with two {short} exposure times. This will verify the results using the two-amplifier readout method, and provide high-S/N data at low intensity levels and low background level. WFPC2 10068 WFPC2 CYCLE 12 Standard Darks 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. WFPC2 10069 WFPC2 CYCLE 12 Supplemental Darks, Part 1/3 This dark calibration program obtains 3 dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. WFPC2 10072 WFPC2 CYCLE 12 INTERNAL MONITOR This calibration proposal is the Cycle 12 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 {gain 7 and gain 15}, a test for quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup of contaminants on the CCD windows. WFPC2 9709 POMS Test Proposal: WFII parallel archive proposal This is the generic target version of the WFPC2 Archival Pure Parallel program. The program will be used to take parallel images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the 2002 Parallels Working Group. FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.) HSTAR 9262: GS Reacquisition (1,3,1) @ 005/12:23:46Z failed to Gyro control with SSLE four times on FGS 1, beginning @ 005/12:25:59Z. Primary GS acquisition @ 005/10:48:09Z was successful. Under investigation. HSTAR 9264: NICMOS suspended @ 006/00:01:43Z, received NICMOS Status Buffer message 104 which states "while in boot mode, a Control Section reset was detected", however, we were not in Boot mode, in SAA Operate. The parameter is 2, which is a software reset, page fault intel exception. This error is referenced in KDDL #65. SISE, NASA, CHAMP, and STScI was notified. A NICMOS dump was executed @ 006/01:23:15Z. Note: Recovery will be performed today when no NICMOS activities are scheduled. This error has been seen previously and is documented in KDDL #65. HSTAR 9265: GS Acquisition (3,2,3) @ 006/02:19:34Z resulted in FL backup FGS2 due to SSLE on FGS 3. Prior FM Updates @ 006/01:59Z and 02:02Z showed good attitude error vector. Following GS Reacquisition @ 006/03:55Z will also fail to FLBU on FGS 2. FHST Map @ 006/02:53:52Z showed 3-axis errors of 13.965, -2.188, and -3.539 arcsec. Under investigation. COMPLETED OPS REQs: None OPS NOTES EXECUTED: None SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES FGS GSacq 07 07 FGS REacq 07 06 005/1226 (HSTAR#9262) FHST Update 15 15 LOSS of LOCK SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: HST Command Generator Ops Acceptance Testing scheduled 006/10:00Z - 007/02:00Z with GDOC, HITT, SE, and VEST using CCS "B" String with CCS Release 4.0.3.1 and PRD O06300T. The purpose of this testing is to verify installation and backout procedures for the RAM version of Command Generator work in an operational scenario. Electrical Power Subsystem: Off-lining -E and -D SPAs first opportunity scheduled 006/15:45:30Z - 16:35:50Z. See Ops Request 17077 with attached scripts. |
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