Daily # 4279

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT # 4279

PERIOD COVERED: UT January 16, 2007 (DOY 016)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

ACS/HRC 11054

Photometric and Spectrophotometric Absolute Calibration

Verify repeatability of the ACS instrumentation on a single bright
star to ?0.2%. Determine any shift in the filter bandpasses since the
preflight lab measurements. Determine the relative magnitude of the 3
primary WD calibrators to 0.1%. Refine the sensitivity calibration of
the CCD prism and grisms at field center and determine the
repeatability accuracy of this calibration. Determine the level of
variability of the three HST red standard stars VB-8 {M7}, 2M0038+18
{L3.5} and 2M0559-14 {T5} and also measure their short wavelength
{7000A} fluxes. Measure the WFC red leak by adding one orbit for WFC
observation of the sdF8 SDSS standard BD+17d4708 in order to look for
continuity vs. SED from O,F,M,L,T.

ACS/SBC 10862

Comprehensive Auroral Imaging of Jupiter and Saturn during the
International Heliophysical Year

A comprehensive set of observations of the auroral emissions from
Jupiter and Saturn is proposed for the International Heliophysical
Year in 2007, a unique period of especially concentrated measurements
of space physics phenomena throughout the solar system. We propose to
determine the physical relationship of the various auroral processes
at Jupiter and Saturn with conditions in the solar wind at each
planet. This can be accomplished with campaigns of observations, with
a sampling interval not to exceed one day, covering at least one solar
rotation. The solar wind plasma density approaching Jupiter will be
measured by the New Horizons spacecraft, and a separate campaign near
opposition in May 2007 will determine the effect of large-scale
variations in the interplanetary magnetic field {IMF} on the Jovian
aurora by extrapolation from near-Earth solar wind measurements. A
similar Saturn campaign near opposition in Jan. 2007 will combine
extrapolated solar wind data with measurements from a wide range of
locations within the Saturn magnetosphere by Cassini. In the course of
making these observations, it will be possible to fully map the
auroral footprints of Io and the other satellites to determine both
the local magnetic field geometry and the controlling factors in the
electromagnetic interaction of each satellite with the corotating
magnetic field and plasma density. Also in the course of making these
observations, the auroral emission properties will be compared with
the properties of the near-IR ionospheric emissions {from ground-based
observations} and non thermal radio emissions, from ground-based
observations for Jupiter?s decametric radiation and Cassini plasma
wave measurements of the Saturn Kilometric Radiation {SKR}.

ACS/WFC 10793

A Survey for Supernovae in Massive High-Redshift Clusters

We propose to continue our ongoing program designed to measure, to an
unprecedented 30% accuracy, the SN-Ia rate in a sample of massive
z=0.5-0.9 galaxy clusters. The SN-Ia rate is a poorly known
observable, especially at high z, and in cluster environments. The SN
rate and its redshift dependence can serve as powerful discrimiminants
for a number of key issues in astrophysics and cosmology. Our
observations will: 1. Put clear constraints on the characteristic
SN-Ia "delay time," the typical time between the formation of a
stellar population and the explosion of some of its members as SNe-Ia.
Such constraints can exclude entire categories of SN-Ia progenitor
models, since different models predict different delays. 2. Help
resolve the question of the dominant source of the high metallicity in
the intracluster medium {ICM} - SNe-Ia, or core-collapse SNe from an
early stellar population with a top-heavy IMF, perhaps those
population III stars responsible for the early re-ionization of the
Universe. Since clusters are excellent laboratories for studying
enrichment {they generally have a simple star-formation history, and
matter cannot leave their deep potentials}, the results will be
relevant for understanding metal enrichment in general, and the
possible role of first generation stars in early Universal enrichment.
Observations obtained so far during cycle 14 yield many SNe in our
cluster fields, but our follow-up campaign reveals most are not in
cluster galaxies. Our interim results indicate a cluster SN rate at
the very low end of the range considered, and its accuracy is limited
by the small number of cluster SNe. We request additional visits to
increase the number of cluster SNe and achieve a measurement that is
not limited by Poisson errors. A detailed progress report is included.

ACS/WFC 10809

The nature of "dry" mergers in the nearby Universe

Recent studies have shown that "dry" mergers of red, bulge-dominated
galaxies at low redshift play an important role in shaping today's
most massive ellipticals. These mergers have been identified in
extremely deep ground-based images of red sequence galaxies at z ~
0.1. The ground-based images reach surface brightness limits of AB ~
29, but lack the resolution to study the morphologies of the galaxies
inside the effective radius. Here we propose to obtain ACS images of a
representative sample of 40 of these red sequence galaxies: 15 ongoing
dry mergers, 15 remnants, and 10 undisturbed objects. We will measure
the isophote shapes and ellipticities of the galaxies, their dust
content, morphological fine structure {shells and ripples}, AGN
content, and their location on the Fundamental Plane. By comparing
galaxies in different stages of the merging process we can constrain
the amount of gas associated with these red mergers, the effect of
active nuclei, and track structural changes. As two galaxies can be
observed in a single orbit 20 orbits are requested to observe the 40
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 10906

The Fundamental Plane of Massive Gas-Rich Mergers: II. The QUEST QSOs

We propose deep NICMOS H-band imaging of a carefully selected sample
of 23 local QSOs. This program is the last critical element of a
comprehensive investigation of the most luminous mergers in the nearby
universe, the ultraluminous infrared galaxies {ULIRGs} and the
quasars. This effort is called QUEST: Quasar / ULIRG Evolutionary
STudy. The high-resolution HST images of the QUEST QSOs will
complement an identical set of images on the ULIRG sample obtained
during Cycle 12, an extensive set of ground-based data that include
long-slit NIR spectra from a Large VLT Program, and a large set of
mid-infrared spectra from a Cycle 1 medium-size program with Spitzer.
This unique dataset will allow us to derive with unprecedented
precision structual, kinematic, and activity parameters for a large
unbiased sample of objects spanning the entire ULIRG/QSO luminosity
function. These data will refine the fundamental plane of massive
gas-rich mergers and enable us to answer the following quesitons: {1}
Do ultraluminous mergers form elliptical galaxies, and in particular,
giant ellipticals? {2} Do ULIRGs evolve into optical bright QSOs? The
results from this detailed study of massive mergers in the local
universe will be relevant to understanding the basic physical
processes involved in creating massive early-type host on the one
hand, and growing/feeding embedded massive black holes on the other,
in major galaxy mergers. This is an important question since 50% of
cosmic star formation at high-z and most of the big BHs appear to be
formed in this process.

NIC2, ACS/WFC 10802

SHOES-Supernovae, HO, for the Equation of State of Dark energy

The present uncertainty in the value of the Hubble constant {resulting
in an uncertainty in Omega_M} and the paucity of Type Ia supernovae at
redshifts exceeding 1 are now the leading obstacles to determining the
nature of dark energy. We propose a single, integrated set of
observations for Cycle 15 that will provide a 40% improvement in
constraints on dark energy. This program will observe known Cepheids
in six reliable hosts of Type Ia supernovae with NICMOS, reducing the
uncertainty in H_0 by a factor of two because of the smaller
dispersion along the instability strip, the diminished extinction, and
the weaker metallicity dependence in the infrared. In parallel with
ACS, at the same time the NICMOS observations are underway, we will
discover and follow a sample of Type Ia supernovae at z 1. Together,
these measurements, along with prior constraints from WMAP, will
provide a great improvement in HST's ability to distinguish between a
static, cosmological constant and dynamical dark energy. The Hubble
Space Telescope is the only instrument in the world that can make
these IR measurements of Cepheids beyond the Local Group, and it is
the only telescope in the world that can be used to find and follow
supernovae at z 1. Our program exploits both of these unique
capabilities of HST to learn more about one of the greatest mysteries
in science.

NIC3 10861

An ACS Treasury Survey of the Coma cluster of galaxies

We propose to use the unique spatial resolution of HST and ACS to
construct a Treasury imaging survey of the core and infall region of
the richest local cluster, Coma. We will observe samples of thousands
of galaxies down to magnitude B=27.3 with the aim of studying in
detail the dwarf galaxy population which, according to hierarchical
models of galaxy formation, are the earliest galaxies to form in the
universe. Our initial scientific objectives a 1} A study of the
structure of the dwarf galaxies, including scaling laws, nuclear
structure and morphology, to compare with hierarchical and
evolutionary models of their formation. 2} A study of the stellar
populations from colors and color gradients, and how the internal
chemical evolution of galaxies is affected by interaction with the
cluster gaseous and galaxy environment. 3} To determine the effect of
the cluster environment upon morphological features, disks, bulges and
bars, by comparing these structure in the Coma sample with field
galaxy samples. 4} Identification of dwarf galaxy samples for further
study with the new generation of multi-object and integral-field
spectrographs on 8-10 metre class telescopes such as Keck, Subaru,
Gemini, and GTC. This is the first such survey of a nearby rich
cluster. It will provide a key database for studies of galaxy
formation and evolution, and a very needed reference for comparison
with similar galaxy surveys both in lower density environments in the
nearby universe, and in high density environments at high redshifts.

S/C 4974

TRTTEST

The Transcient Response Test is for the periodic performance
monitoring of the FGS 2R servo A mechanism.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

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

HSTARS:

10632 - Reacqs(2,3,2) fail to RGA Hold due to FGS-3 SRLEX

This HSTAR is documenting falures of the Reacquisitions that occurred
on 015/20:39:48, 015/22:18:52 and 015/23:58:10 that were originally
documented in HSTAR 10631. That HSTAR also documented a failure that
occurred on the acquisition attempt but which was due to a different
reason. These Reacqs failed due to a Search Radius Limit Exceeded
Failure on FGS-3 that was caused by the fact that the guide star was
actually a galaxy.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:

17989-0 - TRT Test #13
17966-0 - Monitor FHST Sanity Check via TMDIAG Slots 0-2

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq 09 09
FGS REacq 04 04
OBAD with Maneuver 30 30

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

Flash Report - The FGS-2R TRT Test was successfully executed on-orbit
today from 14:12 - 18:24. The subsequent acquisitions were also
successful.