Daily # 4251

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT # 4251

PERIOD COVERED: UT DECEMBER 01,02,03, 2006 (DOY 335,336,337)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

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.

ACS/HRC 11047

ACS CCD Flash Calibration

This activity provides a set of CCD FLASH exposure reference images
for each current level/shutter-side/detector combination, for the pair
of FLASH LEDs on the instrument side currently in use. It also tests
the short-term repeatability at the shortest FLASH exposure times that
are expected to be used {1.0 sec}.

ACS/HRC 11041

ACS CCDs daily monitor

This program consists of a set of basic tests to monitor, the read
noise, the development of hot pixels and test for any source of noise
in ACS CCD detectors. The files, biases and dark will be used to
create reference files for science calibration. This programme will be
for the entire lifetime of ACS. For cycle 15 the program will cover 18
months 12.1.06-05.31.08 and it has been divied into three different
proposal each covering six months. The three poroposals are
11041-11042-11043.

WFPC2 11029

WFPC2 CYCLE 15 Intflat Linearity Check and Filter Rotation Anomaly
Monitor

Intflat observations will be taken to provide a linearity check: the
linearity test consists of a series of intflats in F555W, in each gain
and each shutter. A combination of intflats, visflats, and earthflats
will be used to check the repeatability of filter wheel motions.
{Intflat sequences tied to decons, visits 1-18 in prop 10363, have
been moved to the cycle 15 decon proposal xxxx for easier scheduling.}
Note: long-exposure WFPC2 intflats must be scheduled during ACS
anneals to prevent stray light from the WFPC2 lamps from contaminating
long ACS external exposures.

ACS/WFC 11003

Mixing It Up : Gas, Stars, Starbirth, and AGN in a Supercluster at z =
0.9

We propose a joint Spitzer/HST program to map the best-studied large
scale structure at high redshift -- a massive twelve-cluster
supercluster at z = 0.9 which extends 15 Mpc x 100 Mpc. Because
clusters are actively forming at this redshift, and significant
evolution has already been observed in their galaxy populations, this
survey will provide the crucial link between large scale structure and
galaxy-scale physics. The supercluster is already the subject of a
multi-faceted program including {1} deep r'i'z'K imaging from the
Palomar 5-m to measure optical/near-IR colors, {2} spectroscopy with
DEIMOS on the Keck 10-m to measure stellar content, [OII] equivalent
widths, and internal velocities for over 330 supercluster members, {3}
high-angular-resolution Chandra and VLA observations to study the
starburst and AGN populations, and {4} an 80 ksec XMM observation to
quantify the cluster gas properties and the amount of diffuse emission
from the low-density filaments. The proposed 3.6-24 micron mapping is
an essential complement to this program because it provides more
accurate measures of stellar mass, star formation rate, and
nuclear/starburst activity across the entire structure. The ACS
observations will provide equal detail on galaxy structural properties
and morphology. Together, the deep mid-infrared observations and the
high-angular-resolution HST imagery {along with our coordinated ground
and space-based data} will allow us to measure the stellar mass
function, stellar population ages, and star formation rates over the
full range of environmental densities; use galaxy morphology to
determine what type of galaxies host AGN and which physical processes
are responsible for gas-fueling events; quantify the IR/radio/X-ray
correlations at z = 0.9; and determine the effect of large scale
structure on the stellar and gas content of galaxies in the
high-redshift Universe.

ACS/WFC 10882

Emission Line Snapshots of 3CR Radio Galaxies

Radio galaxies are an important class of extragalactic objects: they
are one of the most energetic astrophysical phenomena and they provide
an exceptional probe of the evolving Universe, lying typically in high
density regions but well-represented across a wide redshift range. In
earlier Cycles we carried out extensive HST observations of the 3CR
sources in order to acquire a complete and quantitative inventory of
the structure, contents and evolution of these important objects. We
discovered new optical jets, dust lanes, and revealed point-like
nuclei whose properties support AGN unified schemes. Here, we propose
to obtain ACS emission line images at low and high excitation of 3CR
sources with z0.3, both low- and classical high- power radio
galaxies, as a major enhancement to an already superb dataset. We aim
to probe fundamental relationships between warm optical line-emitting
gas, radio source structure {jets and lobes} and X-ray coronal halos.
We will combine our existing UV images with new emission- line images
to establish quantitative star formation characteristics and their
relation to dust and merging, and with emission-line excitation maps,
test theories on ionization beam patterns and luminosities from active
nuclei. We will seek jet induced star formation and knowing optical
emission-line physics, investigate quantitative jet physics. The
nuclear emission line properties of the galaxies will themselves be
established and used as ingredients in continuing tests of unified AGN
theories. The resulting database will be an incredibly valuable
resource to the astronomical community for years to come.

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.

ACS/WFC 10521

ACS Imaging of a Unique Spitzer Field: Morphology of mid-IR Variable
Sources

We propose to observe the IRAC Dark Field, an extragalactic field 15
arcminutes in diameter near the north ecliptic pole, using 50 orbits
of ACS imaging at I-band. This field is extraordinarily deep and is
uniquely suited to detecting variable objects in the mid-infrared. The
high spatial resolution ACS imaging will be used to derive
morphological information about the galaxies in the field, which will
then be correlated with mid-infrared variable objects {specifically
AGN and supernovae} we have discovered. This field is the dark current
calibration target for the Spitzer Space Telescope, the infrared
counterpart to HST. Because the field is observed frequently as part
of routine operations, it is now similar in size and depth to the
infrared component of the GOODS program, and is confusion-limited in
the mid-infrared. More importantly, due to the periodicity of the
observations, the Spitzer observations are sensitive to variability on
week timescales, ultimately spanning a baseline of five years, and are
the only mid-infrared dataset that will ever have this capability at
this depth. By complementing our wide range of lower resolution
imaging at optical and infrared wavelengths, we hope to exploit one of
HST's most unique capabilities - unparalleled spatial resolution in
the optical. While our specific interest lies in analysis of variable
sources, we will request no proprietary period on the ACS data so that
it may be used by the community to complement the publicly available
Spitzer data.

ACS/HRC 10508

Orbits, Masses, and Densities of Three Transneptunian Binaries

The subset of transneptunian objects {TNOs} having natural satellites
offers unique opportunities for physical studies of these distant
relics from the outer parts of the protoplanetary nebula. HST/ACS is
ideally suited to determining orbits of TNO satellites, resulting in
the system masses. In conjunction with thermal emission observations
by Spitzer, which provides sizes, we can determine the densities of
TNOs. Densities offer a powerful window into their bulk compositions
and interior structures.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

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

HSTARS:

10536 - REACQ(2,3,2) failed to RGA control

REACQ(2,3,2) at 335:21:20:15 failed to RGA control during LOS period.
Upon acquisition of signal at 21:44:00 vehicle was in gyro control
with QF3STOPF and QSTOP flags set. No other flags were seen. Two 1805
ESB messages (T2G Moving Target Detected) occurred while vehicle was
LOS. Primary GSACQ(2,3,2) at 19:45:15 was successful.

10537 - ACS 935 SEMAPHORE_TIMEOUT

At 337/09:39:54 we received a ACS 935 status buffer message P=35
T=58833. This is a routine status buffer message. This is
Semaphone_Timeout. This results when the take data flag goes down
during CCD Post-Flash or a Filter wheel,Fold Mechanism, or Calibration
door move.

10538 - GSAcq(2,3,2) failed to RGA control @337/1714z

At AOS (337/17:13:52) GSAcq (2,3,2) scheduled 337/16:32:43-16:39:59
was observed to have failed to RGA control. QSTOP flag was received on
FGS 2, no other flags noted. No 486 ESB messages noted at AOS. OBAD
#1: data currently unavailable due to LOS. OBAD #2: V1 -2.04, V2
-6.24, V3 -1.56, RSS 6.75 OBAD Map: not scheduled.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq 21 20
FGS REacq 24 24
OBAD with Maneuver 90 90

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)