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Daily Report #4521
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY REPORT***** # 4521 PERIOD COVERED: UT January 007, 2008 (DOY 007) OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED WFPC2 11024 WFPC2 CYCLE 15 INTERNAL MONITOR This calibration proposal is the Cycle 15 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 {both gain 7 and gain 15 -- to test stability of gains and bias levels}, a test for quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup of contaminants on the CCD windows. These also provide raw data for generating annual super-bias reference files for the calibration pipeline. FGS 11295 Trigonometric Calibration of the Distance Scale for Classical Novae The distance scale for classical novae is important for understanding the stellar physics of their thermonuclear runaways, their contribution to Galactic nucleosynthesis, and their use as extragalactic standard candles. Although it is known that there is a relationship between their absolute magnitudes at maximum light and their subsequent rates of decline--the well-known maximum-magnitude rate-of-decline {MMRD} relation--it is difficult to set the zero-point for the MMRD because of the very uncertain distances of Galactic novae. We propose to measure precise trigonometric parallaxes for the quiescent remnants of the four nearest classical novae. We will use the Fine Guidance Sensors, which are proven to be capable of measuring parallaxes with errors of ~0.2 mas, well below what is possible from the ground. 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 DARKs. 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 11219 Active Galactic Nuclei in nearby galaxies: a new view of the origin of the radio-loud radio-quiet dichotomy? Using archival HST and Chandra observations of 34 nearby early-type galaxies {drawn from a complete radio selected sample} we have found evidence that the radio-loud/radio-quiet dichotomy is directly connected to the structure of the inner regions of their host galaxies in the following sense: [1] Radio-loud AGN are associated with galaxies with shallow cores in their light profiles [2] Radio-quiet AGN are only hosted by galaxies with steep cusps. Since the brightness profile is determined by the galaxy's evolution, through its merger history, our results suggest that the same process sets the AGN flavour. This provides us with a novel tool to explore the co-evolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes, and it opens a new path to understand the origin of the radio-loud/radio-quiet AGN dichotomy. Currently our analysis is statistically incomplete as the brightness profile is not available for 82 of the 116 targets. Most galaxies were not observed with HST, while in some cases the study is obstructed by the presence of dust features. We here propose to perform an infrared NICMOS snapshot survey of these 82 galaxies. This will enable us to i} test the reality of the dichotomic behaviour in a substantially larger sample; ii} extend the comparison between radio-loud and radio-quiet AGN to a larger range of luminosities. NIC3 11195 Morphologies of the Most Extreme High-Redshift Mid-IR-luminous Galaxies II: The `Bump' Sources The formative phase of some of the most massive galaxies may be extremely luminous, characterized by intense star- and AGN-formation. Till now, few such galaxies have been unambiguously identified at high redshift, and thus far we have been restricted to studying the low-redshift ultraluminous infrared galaxies as possible analogs. We have recently discovered a sample of objects which may indeed represent this early phase in galaxy formation, and are undertaking an extensive multiwavelength study of this population. These objects are optically extremely faint {R26} but nevertheless bright at mid-infrared wavelengths {F[24um] 0.5 mJy}. Mid-infrared spectroscopy with Spitzer/IRS reveals that they have redshifts z~2, implying luminosities ~1E13 Lsun. Their mid-IR SEDs fall into two broad, perhaps overlapping, categories. Sources with brighter F[24um] exhibit power-law SEDs and SiO absorption features in their mid-IR spectra characteristic of AGN, whereas those with fainter F[24um] show a "bump" characteristic of the redshifted 1.6um peak from a stellar population, and PAH emission characteristic of starformation. We have begun obtaining HST images of the brighter sources in Cycle 15 to obtain identifications and determine kpc-scale morphologies for these galaxies. Here, we aim to target the second class {the "bump" sources} with the goal of determining if these constitute morphologically different objects, or simply a "low-AGN" state of the brighter class. The proposed observations will help us determine whether these objects are merging systems, massive obscured starbursts {with obscuration on kpc scales!} or very reddened {locally obscured} AGN hosted by intrinsically low-luminosity galaxies. WFPC2 10890 Morphologies of the Most Extreme High-Redshift Mid-IR-Luminous Galaxies The formative phase of the most massive galaxies may be extremely luminous, characterized by intense star- and AGN-formation. Till now, few such galaxies have been unambiguously identified at high redshift, restricting us to the study of low-redshift ultraluminous infrared galaxies as possible analogs. We have recently discovered a sample of objects which may indeed represent this early phase in galaxy formation, and are undertaking an extensive multiwavelength study of this population. These objects are bright at mid-IR wavelengths {F[24um]0.8mJy}, but deep ground based imaging suggests extremely faint {and in some cases extended} optical counterparts {R~24-27}. Deep K-band images show barely resolved galaxies. Mid-infrared spectroscopy with Spitzer/IRS reveals that they have redshifts z ~ 2-2.5, suggesting bolometric luminosities ~10^{13-14}Lsun! We propose to obtain deep ACS F814W and NIC2 F160W images of these sources and their environs in order to determine kpc-scale morphologies and surface photometry for these galaxies. The proposed observations will help us determine whether these extreme objects are merging systems, massive obscured starbursts {with obscuration on kpc scales!} or very reddened {locally obscured} AGN hosted by intrinsically low-luminosity galaxies. WFPC2 11012 NGC 4190-ULX1: The forgotten ULX Although it ranks amongst the nearest (at d ~ 3 Mpc) and brightest (fx ~ 2e-12 erg/cm^2/s) ULXs, NGC 4190-ULX1 has not yet been observed in the modern era of X-ray astronomy. We propose to remedy this omission with three new observations designed to probe its underlying nature. Firstly, we will obtain a high precision X-ray position of the ULX using HRC-I. This will be used to identify an unique counterpart in new HST/ACS imaging, plausibly the first step towards deriving a dynamical mass function for this source. Finally, we will use an ACIS-S observation to derive the first high quality X-ray diagnostics (spectrum, light curve) of this ULX, with the aim of providing an interim assessment of the nature of the compact object underlying its extreme X-ray emission. WFPC2 11070 WFPC2 CYCLE 15 Standard Darks - part II 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 11289 SL2S: The Strong Lensing Legacy Survey Recent systematic surveys of strong galaxy-galaxy lenses {CLASS, SLACS, GOODS, etc.} are producing spectacular results for galaxy masses roughly below a transition mass M~10^13 Mo. The observed lens properties and their evolution up to z~0.2, consistent with numerical simulations, can be described by isothermal elliptical potentials. In contrast, modeling of giant arcs in X-ray luminous clusters {halo masses M ~10^13 Mo} favors NFW mass profiles, suggesting that dark matter halos are not significantly affected by baryon cooling. Until recently, lensing surveys were neither deep nor extended enough to probe the intermediate mass density regime, which is fundamental for understanding the assembly of structures. The CFHT Legacy Survey now covers 125 square degrees, and thus offers a large reservoir of strong lenses probing a large range of mass densities up to z~1. We have extracted a list of 150 strong lenses using the most recent CFHTLS data release via automated procedures. Following our first SNAPSHOT proposal in cycle 15, we propose to continue the Hubble follow- up targeting a larger list of 130 lensing candidates. These are intermediate mass range candidates {between galaxies and clusters} that are selected in the redshift range of 0.2-1 with no a priori X-ray selection. The HST resolution is necessary for confirming the lensing candidates, accurate modeling of the lenses, and probing the total mass concentration in galaxy groups up to z~1 with the largest unbiased sample available to date. FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.) HSTARS: (None) COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: 18168-0 - FGS-2R Hybrid Mode Activation 18054-0 - Preview KF Sun Vector data via Telemetry Diags COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None) *********************** SCHEDULED***** SUCCESSFUL FGS GSacq*************** 08**************** 08 FGS REacq*************** 06**************** 06 OBAD with Maneuver* **** 28**************** 28 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: Flash Report: Hybrid Mode Activation Successful: FGS/486 hybrid mode was successfully activated on FGS-2R this morning at 007/15:03 via Ops Request 18168. The first hybrid mode acquisition was at 15:56 and was successful. The GSAWG will continue to trend FGS-2R performance. |
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