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Daily 3596



 
 
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Old April 22nd 04, 04:26 PM
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Default Daily 3596

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT # 3596

PERIOD COVERED: DOY 112

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

ACS/HRC 10050

ACS Earth Flats

High signal 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 used by the pipeline and will provide
a comparison with flats derived via other techniques: L-flats from
stellar observations, sky flats from stacked GO observations, and
internal flats using the calibration lamps. Weekly coronographic
monitoring is required to assess the changing position of the spots.

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.

ACS/HRC 9974

Mid-Ultraviolet Spectral Templates for Old Stellar Systems

We propose a three-year program to provide both observational and
theoretical mid-ultraviolet {2300A -- 3100A} spectral templates for
interpreting the age and metallicity of globular clusters and
elliptical galaxies from spectra of their integrated light. The mid-UV
is the region most directly influenced by stellar age, and is observed
directly in optical and infrared studies of high-redshift quiescent
systems. The reliability of age and metallicity determinations remains
questionable until non-solar metallicities and abundance ratios are
considered, and stars spanning the color-magnitude diagram are
included, as we propose here. With archival HST STIS spectra we have
improved the list of mid-UV atomic line parameters, then calculated
spectra from first principles which match observed spectra of standard
stars up to one- fourth solar metallicity. We will extend both
observations and calculations to stars of solar metallicity and
beyond, and to those in short-lived stages hotter than the
main-sequence turnoff, stars not currently well-represented in
empirical libraries. The necessary line-list improvements will come
from new high-resolution mid-UV spectra of nine field stars. A key
application of the results of this program will be to the old systems
now being discovered as `Extremely Red Objects' at high redshifts.
Reliable age-dating of these places constraints on the epoch when
large structures first formed in the universe.


ACS/HRC/WFC 10060

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 9811

Establishing the Metallicity Distribution in Normal Giant Ellipticals

NGC 3377 and 3379, the Leo Group ellipticals at d=11 Mpc, are the
nearest E galaxies commonly regarded to be structurally" normal", and
as such, they are keystone objects for understanding the evolution and
early star formation history of large ellipticals. The ACS/WFC camera
now gives us the ability to obtain the metallicity distribution
function {MDF} of their stellar population by direct resolution and
photometry of their halo stars. To do this, we will follow the same
highly successful techniques we have previously used for NGC 5128 with
WFPC2 {V, I} imaging: the {V-I} colors of the brightest red-giant
stars are highly sensitive to metallicity, and their locations in the
color-magnitude diagram can be used for direct construction of the
MDF. This will be a major step forward to understanding the formation
history of these cosmologically dominant galaxies.

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.

FGS 9879

An Astrometric Calibration of the Cepheid Period-Luminosity Relation

We propose to measure the parallaxes of 10 Galactic Cepheid variables.
When these parallaxes {with 1-sigma precisions of 10% or better} are
added to our recent HST FGS parallax determination of delta Cep
{Benedict et al 2002}, we anticipate determining the Period-Luminosity
relation zero point with a 0.03 mag precision. In addition to
permitting the test of assumptions that enter into other Cepheid
distance determination techniques, this calibration will reintroduce
Galactic Cepheids as a fundamental step in the extragalactic distance
scale ladder. A Period-Luminosity relation derived from solar
metallicity Cepheids can be applied directly to extragalactic solar
metallicity Cepheids, removing the need to bridge with the Large
Magellanic Cloud and its associated metallicity complications.

GO 9367

Unique Opportunities to Search for the Optical Counterparts to High-Z
Damped LyAlpha Systems

The galaxies responsible for damped LyAlpha absorption in QSO spectra
are difficult to observe against the strong background QSO emission.
We propose to detect even low luminosity galaxies associated with QSO
absorption line systems out to redshifts as high as z = 1.8 by
observing them in the shadow cast by an even higher redshift damped
LyAlpha absorber. As a result the galaxy will be observed free of
contamination by the background AGN and of the uncertainties which
arise when image processing techniques are required to remove the AGN
emission. We propose two approaches. In the first we will attempt to
detect a z = 1.8634 system seen in the optical spectrum of a high-z BL
Lac object in the shadow of two higher-redshift systems seen in the
same optical spectrum. In the second only the higher redshift
shadowing LyAlpha system is seen in the optical spectrum and the
presence of the lower- redshift systems at z = 0.713 and z = 1.0466
are inferred from the presence of strong MgII, SiII and FeII
absorption lines.

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.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8792

NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 3

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.

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.

STIS/CCD 10018

CCD Dark Monitor-Part 2

Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD.

STIS/CCD 10020

CCD Bias Monitor - Part 2

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.

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 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 9887

HST Observations of Astrophysically Important Visual Binaries

This is a continuation of a project begun in Cycle 7 and continued up
through Cycle 11. The program consists of annual or biannual WFPC2 or
FGS observations of three visual binary stars that will ultimately
yield fundamental astrophysical results, once their orbits and masses
are determined. Our targets are the following: {1} Procyon {P = 41
yr}, for which our first WFPC2 images yielded an extremely accurate
angular separation of the bright F star and its much fainter
white-dwarf companion. Combined with ground-based astrometry of the
bright star, our observation significantly revised downward the
derived masses, and brought Procyon A into excellent agreement with
theoretical evolutionary tracks for the first time. With the continued
monitoring proposed here, we will obtain masses to an accuracy of
better than 1%, providing a testbed for theories of both Sun-like
stars and white dwarfs. {2} G 107-70, a close double white dwarf {P =
19 yr} that promises to add two accurate masses to the tiny handful of
white-dwarf masses that are directly known from dynamical
measurements. {3} Mu Cas {P = 21 yr}, a famous metal-deficient G dwarf
for which accurate masses will lead to the stars' helium contents,
with cosmological implications.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary
reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.) None


COMPLETED OPS REQs:
17135-0 Genslew for proposal 9906 - slot 4 @112/2036z
17136-0 Genslew for proposal 9906 - slot 5 @112/2310z
17137-0 Genslew for proposal 9906 - slot 6 @113/0048z
17138-0 Genslew for proposal 9906 - slot 7 @113/0220z

OPS NOTES EXECUTED: None

SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES
FGS GSacq 7 7
FGS REacq 8 8
FHST Update 17 17
LOSS of LOCK


SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: None


 




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