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Daily Rpt #4555



 
 
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Old February 27th 08, 04:45 PM posted to sci.astro.hubble
Bassford, Lynn
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Posts: 44
Default Daily Rpt #4555

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT # 4555

PERIOD COVERED: UT February 26, 2008 (DOY 057)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

FGS 11210

The Architecture of Exoplanetary Systems

Are all planetary systems coplanar? Concordance cosmogony makes that
prediction. It is, however, a prediction of extrasolar planetary system
architecture as yet untested by direct observation for main sequence stars
other than the Sun. To provide such a test, we propose to carry out FGS
astrometric studies on four stars hosting seven companions. Our
understanding of the planet formation process will grow as we match not only
system architecture, but formed planet mass and true distance from the
primary with host star characteristics for a wide variety of host stars and
exoplanet masses. We propose that a series of FGS astrometric observations
with demonstrated 1 millisecond of arc per-observation precision can
establish the degree of coplanarity and component true masses for four
extrasolar systems: HD 202206 {brown dwarf+planet}; HD 128311
{planet+planet}, HD 160691 = mu Arae {planet+planet}, and HD 222404AB =
gamma Cephei {planet+star}. In each case the companion is identified as such
by assuming that the minimum mass is the actual mass. For the last target, a
known stellar binary system, the companion orbit is stable only if coplanar
with the AB binary orbit.

FGS 11211

An Astrometric Calibration of Population II Distance Indicators

In 2002 HST produced a highly precise parallax for RR Lyrae. That
measurement resulted in an absolute magnitude, M{V}= 0.61+/-0.11, a useful
result, judged by the over ten refereed citations each year since. It is,
however, unsatisfactory to have the direct, parallax-based, distance scale
of Population II variables based on a single star. We propose, therefore, to
obtain the parallaxes of four additional RR Lyrae stars and two Population
II Cepheids, or W Vir stars. The Population II Cepheids lie with the RR
Lyrae stars on a common K-band Period-Luminosity relation. Using these
parallaxes to inform that relationship, we anticipate a zero-point error of
0.04 magnitude. This result should greatly strengthen confidence in the
Population II distance scale and increase our understanding of RR Lyrae star
and Pop II Cepheid astrophysics.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8795

NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 6

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 i mages. Each observation will need its own CRMAP, as
different SAA passages leave different imprints on the NICMOS detectors.

NIC2 11135

Extreme makeovers: Tracing the transformation of massive galaxies at
z~2.5

To obtain a full spectroscopic census of the universe at z~2.5 we have
conducted a near-infrared spectroscopic survey for K-selected galaxies. We
found that, in contrast to the local universe, massive high-redshift
galaxies span a wide range of properties, varying from (dusty) star burst to
"red and dead" galaxies. This may imply that massive galaxies transform from
star-forming to quiescent galaxies in the targeted redshift range. To
understand whether the 9 quiescent galaxies in our sample are the
progenitors of local elliptical, we are observing them in the current cycle
with NIC2. For cycle 16 we propose to complete our sample of massive z~2.5
galaxies and image the remaining 10 galaxies, which all have emission lines.
Based on emission-line diagnostics, 6 of these galaxies are identified as
star-forming objects and 4 harbor an active galactic nucleus. The goals are
to 1) determine whether star formation in massive z~2.5 galaxies takes place
in disks or is triggered by merger activity, 2) derive the contribution of
AGNs to the rest-frame optical emission, and 3) test whether the
morphologies are consistent with the idea that the star-forming galaxies,
AGNs, and quiescent galaxies represent subsequent phases of an evolutionary
sequence. The combination of both programs will provide the first
morphological study of a spectroscopically confirmed massive galaxy sample
at z~2.5.

NIC2 11142

Revealing the Physical Nature of Infrared Luminous Galaxies at 0.3

We aim to determine physical properties of IR luminous galaxies at 0.3z2.7
by requesting coordinated HST/NIC2 and MIPS 70um observations of a unique,
24um flux-limited sample with complete Spitzer mid-IR spectroscopy. The 150
sources investigated in this program have S{24um} 0.8mJy and their mid-IR
spectra have already provided the majority targets with spectroscopic
redshifts {0.3z2.7}. The proposed 150~orbits of NIC2 and 66~hours of MIPS
70um will provide the physical measurements of the light distribution at the
rest-frame ~8000A and better estimates of the bolometric luminosity.
Combining these parameters together with the rich suite of spectral
diagnostics from the mid-IR spectra, we will {1} measure how common mergers
are among LIRGs and ULIRGs at 0.3z2.7, and establish if major mergers are
the drivers of z1 ULIRGs, as in the local Universe. {2} study the
co-evolution of star formation and blackhole accretion by investigating the
relations between the fraction of starburst/AGN measured from mid-IR spectra
vs. HST morphologies, L{bol} and z. {3} obtain the current best estimates of
the far-IR emission, thus L{bol} for this sample, and establish if the
relative contribution of mid-to-far IR dust emission is correlated with
morphology {resolved vs. unresolved}.

NIC2 11143

NICMOS imaging of submillimeter galaxies with CO and PAH redshifts

We propose to obtain F110W and F160W imaging of 10 z~2.4 submillimeter
galaxies {SMGs} whose optical redshifts have been confirmed by the detection
of millimeter CO and/or mid- infrared PAH emission. With the 4000A break
falling within/between the two imaging filters, we will be able to study
these sources' spatially resolved stellar populations {modulo extinction} in
the rest-frame optical. SMGs' large luminosities appear to be due largely to
merger-triggered starbursts; high-resolution NICMOS imaging will help us
understand the stellar masses, mass ratios, and other properties of the
merger progenitors, valuable information in the effort to model the mass
assembly history of the universe.

NIC3 11120

A Paschen-Alpha Study of Massive Stars and the ISM in the Galactic
Center

The Galactic center (GC) is a unique site for a detailed study of a
multitude of complex astrophysical phenomena, which may be common to nuclear
regions of many galaxies. Observable at resolutions unapproachable in other
galaxies, the GC provides an unparalleled opportunity to improve our
understanding of the interrelationships of massive stars, young stellar
clusters, warm and hot ionized gases, molecular clouds, large scale magnetic
fields, and black holes. We propose the first large-scale hydrogen Paschen
alpha line survey of the GC using NICMOS on the Hubble Space Telescope. This
survey will lead to a high resolution and high sensitivity map of the
Paschen alpha line emission in addition to a map of foreground extinction,
made by comparing Paschen alpha to radio emission. This survey of the inner
75 pc of the Galaxy will provide an unprecedented and complete search for
sites of massive star formation. In particular, we will be able to (1)
uncover the distribution of young massive stars in this region, (2) locate
the surfaces of adjacent molecular clouds, (3) determine important physical
parameters of the ionized gas, (4) identify compact and ultra-compact HII
regions throughout the GC. When combined with existing Chandra and Spitzer
surveys as well as a wealth of other multi-wavelength observations, the
results will allow us to address such questions as where and how massive
stars form, how stellar clusters are disrupted, how massive stars shape and
heat the surrounding medium, and how various phases of this medium are
interspersed.

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 11113

Binaries in the Kuiper Belt: Probes of Solar System Formation and
Evolution

The discovery of binaries in the Kuiper Belt and related small body
populations is powering a revolutionary step forward in the study of this
remote region. Three quarters of the known binaries in the Kuiper Belt have
been discovered with HST, most by our snapshot surveys. The statistics
derived from this work are beginning to yield surprising and unexpected
results. We have found a strong concentration of binaries among
low-inclination Classicals, a possible size cutoff to binaries among the
Centaurs, an apparent preference for nearly equal mass binaries, and a
strong increase in the number of binaries at small separations. We propose
to continue this successful program in Cycle 16; we expect to discover at
least 13 new binary systems, targeted to subgroups where these discoveries
can have the greatest impact.

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:

18209-0 Patch WF2 UIDLE replacement htr set point, adjustment #5 @057/1219z
18210-1 WGS Engineering Test Pass @057/2100z @057/2240z
17659-0 ESTR Reconditioning @057/2113z

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq 10 10
FGS REacq 04 04
OBAD with Maneuver 28 28

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

WGS Engineering Test Pass:

Ops Request 18210, WGS Engineering Test Pass, was successfully executed at
057/20:58 - 22:39z. This Engineering Test Pass was performed to verify
Wallops' new Enertec Receiver System compatibility with HST.

WF/PC-II CCD4 replacement heater in-flight temperature adjustment #5:

The 5th in-flight adjustment of the WF/PC-II replacement heater temperature
control was successfully completed with the execution of Ops Request 18209-0
at 057/12:20z. All activities proceeded nominally.

The UIDLE dead band control range was shifted from 7.83 - 9.05 to 7.22 -
8.44 degC. The behavior of the replacement heaters under the control of
UIDLE and the optical bench temperatures will continue to be monitored in
real-time until such time as the new settings are functionally verified.

 




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