HST Daily Report #3348
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #3348
PERIOD COVERED: DOY 113
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
NICMOS 8791
NICMOS Post-SAA calibration – CR Persistence Part 2
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 9293
Massive Black Holes in Early Type Galaxies
3×10^6 Msun < M_BH < 3×10^9 Msun} at the centers of galaxies and the
velocity dispersions of their
bulges. However, uncertainties over the exact slope of the correlation
still remain, and it is not
known if such a relation extends to black holes of lower and higher
masses. The discovery of small {r ~
a few hundred pc}, well defined, dust and gas disks in the nuclei of
some active elliptical galaxies
opened a new avenue for measuring central mass distributions. When
ionized gas is present, a small
number of high spatial resolution {e.g. STIS} spectra are sufficient to
characterize the disk dynamics
and the galaxy’s central mass {e.g., M87, M81, NGC 4374}. We propose to
use STIS spectroscopy to
measure black hole masses, using gas dynamics, in the centers of several
brightest cluster galaxies
{BCGs}, 2 nearby galaxies with low velocity dispersions, and a number of
elliptical galaxies known to
harbor small nuclear dust disks. The proposed targets encompass a wide
range of black hole masses,
allowing us to fully examine the M_BH — sigma relationship. We will
also obtain H-alpha and continuum
images to fully characterize the gaseous and dust morphology as well as
stellar surface profile in the
central regions.
ACS 9299
Geometric Measurement of Galaxy Distances
We propose to utilize the imaging polarization capability of ACS to make
observations of supernova
light echoes in an investigation of their potential use for the
geometric determination of galaxy
distances. SN1991T in NGC4527 is a confirmed light echo close to the
Virgo galaxy cluster. We will
visit it twice, once early in the mission and then later to monitor its
evolution. We will also obtain
high resolution imaging polarization observations of other candidates to
determine whether they are
light echoes and to use them for distance estimation if possible. We
will also acquire a deep field
image in polarized light of a galaxy known to have hosted large numbers
of historical supernovae. We
will search for light echoes, plerions and other sources of polarized
emission in the targets such as
reflection nebulosity, light
polarized by transmission through aligned grains, light echoes from
other transients or variable stars
and light scattering from the nucleus.
STIS 9369
A Direct Test for Dust-driven Wind Physics
We propose to perform with STIS a critical test of the physical
mechanism of wind acceleration by dust
drag in cool stars. Spatially resolved spectra of the circumstellar
environment of Alpha Ori {M2 Iab}
will directly test if radiation pressure onto dust grains provides the
momentum that causes the high
mass-loss rates {up to 10^-6 M_odot yr^-1} observed in asymptotic giant
branch and red supergiant
stars. Terminal gas outflow velocities of 13-14 km, s^-1 are observed in
Betelgeuse’s circumstellar
dust shell. However, the smaller chromospheric outflow velocities {below
6 km, s^- 1}, point to an
extended region in the circumstellar environment where the wind
accelerates. Stellar wind theory
suggests radiation pressure onto dust grains as the driving mechanism
that drags the gas outflow to
these high terminal velocities. Dynamic radiative transport calculations
that fit the star’s 9.7 Mum
silicate dust emission indicate that this wind accelerating region is
located between 0.78" and ~3". We
propose to use STIS to obtain a high-resolution spatial and spectral
raster scan across this region.
These data can only be obtained for
this unique nearby supergiant with the exceptional capabilities of the
STIS. An increase of the
observed asymmetry of the self-absorbed Mg ii h line {which forms in an
expanding gas shell} with
distance from the star, will directly confirm {or reject} the theory of
dust-driven wind acceleration
in cool stars.
NICMOS 9386
Infrared Photometry of a Statistically Significant Sample of KBOs
of the solar system has been slowed by a lack of basic astrophysical
data. Photometric observations of
the majority of the more than 400 known KBOs and Centaurs are
rudimentary and incomplete, particularly
in the infrared. The multicolor optical-infrared photometry that exists
for a small subset of KBOs
often shows significant discrepancies between observations by different
observers. Their intrinsic
faintness puts them at the practical limits of ground-based systems. In
July 2001 we began what will be
the largest uniform sample of optical photometry of KBOs with a WFPC2
SNAPSHOT program that will
perform accurate photometry at V, R, and I on a sample of up to 150
targets. We seek to greatly enhance
the
value of this survey by obtaining J and H photometry on the same sample
using NICMOS. Combined optical
and infrared broad band photometry is a far more powerful tool for
physical studies than is either
alone. Our sample includes objects that will be observed at thermal
infrared wavelengths by SIRTF and
will be used with those data to derive the first accurate diameters,
albedos, and surface properties
for a large sample of KBOs.
NICMOS/STIS CCD 9405
The Origin of Gamma-Ray Bursts
The rapid and accurate localization of gamma-ray bursts {GRBs} promised
by a working HETE-2 during the
coming year may well revolutionize our ability to study these enigmatic,
highly luminous transients. We
propose a program of HST and Chandra observations to capitalize on this
extraordinary opportunity. We
will perform some of the most stringent tests yet of the standard model,
in which GRBs represent
collimated relativistic outflows from collapsing massive stars. NICMOS
imaging and STIS CCD
spectroscopy will detect broad atomic features of supernovae underlying
GRB optical transients, at
luminosities more than three times fainter than SN 1998bw. UV, optical,
and X-ray spectroscopy will be
used to study the local ISM around the GRB. Chandra spectroscopy will
investigate whether the GRB X-ray
lines are from metals freshly ripped from the stellar core by the GRB.
HST and CTIO infra-red imaging
of the GRBs and their hosts will be used to determine whether `dark’
bursts are the product of
unusually strong local extinction; imaging studies may for the first
time locate the hosts of `short’
GRBs. Our early polarimetry and late-time broadband imaging will further
test physical models of the
relativistic blast wave that produces the bright GRB afterglow, and will
provide unique insight into
the influence of the GRB environment on the afterglow.
NICMOS 9423
NICMOS Observations of Transient Infrared Jets in the Galactic
Microquasar GRS1915+105
We propose to use HST/NICMOS to make Target of Opportunity observations
of the galactic microquasar
GRS1915+105. This source possesses transient radio jets which exhibit
apparent superluminal motions,
and resolved infrared emission from these jets has been observed in
GRS1915+105 {Sams, Eckart, and
Sunyaev, 1996; Eikenberry and Fazio, 1996}. Because the jet ejection
events are correlated with X-ray
outbursts, we will use observations of X-ray flares with the Rossi X-Ray
Timing Explorer to trigger the
HST observations. We will then monitor GRS1915+105 periodically with
NICMOS, obtaining relative
astrometry, photometry, polarimetry, and grism spectroscopy of the jets
and the parent object. These
observations will allow us to greatly increase our understanding of the
jets’ radiative mechanisms and
physical conditions, and their evolution with time. We require the
capabilities of HST and NICMOS due
to the small angular separations between the jets and the parent object
{increasing from ~ 0.1 to ~ 0.8
arcsec over the span of the TOO observations} and the high reddening
towards GRS1915+105 {A_V ~ 30
mag}.
ACS 9476
Galaxy Evolution in the Richest Clusters at z=0.8: the EDisCS Cluster
Sample
The study of distant cluster galaxies requires two key ingredients: {1}
deep high-resolution imaging,
to constrain galaxy structure; and {2} 8m-class spectroscopy, to measure
stellar content,
star-formation rates, dynamics, and cluster membership. We will reach
both conditions with the addition
of HST/ACS imaging to our suite of VLT {36 nights} and NTT {20 nights}
observations of 10 confirmed
clusters at z~0.8, drawn from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey {EDisCS}.
The proposed HST/ACS data will
complement our existing optical/IR imaging and spectroscopy with
quantitative measures of cluster
galaxy morphologies {i.e. sizes and shapes, bulge-disk decompositions,
asymmetry parameters}, and with
measurements of cluster masses via weak lensing. Major advantages unique
to the EDisCS project
include: {i} uniform selection of clusters; {ii} large enough sample
sizes to characterize the
substantial cluster-to-cluster variation in galaxy populations; {iii}
large quantities of high quality
data from 8m telescopes; {iv} uniform measurements of morphologies,
spectroscopic and photometric
redshifts, SEDs, star-formation/AGN activities, and internal kinematics;
{v} optical selection of
clusters to complement the X-ray selection of almost all high-z clusters
in the ACS GTO programs; {vi}
forefront numerical simulations designed specifically to allow physical
interpretation of observed
differences between the high-z and local clusters.
ACS 9480
Cosmic Shear With ACS Pure Parallels
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.
WFPC2 9594
WFPC2 CYCLE 11 SUPPLEMENTAL DARKS pt2/3
This dark calibration program obtains 3 dark frames every day to provide
data for monitoring and
characterizing the evolution of hot pixels
STIS 9606
CCD Dark Monitor-Part 2
Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD.
STIS 9608
CCD Bias Monitor – Part 2
Monitor the bias in the 1×1, 1×2, 2×1, and 2×2 bin settings at gain=1,
and 1×1 at gain = 4, to build up
high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns.
STIS 9612
STIS CCD Hot Pixel Annealing Cycle 11
The effectiveness of the CCD hot pixel annealing process is assessed by
measuring the dark current
behavior before and after annealing and by searching for any window
contamination effects. In addition
CTE performance is examined by looking for traps in a low signal level
flat. Follows on from proposal
8906.
ACS 9674
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.
STIS 9708
STIS Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 11
This is the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle
11.
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 paralell images of random areas of the sky, following the
recommendations of the 2002
Parallels Working Group.
WFPC2 9710
POMS Test Proposal: WFII backup parallel archive proposal
This is a POMS test proposal designed to simulate scientific plans.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies:
(The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal
performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARs:
None
COMPLETED OPS REQs:
None
OPS NOTES EXECUTED:
1099-1 Change Limits MAMA1 Threshold Voltage
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES
FGS GSacq 6
6
FGS REacq 8
8
FHST Update 16
16
LOSS of LOCK
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: None
