Daily # 4230

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT # 4230

PERIOD COVERED: UT October 30, 2006 (DOY 303)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

ACS/HRC 10738

Earth Flats

Sky flats will be obtained by observing the bright Earth with the HRC
and WFC. These observations will be used to verify the accuracy of the
flats currently in the pipeline and to monitor any changes. Weekly
coronagraphic monitoring is required to assess the changing position
of the spots.

ACS/HRC 10833

Host Galaxies of Reverberation Mapped AGNs

We propose to obtain unsaturated high-resolution images of 17
reverberation-mapped active galactic nuclei in order to remove the
point-like nuclear light from each image, thus yielding a
"nucleus-free" image of the host galaxy. This will allow investigation
of host galaxy properties: our particular interest is determination of
the host-galaxy starlight contribution to the reverberation-mapping
observations. This is necessary {1} for accurate determination of the
relationship between the AGN nuclear continuum flux and the size of
the broad Balmer-line emitting regions of AGNs, which is important in
estimating black hole masses for large samples of QSOs, and {2} for
accurate determination of the bolometric luminosity of the AGN proper.
Through observations in Cycles 12 and 14, we have obtained or will
obtain images of 18 of the 35 objects in the reverberation-mapping
compilation of Peterson et al. {2004}. These observations revealed
that the host-galaxy contribution, even in the higher-luminosity AGNs,
is higher than expected and that all of the reverberation-mapped AGNs
will have to be observed, not just the lower-luminosity sources; each
source is different, and each source is important. Therefore we
request time to observe the 17 remaining reverberation-mapped AGNs.

ACS/HRC/WFC 10758

ACS CCDs daily monitor

This program consists of a set of basic tests to monitor, the read
noise, the development of hot pixels and test for any source of noise
in ACS CCD detectors. The files, biases and dark will be used to
create reference files for science calibration. This programme will be
for the entire lifetime of ACS. Changes from cycle 13:- The default
gain for WFC is 2 e-/DN. As before bias frames will be collected for
both gain 1 and gain 2. Dark frames are acquired using the default
gain {2}. This program cover the period May, 31 2006- Oct, 1-2006. The
first half of the program has a different proposal number: 10729.

ACS/WFC 10876

SL2S: The Strong Lensing Legacy Survey

Strong Gravitational Lensing is an invaluable tool to constrain the
absolute mass distribution of structures irrespective of their light
distribution. Strong Lensing has successfully been applied to single
galaxies lensing quasars into multiple images, and to massive clusters
lensing background sources into giant arcs. More recently, the Sloan
Lens ACS Survey also found numerous examples of isolated, yet massive
ellipticals lensing background galaxies into Einstein rings. We have
started the Strong Lensing Legacy Survey {SL2S} looking for strong
lenses in the 170 sq. degree CFHT-Legacy Survey, using dedicated
automated search procedures, optimized for detection of arcs and
Einstein rings. Thanks to the unsurpassed combined depth, area and
image quality of the CFHT-LS, we uncovered a new population of lenses:
the intermediate mass halo and sub-halo lenses. This new population
effectively bridges the gap between single galaxies and massive
clusters. Here, we propose to obtain SNAPSHOT ACS images of the 50
first strong lens candidates with Einstein radii 2"Re9" {found in
the first 45 sq. degrees of CFHT-LS data released}. The ACS images
will allow us to model in details the mass distribution of this new
population of lensing groups under various lensing configurations.
Using ACS images, we ultimately hope to provide a better understanding
of the formation of structures by studying the lensing signatures of
the key population of galaxy groups.

ACS/WFC 10880

The host galaxies of QSO2s: AGN feeding and evolution at high
luminosities

Now that the presence of supermassive black holes in the nuclei of
galaxies is a well established fact, other questions related to the
AGN phenomena still have to be answered. Problems of particular
interest are how the AGN gets fed, how the black hole evolves and how
the evolution of the black hole is related to the evolution of the
galaxy bulge. Here we propose to address some of these issues using
ACS/WFC + F775W snapshot images of 73 QSO2s with redshifts in the
range 0.3z0.4. These observations will be combined with similar
archival data of QSO1s and ground based data of Seyfert and normal
galaxies. First, we will intestigate whether interactions are the most
important feeding mechanism in high luminosity AGNs. This will be done
in a quantitative way, comparing the asymmetry indices of QSO2 hosts
with those of lower luminosity AGNs and normal galaxies. Second, we
will do a detailed study of the morphology of the host galaxies of
both QSO types, to determine if they are similar, or if there is an
evolutionary trend from QSO2s to QSO1s. The results from this project
will represent an important step in the understanding of AGN
evolution, and may also introduce a substantial modification to the
Unified Model.

ACS/WFC/HRC 10920

High-Resolution Imaging of Nearby Lyman Break Galaxy Analogs in the
GALEX All-Sky Survey

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.
These compact UV luminous galaxies {UVLGs} resemble Lyman Break
Galaxies in terms of size, UV luminosity, star-formation rate, surface
brightness, mass, metallicity, kinematics, dust content, and color.
They have characteristic ``ages'' {stellar mass/SFR} of only a few
hundred Myr. This population of galaxies is thus worthy of study in
its own right and as a sample of local analogs of Lyman Break
Galaxies. We propose to image a sample of the 9 nearest and brightest
compact UVLGs in the near-ultraviolet, near-infrared, and H-alpha
using ACS. With these images we will 1} characterize their structure
and morphology, 2} look for signs of interactions and mergers, 3}
investigate the distribution and propogation of star formation over
varying time scales, and 4} quantify the stellar populations and star
formation history, in order to determine whether a previous generation
of stars formed long before the current burst. These data will
perfectly complement our existing Spitzer, GALEX, and SDSS data, and
will provide important information on star-formation in the
present-day universe as well as shed light on the earliest major
episodes of star formation in high-redshift galaxies.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8794

NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 5

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.

NIC2 10893

Sweeping Away the Dust: Reliable Dark Energy with an Infrared Hubble
Diagram

We propose building a high-z Hubble Diagram using type Ia supernovae
observed in the infrared rest-frame J-band. The infrared has a number
of exceptional properties. The effect of dust extinction is minimal,
reducing a major systematic tha may be biasing dark energy
measurements. Also, recent work indicates that type Ia supernovae are
true standard candles in the infrared meaning that our Hubble diagram
will be resistant to possible evolution in the Phillips relation over
cosmic time. High signal-to-noise measurements of 9 type Ia events at
z~0.4 will be compared with an independent optical Hubble diagram from
the ESSENCE project to test for a shift in the derived dark energy
equation of state due to a systematic bias. Because of the bright sky
background, H-band photometry of z~0.4 supernovae is not feasible from
the ground. Only the superb image quality and dark infrared sky seen
by HST makes this test possible. This experiment may also lead to a
better, more reliable way of mapping the expansion history of the
universe with the Joint Dark Energy Mission.

WFPC2 10748

WFPC2 CYCLE 14 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 10915

ACS Nearby Galaxy Survey

Existing HST observations of nearby galaxies comprise a sparse and
highly non-uniform archive, making comprehensive comparative studies
among galaxies essentially impossible. We propose to secure HST's
lasting impact on the study of nearby galaxies by undertaking a
systematic, complete, and carefully crafted imaging survey of ALL
galaxies in the Local Universe outside the Local Group. The resulting
images will allow unprecedented measurements of: {1} the star
formation history {SFH} of a 100 Mpc^3 volume of the Universe with a
time resolution of Delta[log{t}]=0.25; {2} correlations between
spatially resolved SFHs and environment; {3} the structure and
properties of thick disks and stellar halos; and {4} the color
distributions, sizes, and specific frequencies of globular and disk
clusters as a function of galaxy mass and environment. To reach these
goals, we will use a combination of wide-field tiling and pointed deep
imaging to obtain uniform data on all 72 galaxies within a
volume-limited sample extending to ~3.5 Mpc, with an extension to the
M81 group. For each galaxy, the wide-field imaging will cover out to
~1.5 times the optical radius and will reach photometric depths of at
least 2 magnitudes below the tip of the red giant branch throughout
the limits of the survey volume. One additional deep pointing per
galaxy will reach SNR~10 for red clump stars, sufficient to recover
the ancient SFH from the color-magnitude diagram. This proposal will
produce photometric information for ~100 million stars {comparable to
the number in the SDSS survey} and uniform multi-color images of half
a square degree of sky. The resulting archive will establish the
fundamental optical database for nearby galaxies, in preparation for
the shift of high-resolution imaging to the near-infrared.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

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

HSTARS:

10491 - GSacq(2,0,2) failed to RGA control

GSacq(2,0,2) scheduled at 303/01:14:21 failed to RGA control due to
receiving stop flag QF2STOPF. The OBAD before the GSacq showed errors
of V1= -3.37, V2= -12.88, V3= 1.98, RSS= 13.46. The Map at 01:19:51
showed errors of V1= 3.99, V2= 1.52, V3= 2.58, RSS= 4.99.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq 11 10
FGS REacq 04 04
OBAD with Maneuver 30 30

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)