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Daily 3657
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 3657 PERIOD COVERED: DOY 201 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED ACS/HRC 10255 A Never Before Explored Phase Space: Resolving Close White Dwarf / Red Dwarf Binaries We propose an ACS Snapshot imaging survey to resolve a well-defined sample of highly probable white dwarf plus red dwarf close binaries. These candidates were selected from a search for white dwarfs with infrared excess from the 2MASS database. They represent unresolved systems {separations less than approximately 2" in the 2MASS images} and are distributed over the whole sky. Our HST+ACS observations will be sensitive to a separation range {1-20 AU} never before probed by any means. The proposed study will be the first empirical test of binary star parameters in the post-AGB phase, and cannot be accomplished from the ground. By resolving as few as 20 of our ~100 targets with HST, we will be able to characterize the distribution of orbital semi-major axes and secondary star masses. ACS/HRC/WFC 10061 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 9727 Exploration of the SN Ia Hubble Diagram at z 1.2 In the spirit of a Treasury proposal, we propose to organize, and deliver to the astronomical community, non-proprietary follow-up observations of ~10 Type Ia supernovae at 1z1.7 that are expected to be discovered in a Cycle 12 Treasury proposal. Together with the currently available sample, this would provide a Hubble diagram with over 20 SNe Ia in this redshift range, where it is possible to test the current cosmological model in the epoch of deceleration: If z ~ 0.5 SNe Ia are fainter due to evolution rather than an accelerating expansion, they should continue to get fainter at even higher redshifts. This size sample will show trends and outliers, and permit a more rigorous treatment of the asymmetric amplification distribution from gravitational lensing. This is a key redshift range for the studies of dark energy that will be done with future surveys; this dataset will lay the ground-work for these studies by establishing the simple properties of the supernovae in this redshift range, including magnitudes, colors, and timescales. If considered more appropriate, this proposal could be treated as a part of a Treasury or Director's Discretionary program, since the data would be available to everybody immediately, and we would welcome others who would want to work with us on it. NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8793 NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 4 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 9845 NICMOS Confirmation of a Young Planetary-Mass Companion We have recently discovered a strong candidate for a planetary-mass {~10 Mjup} companion to a young Sun-like star, based on near-IR imaging and spectroscopy with the Keck and Subaru adaptive optics {AO} systems. While the ground-based data strongly suggest that the candidate has a very low effective temperature, and hence a very low mass, they are not definitive. We propose to obtain NICMOS coronagraphy to measure the companion's 1.9um water-band absorption. This feature is a distinct signature of very cool objects and is unobservable from the ground. The combined ground-based and space-based data set will determine whether the companion has a very low temperature, and hence if it is the lowest mass companion found to date by direct imaging. NIC2 9875 The Fundamental Plane of Massive Gas-Rich Mergers We propose deep NICMOS H-band imaging of a carefully selected sample of 33 luminous, late-stage galactic mergers. This program is part of a comprehensive investigation of the most luminous mergers in the nearby universe, the ultraluminous infrared galaxies {ULIGs}. The high-resolution HST images will complement an extensive set of ground-based data that include long-slit NIR spectra from a recently approved Large VLT Programme. This unique dataset will allow us to derive with unprecedented precision structural -and- kinematic parameters for a large unbiased sample of objects spanning the entire ULIG luminosity function. These data will refine the fundamental plane of massive gas-rich mergers and enable us to answer the following questions: {1} Do ultraluminous mergers form elliptical galaxies, and in particular, giant ellipticals? {2} Do ULIGs evolve into optically bright QSOs? The results from this detailed study of massive mergers in the local universe will be relevant to understanding galaxy formation and evolution at earlier epochs, and in particular, the dusty sub-mm population that accounts for more than half of the star formation at z 1. NIC3 10014 Spectrophotometry of FAINT IR STANDARDS Cycle 12 is an especially opportune time to establish companion faint IR standards for WFC3, because the NICMOS proposal 9998 includes observations in cycle 12 of all 6 of the primary standard stars in order to establish the absolute flux calibration of the three grism modes to 1%. In addition to WFC3, these new faint secondary IR standards will be a significant step towards establishing flux standards for JWST, as well as for SNAP, SIRTF, and SOFIA. The 6 primary standards included in Propid=9998 are in the range of V=11-13 and include three hot pure hydrogen WDs and 3 solar analogs. We propose to establish new IR faint standards in the 15-17 mag range. Appropriate spectral types for faint IR standards are solar analogs and hotter WDs. Many M type and cooler stars are variable, so that long term monitoring is required before committing HST time to such cool stars. A few G type and WD faint stars will provide a set of faint IR standards with minimal sky and color coverage. Existing HST images of any candidates can provide verification that there are no contaminating stars above the 1% level within 2-3arcsec. However, the ACS calibration field in 47 Tuc is too crowded for linking to ground based observations. If the other candidates are selected from SDSS or other ground based data, then the NICMOS and STIS acquisition images can provide this verification, as well as correction factors for arbitrary photometric size apertures. The SNAP team is providing the northern faint stars using unreleased SDSS data. In addition, the extreme coolest types such as L and T stars have proven essential to sorting out the long wavelength QE of ACS; both the ACS and eventually WFC3 calibrations could be improved with knowledge of L and T SEDs in the region beyond 0.95 microns. In addition to the primary purpose of ACS QE vs. wavelength and broad band F814W and F850LP calibrations, these three stars in C.} below are at the flux level required for WFC3 grism calibration. The brighter M, L, and T standard stars will each require a NICMOS orbit, while each faint standard requires two NICMOS orbits and one STIS orbit for complete wavelength coverage. The STIS spectra of the M and L stars are done as ACS calibrations in cycles 12 and 11, respectively. An additional faint WD has already been proposed for 2 NICMOS and 4 STIS orbits in their cycle 12 programs already. See Table 1 for a summary of the 18 orbit allocation for this program 10014. Bright stars in the V=0-6 mag range would be useful for direct comparisons to NIST calibrated lamps. This comparison would offer the opportunity to compare two fundamentally different realms of physics: pure hydrogen stellar models and laboratory black body physics. Unfortunately, the NICMOS bright limit is V=~8 for a solar analog and a 1s exposure without defocusing the OTA. The primary Sloan standard BD+17d4708 at V=9.9 is safely fainter than this NICMOS limit. 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. STIS/CCD 10222 The Next Generation Spectral Library We propose to complete our 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] -1.5}, low {-1.5 [Fe/H] -0.5}, near-solar {-0.3 [Fe/H] 0.1}, and super-solar {[Fe/H] 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. 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. 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 10071 WFPC2 CYCLE 12 Supplemental Darks Part 3/3 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. 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: None SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES FGS GSacq 09 09 FGS REacq 07 07 FHST Update 13 13 LOSS of LOCK SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: None |
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