#1
|
|||
|
|||
Daily 3565
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 3565 PERIOD COVERED: DOYs 65-68 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED NIC3 9999 The COSMOS 2-Degree ACS Survey NICMOS Parallels The COSMOS 2-Degree ACS Survey NICMOS Parallels. This program is a companion to program 9822. S/C/NIC1/NIC3 9994 NICMOS Focus Stability The purpose of this activity is to determine if the best focus determined in SMOV is stable. This program will execute in approximately one month intervals starting about 1 month after the last execution of proposal 8980. 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. STIS 9973 Intensive Coverage of the Eta Carinae Event in 2003 For a variety of reasons, HST can provide a very special and unique data set when Eta Car experiences its next spectroscopic event in mid-2003. Explaining the phenomenon is only part of the motivation. This star and its ejecta have unique characteristics that make them important for several branches of astrophysics; and when a spectroscopic event occurs, it's like varying the parameters in an experiment {or rather, set of experiments}. The 2003 event may be the only chance in the forseeable future to obtain such a data set, especially with HST. Eta Carinae has extreme parameters; it is mysterious in surprisingly basic ways; and HST/STIS can gather useful data on it at a terrific rate. As we explain below, the proposed data set will be valuable in several independent ways: It will help solve a specific set of current problems, it will constitute a large and unique archival data base for both stellar and nebular astrophysics, and it will be well-suited for educational uses. ACS/HRC/WFC/NIC3 9890 Probing the Dynamics and Shock Physics of the Cas A Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A {Cas A; SN 1680} is the youngest known and closest example of an oxygen-rich, core-collapse supernova remnant. A two-year WFPC2 survey of part of the remnant yielded many new insights including realization of the stunning amount of fine-scale detail present in the ejecta, and the first precise location of the reverse shock front in the main shell via rapid emission and structural changes visible over 2 yrs. In addition, these data revealed over 100 new ejecta knots located out ahead of the forward blast wave in a small region where only a handful were known from ground-based images. We propose a follow-up survey program aimed at obtaining hi-res images of the entire remnant in the ejecta's four major emission lines. A separate set of ACS and NIC3 [Si VI] images of the NW reverse shock filaments will be taken 3-4 months following the main Cycle 12 survey images. These will allow us to the trace individual ejecta knot deceleration dynamics, excitation, and evolution during reverse shock passage. Analysis of the emission line fluxes will make use of custom shock models generated by us for Cas A. These data will also provide data on outer knot chemistry and expansion asymmetries particularly in regard to the collimation of the NE and SW jets of O, Si, Ca-rich ejecta. A major aim of this program is to acquire a superb two-year image database covering the entire remnant to allow a detailed shock physics and dynamics study. NIC2 9834 Finding Planets in the Stellar Graveyard: A Faint Companion Search of White Dwarfs with NICMOS We propose to do a deep search for substellar objects in orbit around white dwarfs with the newly refurbished NICMOS camera as part of the PI's doctoral thesis work. Direct imaging of planets around main sequence stars is difficult due to the large contrast ratio, a problem which is much less severe for companions to white dwarfs. White dwarfs are not usually considered in planet searches but recent theoretical work and observations are motivating new searches for planetary systems and dust disks around DAZ white dwarfs. We propose to conduct the search with the NIC2 coronagraph to find resolved companions and do photometry to search for unresolved companions through Near-IR excesses. We estimate that the survey will be sensitive to brown dwarfs, high mass jovian planets, and dust disks. By probing a wide range of orbital separations and companion masses, this survey will help to answer questions about the brown dwarf desert, common envelope evolution, and planet formation. HST and NICMOS provide a unique capability to do this search, as no ground based observatory with AO can adequately search for faint companions as close and with such high contrast. ACS/WFC/WFPC2 9822 The COSMOS 2-Degree ACS Survey We will undertake a 2 square degree imaging survey {Cosmic Evolution Survey -- COSMOS} with ACS in the I {F814W} band of the VIMOS equatorial field. This wide field survey is essential to understand the interplay between Large Scale Structure {LSS} evolution and the formation of galaxies, dark matter and AGNs and is the one region of parameter space completely unexplored at present by HST. The equatorial field was selected for its accessibility to all ground-based telescopes and low IR background and because it will eventually contain ~100, 000 galaxy spectra from the VLT-VIMOS instrument. The imaging will detect over 2 million objects with I 27 mag {AB, 10 sigma}, over 35, 000 Lyman Break Galaxies {LBGs} and extremely red galaxies out to z ~ 5. COSMOS is the only HST project specifically designed to probe the formation and evolution of structures ranging from galaxies up to Coma-size clusters in the epoch of peak galaxy, AGN, star and cluster formation {z ~0.5 to 3}. The size of the largest structures necessitate the 2 degree field. Our team is committed to the assembly of several public ancillary datasets including the optical spectra, deep XMM and VLA imaging, ground-based optical/IR imaging, UV imaging from GALEX and IR data from SIRTF. Combining the full-spectrum multiwavelength imaging and spectroscopic coverage with ACS sub-kpc resolution, COSMOS will be Hubble's ultimate legacy for understanding the evolution of both the visible and dark universe. NIC2 9798 What's The Point? Deep NICMOS Imaging of the Central X-ray Point Source in Cas A First-light Chandra X-ray Observatory images revealed an enigmatic central point source in Cas A, the Galaxy's youngest known supernova remnant {SN 1680}. The object lies within 7 arcsec of the remnant's expansion center and is presumably the remnant's neutron star with unusual properties. Deep Cycle 9 STIS observations and Keck's near-IR imaging detected only one object within the Chandra positional error circle, and this appears to be a foreground star. These optical and NIR upper limits already prove that the X-ray source cannot be a field star, an AGN, an ordinary pulsar, or an X-ray binary with any known type of optical companion. A likely possibility is that it is a very young magnetar that will evolve into an Anomalous X-ray Pulsar or a Soft Gamma-ray Repeater. Due to the high extinction to Cas A, deep NICMOS imaging offers the best way to search for a counterpart. Here we propose obtaining NIC2 H band images which will go to H=25.7 -- almost 6 mags deeper than the previous searches and about 2 mags deeper than is realistically possible with Keck or Subaru. The high-resolution capability of NIC2 will also limit potential source confusion in this galactic plane region. We will obtain matching J images {to 27.2 mag} to provide color information on the candidate objects. These ultra-deep NICMOS images will either detect the counterpart and hence determine its nature, or place severe constraints on the properties of the point source. STIS 9786 The Next Generation Spectral Library We propose to continue the Cycle 10 snapshot program to produce a Next Generation Spectral Library of 600 stars for use in modeling the integrated light of galaxies and clusters. This program is using the low dispersion UV and optical gratings of STIS. The library will be roughly equally divided among four metallicities, very low {[Fe/H] lt -1.5}, low {[Fe/H] -1.5 to -0.5}, near-solar {[Fe/H] -0.3 to 0.1}, and super-solar {[Fe/H] gt 0.2}, well-sampling the entire HR-diagram in each bin. Such a library will surpass all extant compilations and have lasting archival value, well into the Next Generation Space Telescope era. Because of the universal utility and community-broad nature of this venture, we waive the entire proprietary period. ACS/WFC/HRC 9771 The local Hubble flow and the density field within 6 Mpc Great progress has been made recently in accurate distance measurements of nearby galaxies beyond the Local Group based on the luminosity of the tip of the red giant branch {TRGB}. Over the last three years, snapshot surveys with HST have provided us with the TRGB distances for more than a hundred nearby galaxies obtained with an accuracy of about 10%. The local velocity field within 5 Mpc exhibits a significant anisotropy which disagrees with a spherical Virgo-centric flow. The local Hubble flow is very cold, with 1-D rms deviations of ~30 km/s. Cosmological simulations with Cold Dark Matter can only realize such low dispersions with a combination of a low mean density of matter and a substantial component with negative pressure. There may be a constraint on the equation of state w=-p/rho. Our observations will concentrate on 116 galaxies whose expected distances lie within 4 - 6 Mpc, allowing us to trace a Dark Matter distribution in the Local Volume with twice the information currently available. The program is a good one for SNAP mode because the order and rate that the observations are made are not very important, as long as there is good completion over several years. NIC2 9768 Enabling Coronagraphic Polarimetry with NICMOS We propose to enable a new mode on NICMOS that combines the powerful diffracted light rejection of the coronagraph with the diagnostic power of polarimetry. This new capability will open a new regime in high contrast imaging that has not been possible before. We will enable this capability by observing calibration targets with the coronagraph and the NIC2 polarizers in place. The enabled science includes, but is not limited to, detection and imaging of circumstellar debris in polarized light, the polarized emission surrounding bright planetary nebulae, and the extended structure around bright active galaxies. A similar capability is possible with the ACS, and therefore HST would provide the only platform for this extremely high contrast imaging covering the entire near-UV, optical and near-infrared wavelength regime. Only the combined HST NICMOS system has the combined resolution and stability {especially with the NCS} to provide high spatial resolution, coronagraphic, near-infrared polarimetry in the foreseeable future. The technique is absolutely unique to HST and will enable a new regime in high contrast imaging. ACS/WFC 9766 The Globular Cluster Systems of Spiral Galaxies along the Hubble Sequence While the globular cluster {GC} systems of ellipticals and ongoing mergers have been relatively well-studied with HST, very little is known about the GC systems of spirals besides the Milky Way and M31. To constrain GC/galaxy formation models, especially where spirals are the merger progenitors of ellipticals, it is crucial to understand their GC properties. We propose to obtain ACS images of three edge-on spirals, spanning the Hubble sequence, with Keck spectroscopic follow-up. This will effectively double the number of well-studied spiral systems. We will detect 100-200 GCs per galaxy, sufficient to reveal GC subpopulations, their relative numbers, radial trends, and dependences on Hubble type {e.g., a bulge vs. disk origin for red GCs}. For half of our GCs we will be able to measure individual sizes. By providing a much-needed comparative benchmark, these data will allow researchers to better exploit the large existing HST database of GCs in E/S0 galaxies. ACS/HRC 9747 An Imaging Survey of the Statistical Frequency of Binaries Among Exceptionally-Young Dynamical Families in the Main Asteroid Belt We propose an ambitious SNAPSHOT program to determine the frequency of binaries among two very young asteroid families in the Main Belt, with potentially profound implications. These families {of C- and S-type} have recently been discovered {Nesvorny et al. 2002, Nature 417, 720}, through dynamical modeling, to have been formed at 5.8 MY and 8.3 MY ago in catastrophic impact events. This is the first time such precise and young ages have been assigned to a family. Main-belt binaries are almost certainly produced by collisions, and we would expect a young family to have a significantly higher frequency of binaries than the background, because they may not yet have been destroyed by impact or longer-term gravitational instabilities. In fact, one of the prime observables from such an event should be the propensity for satellites. This is the best way that new numerical models for binary production by collisions {motivated largely by our ground-based discoveries of satellites among larger asteroids}, can be validated and calibrated. HST is the only facility that can be used to search for binaries among such faint objects {V17.5}. We will also measure two control clusters, one being an "old" family, and the other a collection of background asteroids that do not have a family association, and further compare with our determined value for the frequency of large main-belt binaries {2%}. We request visits to 180 targets, using ACS/HRC. STIS/MA1/MA2 9739 Are We Missing the Dominant Sites of Star Formation in Local UV-Bright Starbursts? We propose to explore the ages, extinctions, and masses of young stellar clusters in four nearby dwarf starburst galaxies {He 2-10, NGC 5253, NGC 4214, and IIZw40}. We will combine available archival data with new, high resolution HST observations from the ultraviolet to the infrared. All four galaxies are known from ground based radio/infrared observations to contain highly obscured, massive stellar clusters, which dominate the far infrared flux. Despite the fact that almost all of the infrared flux comes from regions which are obscured at UV and optical wavelengths, these galaxies are consistent with the well known correlation between the UV slope {beta} and the ratio of far infrared flux to ultraviolet flux at 1600 Angstroms. Because the UV and IR fluxes are decoupled, this observation implies that a simple foreground screen model, where UV photons from hot stars are reprocessed into the infrared by local dust, is not the proper interpretation for why these galaxies follow the beta relation. We propose to investigate the underlying mechanisms responsible for this observed correlation in these UV bright galaxies, and explore the implication for high redshift starbursts. ACS/WFC 9701 ACS Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program II The proposal is designed to test ACS pure parallels in POMS. ACS/WFC 9575 Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program. The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC) was used to test ACS pure parallels in POMS. 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. WFPC2 10090 WFII backup parallel archive proposal This is a POMS test proposal designed to simulate scientific plans. STIS/CCD 10085 STIS Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 12 This is the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 12. WFPC2 10084 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. WFPC2 10073 Earth Flats This proposal monitors flatfield stability. This proposal obtains sequences of Earth streak flats to construct high quality flat fields for the WFPC2 filter set. These flat fields will allow mapping of the OTA illumination pattern and will be used in conjuction with previous internal and external flats to generate new pipeline superflats. These Earth flats will complement the Earth flat data obtained during cycles 4-11. 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 10070 WFPC2 CYCLE 12 Supplemental Darks Part 2/3 This dark calibration program obtains 3 dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. 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. 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/HRC/WFC 10044 ACS internal CTE monitor The charge transfer efficiency {CTE} of the ACS CCD detectors will decline as damage due to on-orbit radiation exposure accumulates. This degradation will be closely monitored at regular intervals, because it is likely to determine the useful lifetime of the CCDs. All the data for this program is acquired using internal targets {lamps} only, so all of the exposures should be taken during Earth occultation time {but not during SAA passages}. This program emulates the ACS pre-flight ground calibration and post-launch SMOV testing {program 8948}, so that results from each epoch can be directly compared. Extended Pixel Edge Response {EPER} and First Pixel Response {FPR} data will be obtained over a range of signal levels for both the Wide Field Channel {WFC}, and the High Resolution Channel {HRC}. STIS/MA1 10034 Cycle 12 MAMA Dark Monitor This test performs the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise. This proposal will provide the primary means of checking on health of the MAMA detectors systems through frequent monitoring of the background count rate. The purpose is to look for evidence of change in dark indicative of detector problem developing. STIS/CCD 10022 STIS CCD Hot Pixel Annealing Cycle 12 The effectiveness of the CCD hot pixel annealing process is assessed by measuring the dark current behavior before and after annealing and by searching for any window contamination effects. In addition CTE performance is examined by looking for traps in a low signal level flat. Follows on from proposal 9612. 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 10017 CCD Dark Monitor-Part 1 Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD. WFPC2/ACS/HRC/WFC 10013 Focus Monitor The focus of HST is measured from WFPC2/PC and ACS/HRC images of stars. Multiple exposures are taken in parallel over an orbit to determine the influence of breathing on the derived mean focus. Observations are taken of clusters with suitable orientations to ensure stars appear in all fields. FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.) None COMPLETED OPS REQs: None OPS NOTES EXECUTED: 1115-0 CCC IPCONFIG Connections @ 064/17:31z 1205-0 Return Thermal Limits to Database Values @ 065/16:50z 1206-0 Change Limits MAMA1 Threshold Voltage @ 067/01:15z SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES FGS GSacq 43 43 FGS REacq 11 11 FHST Update 69 69 LOSS of LOCK SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: SMS SA068O01 products are the first use of a new Basefile, ms_04068.bas, which reduces the number of cycles on the FHST shutters. This change will executed FHST AutoMaps only after a GS Acquisition, rather than after the GS Acquisition and the first commanding. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Monitoring NASA Daily ISS Report | JimO | Space Station | 2 | June 1st 04 10:33 PM |
JimO Speaks on 'Daily Planet' re Hubble | JimO | Policy | 0 | February 11th 04 10:53 PM |
Spirit's daily activities schedule? | Matti Anttila | Policy | 0 | January 15th 04 08:39 AM |
best site for daily schedule of rover activity? | bob | History | 2 | January 5th 04 12:16 PM |
Investor's Business Daily: Rethinking NASA | dougk | Policy | 1 | August 28th 03 12:07 AM |