HST Daily Report # 3307

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT        # 3307

PERIOD COVERED: DOY 56

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.

STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9036

An Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Survey of Star-Forming Galaxies in the Local
Universe.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to
perform
a comprehensive STIS ultraviolet spectroscopic survey of star-forming
galaxies
in the local universe. The sample covers a broad range of morphologies,
chemical
composition, and luminosity. The observations will provide spectral
coverage
between 1200 and 3100 Angstrom, at a resolution of 100 to 200 kms and S/N
of
about 30. The data set will allow the proposers to document and quantify
the
effects of massive stars on the interstellar medium and to infer
implications
for the evolution of the host galaxies.

STIS/MA2 9096

Objective-Prism Spectroscopy of Massive Young Clusters.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to greatly
improve the
spatial information by obtaining STIS NUV-MAMA objective-prism
spectroscopy in
the 1300-3600 Angstrom range of three nearby extragalactic regions with a
total
of ~ 10 MYCs since most of the present knowledge of the UV spectral
properties
of massive young clusters {MYCs} is based on IUE data with marginal
spatial
resolution. Slitless techniques are seldom attempted on crowded clusters
due to
the overlap among different sources. It is planned to overcome that
problem by
observing with two different roll angles, using comparison UV and optical
images
from the HST archive.

NICMOS 9360

Paschen-alpha Imaging of a SIRTF-Selected Nearby Galaxy Sample

We propose to carry out a NICMOS snapshot survey in the Paschen-alpha
{PAlpha}
emission line and H-band of the sample of galaxies being observed at 3.5
— 160
microns as part of SIRTF Nearby Galaxies Survey {SINGS} and a related
guaranteed
time survey of starburst galaxies. The PAlpha images, accessible only
from HST,
will be combined with groundbased HAlpha imaging to measure the
extinction in
the star-forming centers of these galaxies, and obtain robust,
extinction-
corrected maps of the massive star formation rate {SFR}. The PAlpha data
by
themselves will provide reliable `extinction- free’ SFRs, and a
cross-calibration of the {dust–affected} HAlpha– and UV–based SFRs.
The
PAlpha–based SFR measurements will extend the SFR-vs.-gas density law
{Schmidt–law} to surface densities at least 30 times higher than what is
accessible using HAlpha–based SFR measurements alone, bridging the gap
between
normal galaxies and IR–luminous starbursts. Furthermore, the combination
of the
HST PAlpha images with the SIRTF images and spectra, as well as ancillary
ground–based UBVRIJHK images and GALEX UV images being obtained as part
of the
SINGS project, will provide a definitive study of the radiative transfer
of
starlight and dust heating in star–forming galaxies. The processed
NICMOS
images will be incorporated into the public SINGS Legacy Data Archive, to
enable
scores of follow-up studies by the astronomical community at large.

NICMOS 9386

Infrared Photometry of a Statistically Significant Sample of KBOs

While the discovery rate of Kuiper Belt objects is accelerating, the
physical
study of this new region 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.

ACS 9401

The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey

We propose the most comprehensive imaging survey to date of low-redshift,
early-type galaxies. Our goal is to exploit the exceptional imaging
capabilities
of the ACS by acquiring deep images — in the SDSS g^ and z^ bandpasses
— for
163 E, S0, dE, dE, N and dS0 galaxies in Virgo, the nearest rich cluster.
This
extraordinary dataset would likely constitute one of the principal
legacies of
HST, and would have widespread applications for many diverse areas of
astrophysics. Our immediate scientific objectives are threefold: {1}
measure
metallicities, ages and radii for the many thousands of globular clusters
{GCs}
in these galaxies, and use this information to derive the protogalactic
mass
spectrum of each galaxy; {2} measure the central luminosity and color
profile of
each galaxy, and use this information to carry out a completely
independent
test
of the merging hierarchy inferred from the GCs, with the aid of N-body
codes
that simulate the merger of galaxies containing massive black holes; and
{3}
calibrate the z^ -band SBF method, measure Virgo’s 3-D structure, and
carry out
the definitive study of the GC luminosity function’s precision as a
standard
candle. Our proposed Virgo Cluster Survey will yield a database of
unprecedented
depth, precision and uniformity, and will enable us to study the record
of
galaxy and cluster formation in a level of detail which will never be
possible
with more distant systems.

WFPC2 9458

Probing the Formation & Evolution of M31’s Outer Disk and Halo

The fossil record of galaxy formation and evolution is imprinted on the
spatial
distribution, ages and metallicities of galactic stellar populations. The
observations proposed here build significantly upon our extensive
ground-based
and archival WFPC2 programs and aim to constrain the formation and
evolution of
our nearest large neighbor, M31. We propose deep imaging of 8 fields in
the
outer disk and halo, several of which have been identified from our
panoramic
ground-based CCD survey {covering ~ 26 square degrees} to possess
significant
stellar density and/or potential metallicity variations. Deep
colour-magnitude
diagrams reaching ~2-3 magnitudes below the horizontal branch will be
constructed, allowing detailed characterization of the luminous evolved
stellar
populations via the red giant metallicity distribution, the luminous
asymptotic
giant branch, the horizontal branch morphology and the red clump, as well
as the
detection of a main-sequence that may be present from any younger
component. Our
primary goals are to: {i} quantify the stellar population variations
associated
with M31 halo substructure, including the newly- discovered giant stellar
stream, and {ii} derive stringent constraints on the age and metallicity
of
stars in the far outer disk. These observations will directly address two
key
predictions of cold dark matter hierarchical galaxy formation models.

ACS 9468

ACS Grism Parallel Survey of Emission- line Galaxies at Redshift z pl 7

We propose an ACS grism parallel survey to search for emission-line
galaxies
toward 50 random lines of sight over the redshift interval 0 < z pl 7. We request ACS parallel observations of duration more than one orbit at high galactic latitude to identify ~ 300 HAlpha emission-line galaxies at 0.2 pl z pl 0.5, ~ 720 O IILambda3727 emission-line galaxies at 0.3 pl z pl 1.68, and pg 1000 Ly-alpha emission-line galaxies at 3 pl z pl 7 with total emission line flux f pg 2* 10^-17 ergs s^-1 cm^-2 over 578 arcmin^2. We will obtain direct images with the F814W and F606W filters and dispersed images with the WFC/G800L grism at each position. The direct images will serve to provide a zeroth order model both for wavelength calibration of the extracted 1D spectra and for determining extraction apertures of the corresponding dispersed images. The primary scientific objectives are as follows: {1} We will establish a uniform sample of HAlpha and O II emission-line galaxies at z<1.7 in order to obtain accurate measurements of co-moving star formation rate density versus redshift over this redshift range. {2} We will study the spatial and statistical distribution of star formation rate intensity in individual galaxies using the spatially resolved emission-line morphology in the grism images. And {3} we will study high-redshift universe using Ly-alpha emitting galaxies identified at z pl 7 in the survey. The data will be available to the community immediately as they are obtained.

ACS 9480

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/WFPC2 9481

Pure Parallel Near-UV Observations with WFPC2 within High-Latitude ACS
Survey
Fields

In anticipation of the allocation of ACS high-latitude imaging survey{s},
we
request a modification of the default pure parallel program for those
WFPC2
parallels that fall within the ACS survey field. Rather than duplicate
the red
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 0

ACS 9500

The Evolution of Galaxy Structure from 10, 000 Galaxies with 0.1HST
Proposal
9500

We propose to determine the evolution of galaxy structure over the last
half of
cosmic history from galaxy images in the redshift range 0.1100 AGNs identified in the
field,
we will investigate whether the population of host galaxies evolved in
the last
10^10 years.

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 9605

CCD Dark Monitor-Part 1

Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD

STIS 9607

CCD Bias Monitor – Part 1

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 9615

Cycle 11 MAMA Dark Monitor

This test performs the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark
noise. This
proposal will provide the primary means of checking on health of the MAMA
detectors systems through frequent monitoring of the background count
rate. The
purpose is to look for evidence of change in dark indicative of detector
problem
developing.

ACS 9673

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

WFPC2 9676

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.

STIS 9685

Multiwavelength Observations of Jupiter’s Auroral Hot Spot

Joint Chandra HRC-I and HST STIS observations in Dec 2000 found that the
northern auroral x-ray emission comes from a localized hot spot located
poleward
of the main auroral oval, magnetically connected to regions in the outer
magnetosphere beyond 30 Jupiter radii. In addition, the x-ray hot spot
pulsates
with a quasi-period of about 45 minutes. The hot spot occurs in a region
where
both anomalous infrared emissions and bright, transient far-ultraviolet
{FUV}
flares have been observed. These results are inconsistent with excitation
by
energetic heavy ions precipitating from the region of the Io plasma
torus. Our
simultaneous HST STIS and CHANDRA ACIS-S observations of Jupiter seek to
understand the source mechanisms and energetics of the jovian x-ray
aurora. We
will also seek near-simultaneous ground infrared observations with the
IRTF.

STIS 9706

STIS Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 10

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports
of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.) None

COMPLETED OPS REQs: None

OPS NOTES EXECUTED:
1079-0 – HST Command Initiation & GCMR Management @ 056/1630z

                         SCHEDULED     SUCCESSFUL    FAILURE TIMES
FGS GSacq             08                        08             
FGS REacq             06                        06
FHST Update           17                        16           
@56/12:28:30z
LOSS of LOCK

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: None