HST Daily Report # 3356
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT # 3356
PERIOD COVERED: DOY 125
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
Recently, a nearly perfect relation has been recognized between the
masses of
the black holes {for 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.
WF/PC-2 9345
Fundamental Properties of L-type Dwarfs in Binaries.
The WF/PC-2 was used to characterize the physical properties of eight
L-dwarfs
in four binary systems. The goal is to obtain astrometric, photometric
and
spectroscopic measurements of each component that will yield basic
information
on their atmospheric and dynamical properties.
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.
STIS 9418
The Sight-line toward PHL 1811: A Rare Chance to Probe a Lyman Limit
System at
Very Low
The sight-line to an extraordinarily bright quasar, PHL 1811, penetrates
four
gas systems at z{abs} < z{em} = 0.192. One of them is a Lyman limit
system
{LLS:
N{H I} > 10^17.5 cm^-2} at z{abs} = 0.08088 which is especially well
suited for
a study of atomic abundances, local density, and ionization state. We
propose to
obtain a STIS E140M spectrum with moderately good S/N so that we can
measure
absorption features that will permit the determinations of overall
metallicity
of the system, its nucleosynthetic ratios Alpha/Fe and Alpha/N, the
fractions
and kinematics of ionized gas, and the amount of gas-phase element
depletions
caused by dust. The LLS should be close enough for us to identify an
associated
galaxy, but to be sure we do not miss one very close to the quasar in
projection, we plan to supplement our spectrum with a short- exposure ACS
HRC
image of the quasar’s immediate surroundings.
ACS 9420
Intensive Coverage of the Eta Carinae Event in 2003
For a variety of reasons, HST can provide a very special and unique data
set
when Eta Car experiences its next spectroscopic event in mid-2003.
Explaining
the phenomenon is only part of the motivation. This star and its ejecta
have
unique characteristics that make them important for several branches of
astrophysics; and when a spectroscopic event occurs, it’s like varying
the
parameters in an experiment {or rather, set of experiments}. The 2003
event
will
be the last chance in the foreseeable future to obtain such a data set.
Eta
Carinae has extreme parameters; it is mysterious in surprisingly basic
ways; and
HST/STIS can gather useful data on it at a terrific rate. As we explain
below,
the proposed data set will be valuable in several independent ways: It
will
help
solve a specific set of current problems, it will constitute a large and
unique
archival data base for both stellar and nebular astrophysics, and it will
be
well-suited for educational uses.
ACS 9454
The Nature of the UV Continuum in LINERs: A Variability Test
LINERs may be the most common AGNs, and the signposts of accretion onto
the
massive black holes present in most galaxies. However, the LINER spectrum
is the
result of UV excitation, and, in at least some LINERs, a nuclear cluster
of hot
stars, rather than an AGN, dominates the energetics in the UV. Thus, it
is
still
unknown if the UV continuum, or the optical emission lines it excites,
have
anything to do with an AGN. The demographics and accretion physics of
low-luminosity AGNs hinge on this question. We propose to search for
variability
in a sample of 17 LINERs with compact UV nuclei. Variability can reveal
an AGN
component in the UV continuum, even when its light is not dominant. We
will
test
systematically the handful of non-definitive reports of UV variability,
and
potentially quantify the AGN contribution to the UV emission. Variability
in all
or most objects will be strong evidence that LINERs mark dormant AGNs in
most
galaxies. Alternatively, a general null detection of variability will
suggest
that, even in LINERs with additional AGN signatures, the UV continuum is
stellar
in origin. Contemporaneous monitoring with the VLA/VLBA of 11 objects
which
have
radio cores {five of which we already know are radio-variable} will
reveal the
relations between UV and radio variations. The UV-variable objects will
be
targeted for future, better-sampled, monitoring.
ACS 9472
A Snapshot Survey for Gravitational Lenses among z >= 4.0 Quasars
Over the last few years, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey has revolutionized
the
study of high-redshift quasars by discovering over 200 objects with
redshift
greater than 4.0, more than doubling the number known in this redshift
interval.
The sample includes eight of the ten highest redshift quasars known. We
propose
a snapshot imaging survey of a well-defined sample of 250 z > 4.0 quasars
in
order to find objects which are gravitationally lensed. Lensing models
including
magnification bias predict that at least 4% of quasars in a flux-limited
sample
at z > 4 will be multiply lensed. Therefore this survey should find of
order 10
lensed quasars at high redshift; only one gravitationally lensed quasar
is
currently known at z > 4. This survey will provide by far the best sample
to
date of high-redshift gravitational lenses. The observed fraction of
lenses can
put strong constraints on cosmological models, in particular on the
cosmological
constant Lambda. In addition, magnification bias can significantly bias
estimates of the luminosity function of quasars and the evolution
thereof; this
work will constrain how important an effect this is, and thereby give us
a
better understanding of the evolution of quasars and black holes at early
epochs, as well as constrain models for black hole formation.
ACS/WFC/HRC 9477
TRGB Distance to the Maser Galaxy NGC4258
Masers surrounding the nucleus of the galaxy NGC 4258 have been used to
derive a
geometric distance to this galaxy from proper motions and accelerations
of
individual sources assumed to be in Keplerian orbits. This provides us
with a
unique opportunity to test the zero point of the Cepheid Period-
Luminosity
relation in specific, and the extragalactic distance scale in general. A
Cepheid
distance has also been determined to NGC 4258 by us following the exact
methodology adopted by the HST Key Project on the Extragalactic Distance
Scale.
The two answers differ, with the maser distance being smaller by 12 We
are
proposing to use a third and totally independent means to assess the
sense and
significance of the difference that may need to be applied to the
extragalactic
distance scale. By using the tip of the red giant branch {TRGB} method we
will
obtain a Population II distance measurement to the maser galaxy NGC 4258
good to
a precision of better than 10 Resolving this issue is important because
if the
maser distance is adopted and used to recalibrate the HST Cepheid Key
Project
distances, then the Hubble constant increases from H_o = 70 to 80
km/sec/Mpc.
Both distance scales must be scrutinized and tested very closely before
any
recalibration takes place.
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<z<1. We will determine the
morphological
k-correction, and the location of star formation within galaxies, using a
sample
that is likely to be nearly complete with multi-wavelength photometry and
spectroscopic redshifts. The results can be used to interpret
observations of
higher redshift galaxies by ACS.
NICMOS 9484
The NICMOS Parallel Observing Program
We propose to manage the default set of pure parallels with NICMOS. Our
experience with both our GO NICMOS parallel program and the public
parallel
NICMOS programs in cycle 7 prepared us to make optimal use of the
parallel
opportunities. The NICMOS G141 grism remains the most powerful survey
tool for
HAlpha emission-line galaxies at cosmologically interesting redshifts. It
is
particularly well suited to addressing two key uncertainties regarding
the
global history of star formation: the peak rate of star formation in the
relatively unexplored but critical 1<= z <= 2 epoch, and the amount of
star
formation missing from UV continuum-based estimates due to high
extinction. Our
proposed deep G141 exposures will increase the sample of known HAlpha
emission-
line objects at z ~ 1.3 by roughly an order of magnitude. We will also
obtain a
mix of F110W and F160W images along random sight-lines to examine the
space
density and morphologies of the reddest galaxies. The nature of the
extremely
red galaxies remains unclear and our program of imaging and grism
spectroscopy
provides unique information regarding both the incidence of obscured star
bursts and the build up of stellar
mass at intermediate redshifts. In addition to carrying out the parallel
program
we will populate a public database with calibrated spectra and images,
and
provide limited ground- based optical and near-IR data for the deepest
parallel
fields.
NICMOS 9485
Completing A Near-Infrared Search for Very Low Mass Companions to Stars
within
10 pc of the Sun
Most stars are fainter and less massive than the Sun. Nevertheless, our
knowledge of very low mass {VLM} red dwarfs and their brown dwarf cousins
is
quite limited. Unknown are the true luminosity function {LF},
multiplicity
fraction, mass function, and mass-luminosity relation for red and brown
dwarfs,
though they dominate the Galaxy in both numbers and total mass. The best
way to
constrain these relations is a search for faint companions to nearby
stars.
Such
a search has several advantages over field surveys, including greater
sensitivity to VLM objects and the availability of precise parallaxes
from
which
luminosities and masses can be derived. We propose to complete our
four-filter
NICMOS snapshot search for companions to stars within 10 pc. With a 10
sigma
detection limit of M_J ~ 20 at 10 pc, we can detect companions between 10
and
100 AU that are at least 9 mag fainter than the empirical end of the main
sequence and at least 6.5 mag fainter than the brown dwarf Gl 229B. When
completed, our search will be the largest, most sensitive, volume-limited
search
for VLM companions ever undertaken. Our four-filter search will permit
unambiguous identification of VLM-companion candidates for follow-up
observation. Together with IR speckle and deep imaging surveys, our
program
will
firmly establish the LF for VLM companions at separations of 1-1000 AU
and the
multiplicity fraction of all stars within 10 pc.
WFPC2 9592
WFPC2 CYCLE 11 Standard Darks
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 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
WFPC2 9596
WFPC2 CYCLE 11 INTERNAL MONITOR
This calibration proposal is the Cycle 11 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 {gain 7 and gain 15}, a test for quantum
efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup of
contaminants on
the CCD windows.
STIS 9604
STIS CCD Performance Monitor
This activity measures the baseline performance and commandability of the
CCD
subsystem. Only primary amplifier D is used. Bias and Flat Field
exposures are
taken in order to measure bias level, read noise, CTE, and gain. Numerous
bias
frames are taken to permit construction of "superbias" frames in which
the
effects of read noise have been rendered negligible. Full frame and
binned
observations are made, with binning factors of 2 x 1, 1 x 2, 2 x 2, 4 x
1,
and 4
x 2. Dark images are taken in 2×2 binning mode; 1×1 binning darks are
being
taken in the nominal CCD Dark Monitor. Bias frames are taken in subarray
readouts to check the bias level for ACQ and ACQ/PEAK observations. All
exposures are internals.
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 9613
STIS CCD Spectroscopic Flats C11
Obtain CCD flats on the STIS CCD in spectroscopic mode.
STIS 9633
STIS parallel archive proposal – Nearby Galaxies – Imaging and
Spectroscopy
Using parallel opportunities with STIS which were not allocated by the
TAC, we
propose to obtain deep STIS imagery with both the Clear {50CCD} and
Long-Pass
{F28X50LP} filters in order to make color-magnitude diagrams and
luminosity
functions for nearby galaxies. For local group galaxies, we also include
G750L
slitless spectroscopy to search for e.g., Carbon stars, late M giants and
S-type
stars. This survey will be useful to study the star formation histories,
chemical evolution, and distances to these galaxies. These data will be
placed
immediately into the Hubble Data Archive.
NICMOS 9640
Flats Stability
This calibration proposal is the Cycle 11 NICMOS monthly monitor A series
of
camera 1, 2, & 3 flat fields will be obtained to monitor the health of
the
cameras.
ACS 9649
ACS internal CTE monitor
The charge transfer efficiency {CTE} of the ACS CCD detectors will
decline as
damage due to on-orbit radiation exposure accumulates. This degradation
will be
closely monitored at regular intervals, because it is likely to determine
the
useful lifetime of the CCDs. All the data for this program is acquired
using
internal targets {lamps} only, so all of the exposures should be taken
during
Earth occultation time {but not during SAA passages}. This program
emulates the
ACS pre-flight ground calibration and post-launch SMOV testing {program
8948},
so that results from each epoch can be directly compared. Extended Pixel
Edge
Response {EPER} and First Pixel Response {FPR} data will be obtained over
a
range of signal levels for both the Wide Field Channel {WFC}, and the
High
Resolution Channel {HRC}.
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 parallel images of random areas of the
sky,
following the recommendations of the 2002 Parallels Working Group.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports
of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTAR 9022: GS Acquisition (1,3,1) @ 126/00:33:36Z failed to Gyro
control
due to SRLE on FGS 1. FHST FM Update @
126/00:28:06Z showed attitude
errors of -146.376, 16L272, -7.131, second FM
Update
showed errors of
3.658, 4.930, -0.061. The guide star acquisition
for
this observation
was non-nominal, further analysis will determine
if
a repeat
observation is required.
COMPLETED OPS REQs:
16975-0 CCC K51 to Level 5 @ 126/21:03z
OPS NOTES EXECUTED:
1105-0 Limit Adjustment for CCC K51 to Level 5 Change
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES
FGS GSacq 09 08 See HSTAR #
9022
FGS REacq 08 08
FHST Update 22 22
LOSS of LOCK
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:
In response to Battery 4 and 5 warm-up and in preparation for Battery 2
Capacity test on 5/7/03, successfully lowered the CCC 5 K1 from Level 4
to Level 5 @ 125/21:03Z (OR 16975). Battery 5 CCC K1 relay operated as
expected in the subsequent orbit day. EPS SEs will continue to monitor
and trend battery temperatures.
