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Daily 3467
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT # 3467 PERIOD COVERED: DOY 286 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED 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. ACS/CCD/WFC 9978 The Ultra Deep Field with ACS The ACS Ultra Deep Field {UDF} is a survey carried out by using Director's Discretionary time. The main science driver are galaxy evolution and cosmology. The primary instrument is the Advanced Camera for Surveys but WFPC2 and NICMOS will also be used in parallel. The data will be made public. The UDF consists of a single ultra-deep field {410 orbits in total} within the CDF-S GOODS area. The survey will use four filters: F435W {55 orbits}, F606W {55 orbits}, F775W {150 orbits}, and F850LP {150 orbits}. The F435W {B} and F606W {V} exposures will be one magnitude deeper than the equivalent HDF filters. The F775W {I} exposure will be 1.5 magnitude deeper than the equivalent HDF exposure. The depth in F775W and F850LP is optimized for searching very red objects - like z=6 galaxies - at the detection limit of the F850LP image. The pointing will be RA{J2000}=3 32 40.0 and Decl.{J2000}=-27 48 00. These coordinates may change slightly due to guide star availability and implementation issues. We will attempt to include in the field both a spectroscopically confirmed z=5.8 galaxy and a spectroscopically confirmed type Ia SN at z=1.3. The pointing avoids the gaps with the lowest effective exposure on the Chandra ACIS image of CDFS. This basic structure of the survey represents a consensus recommendation of a Scientific Advisory Committee to the STScI Director Steven Beckwith. A local Working Group is looking in detail at the implementation of the survey. ACS/HRC/WFC 10042 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}. 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. NIC2 9726 A NICMOS search for obscured supernovae in starburst galaxies Recent near-IR monitoring campaigns were successful in detecting obscured supernovae {SNe} in starburst galaxies. The inferred SN rate is much higher than that obtained in previous optical campaigns, but it is still significantly lower than expected by the high level star formation of these systems. One possible explanation for the shortage of SNe is that most of them occur in the nuclear region, where the limited angular resolution of groundbased observations prevents their detection. We propose NICMOS SNAP observations of a sample of starburst galaxies already observed once by NICMOS, with the goal of exploiting its sensitivity and angular resolution to detect nuclear obscured SNe which might have been missed by groundbased surveys. These observation will allow to assess the real SN rate in starbust galaxies and deliver a sample of SN occurring in the extreme environment of galactic nuclei. We expect to detect more than 55 SNe {if the whole sample is observed}. If the number of SNe detected in the program is much lower than expected it would prompt for a revision of our understanding of the relation between the star formation rate and the SN rate. NIC3 9979 The Ultra Deep Field - NICMOS Parallels This is a plan to manage the NICMOS pure parallels of the ACS Ultra Deep Survey. We will obtain a mix of F110W and F160W images along sight-lines within the mosaiced ACS fields of the CDF-S GOODS and GEMS surveys, with these sight-lines enabling an examination of the space density and morphologies of the reddest galaxies. STIS 9383 Probing the Grains Responsible for Extinction Using Small Magellanic Cloud Sightlines Small Magellanic Cloud sightlines have the greatest potential to relate specific interstellar extinction features to distinct grain properties. The reasons for this are 1} prominent extinction features such as the 2175 Angstrom bump and the far-ultraviolet rise vary among SMC targets and 2} grain types may be very different from those in the Galaxy. Specifically, Welty et al. {2001} recently identified an SMC sightline that contains dust, but no silicate grains. Silicates are a dominant source of extinction in all dust models; the SMC may be the only location where the importance of silicates can be verified or disproved. We propose to explore the relationship between grain types and extinction toward 2 SMC stars with very different extinction curves; AzV 18 lacks a 2175 Angstrom bump and has a strong far-UV rise while the extinction curve towards the SMC star AzV 456 has a prominent 2175 Angstrom bump and a much weaker far-UV rise. We will compare the interstellar abundances of atoms that are prevalent in silicates {Si, Mg, Fe} toward these 2 stars and use the results to constrain dust extinction models. These SMC observations, which can only be obtained with STIS, are the only direct way to probe the connection between grain types/environments and extinction. The results from this study will be useful for modeling and understanding all regions that contain dust {AGN, circumstellar disks, star formation regions, etc.}. 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. STIS/CCD 10000 STIS Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 12 This is the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 12. STIS/CCD 10017 CCD Dark Monitor-Part 1 Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD. 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 9981 The Ultra Deep Field - STIS parallels We propose to obtain slitless spectroscopy of objects in the GEMS and GOODS area around the UDF. 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 10069 WFPC2 CYCLE 12 Supplemental Darks, Part 1/3 This dark calibration program obtains 3 dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. WFPC2 9709 POMS Test Proposal: 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 9980 The Ultra Deep Field - WFPC2 Parallels The ACS Ultra Deep Field {UDF} is a survey carried out by using Director's Discretionary time. The main science drivers are galaxy evolution and cosmology. The primary instrument is the Advanced Camera for Surveys but WFPC2, NICMOS, and STIS will also be used in pure parallel mode. The data will be made public. The UDF consists of a single ultra-deep field {410 orbits in total} within the CDF-S GOODS area. We request a modification of the default pure parallel programs. Rather than duplicate the redder bands which will be done much better with ACS, we propose to observe in the near-ultraviolet F300W filter. These data will enable study of the rest-frame ultraviolet morphology of galaxies at 0z1, allowing determination of the morphological k-correction and the location of star formation within galaxies, using a sample that is likely to be nearly complete with multi-wavelength photometry and spectroscopic redshifts. The results can be used to interpret observations of higher redshift galaxies by ACS. FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.) HSTAR 9174: GS Acquisition (2,1,1) @ 286/19:50:09Z resulted in FL backup using FGS 2 due to SSLE flags on FGS 2. Prior FHST Map @ 286/19:57:47Z showed errors of 4.247, -8.207, and 4.914 arcsec. Analysis indicates GS in FGS 2 to be a marginal double star (seen as obvious double in 1st FL walk down, but succeeded in 2nd). Guide Star Problem Report T9174 was submitted to STScI. Under investigation. COMPLETED OPS REQs: None OPS NOTES EXECUTED: None SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES FGS GSacq 8 8 FGS REacq 4 4 FHST Update 16 16 LOSS of LOCK SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: Successfully completed Command Timing Comparison testing "D" String (Sun). Confirmed real-time commanding on "D" String (Sun) is slightly faster than the "C" String (SGI). |
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