NASA Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report # 3482
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT # 3482
PERIOD COVERED: DOY 307
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
ACS/HRC/WFC 10042
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.
ACS/WFC 10054
ACS photometric Stability
A set of four spectrophotometric standard stars {GD71, G191B2B, GD153,
and HZ43} is observed once with ACS’s WFC and HRC through all filters,
except the ramp filters, to assess the sensitivity of the instrument
and measure accurate photometric zero points. The stars are placed at
the centre of the aperture, and two images are taken through each
filter. This programme is based on proposals 9020 and 9654 designed
for SMOV and Cyce 11, and also on programme 9563 from the interim
period. No RAMP filters are calibrated here. The exposure times have
been calculated to reach, on average, SNR~350 in the central pixel for
broad band filters.
ACS/WFC 9684
The Ultraluminous X-Ray Source in Holmberg II
We propose to a program of Chandra and HST observations to test the
recent suggestion that the bright X-ray source in Holmberg II is
surrounded by a photoionization nebula powered by a central object
with a luminosity of order 10^40 erg/s.
ACS/WFC 9860
ESSENCE: Measuring the Dark Energy Equation of State
The accelerating universe appears to be dominated by a dark energy
with a significant negative pressure. The ratio of the pressure to
density of this mysterious energy {its equation of state} is an
observable which can differentiate between the proliferating candidate
theories. We propose to estimate the dark energy equation of state by
observing Type Ia supernovae at redshifts near z=0.7 with HST in
concert with the on-going ESSENCE NOAO Survey program that is
discovering and studying supernovae between 0.3<z<0.8. We show that an
interesting constraint on the equation of state can be made with
supernovae observed at modest redshifts given the current knowledge of
the matter density. We will follow 10 Type Ia supernovae discovered
from the ground and passed to HST without disrupting its schedule. The
full data set will constrain the equation of state to 10% and strictly
limit the range of possible dark energy models. In keeping with the
ESSENCE policy, th ese observations will available to the community
immediately.
NIC1 9833
T Dwarf Companions: Searching for the Coldest Brown Dwarfs
Faint companions to known stars have historically led to the discovery
of new classes of stellar and substellar objects. Because these
discoveries are typically limited by the flux ratio of the components
in the system, the intrinsically faintest companions are most
effectively identified around the intrinsically faintest primaries. We
propose to use NICMOS to image a sample of 22 of the coolest known
{T-type} brown dwarfs in the Solar Neighborhood in order to search for
fainter and cooler brown dwarf companions. The high spatial resolution
of the NIC 1 detector enables us to distinguish binary systems with
apparent separations greater than 0"08, or physical separations
greater than 1.2 AU at the nominal distances of the objects in our
sample. Furthermore, the substantial sensitivity of NICMOS imaging
allows us to probe companion masses of 5-50 Jupiter masses and
companion effective temperatures of 250-1300 K in a maximally
efficient manner. Based on work to date, we expect that roughly 20% of
the objects in our sample will be binary, and that one or two of these
will likely harbor a significantly fainter secondary. Hence, we expect
to find a companion cooler than any currently known brown dwarf, a
potential prototype for the next spectral class. In addition, our
investigation will add substantially to the sample of known binary
brown dwarfs, allowing improved statistical analyses of the binary
fraction, separation distribution, and mass ratio distribution of
these systems, key quantities for probing brown dwarf formation. We
will also identify optimal substellar systems for astrometric mass
measurements, a critical check for theoretical models of brown dwarfs
and extrasolar planets.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8792
NICMOS Post-SAA calibration – CR Persistence Part 3
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.
NIC2 9768
Enabling Coronagraphic Polarimetry with NICMOS
We propose to enable a new mode on NICMOS that combines the powerful
diffracted light rejection of the coronagraph with the diagnostic
power of polarimetry. This new capability will open a new regime in
high contrast imaging that has not been possible before. We will
enable this capability by observing calibration targets with the
coronagraph and the NIC2 polarizers in place. The enabled science
includes, but is not limited to, detection and imaging of
circumstellar debris in polarized light, the polarized emission
surrounding bright planetary nebulae, and the extended structure
around bright active galaxies. A similar capability is possible with
the ACS, and therefore HST would provide the only platform for this
extremely high contrast imaging covering the entire near-UV, optical
and near-infrared wavelength regime. Only the combined HST NICMOS
system has the combined resolution and stability {especially with the
NCS} to provide high spatial resolution, coronagraphic, near-infrared
polarimetry in the foreseeable future. The technique is absolutely
unique to HST and will enable a new regime in high contrast imaging.
NIC3/ACS/HRC/WFC 9803
Deep NICMOS Images of the UDF
The ACS Ultra Deep Field {UDF} images will greatly enhance the rich
suite of deep multi-wavelength images in the Chandra Deep Field South
{CDF–S}. We propose to complete the image set with deep near-IR
NICMOS images at 1.1 and 1.6 microns over a significant fraction of
the UDF, providing a critical link between the HST ACS and SIRTF
observations. The timely addition of the near-IR images ensures that
investigators will have images that span the spectrum from X-ray to
far IR. In recognition of the value of the near IR images this
proposal is submitted as a Treasury proposal with no proprietary
period. The proposal team will deliver science quality images,
mosaiced images covering 4.9 sq arc min, and a photometric catalog
complete to an AB mag of 28.2 in both the F110W and F160W filters. The
program also delivers a parallel extremely deep ACS field, 8′ away,
that reaches to within 0.6 mag of the UDF in the same filters as the
UDF. The scientific program of the proposal team focuses on the star
formation history of the universe, evolved galaxies at high redshift,
galaxies at the epoch of reionization, and the redshift evolution of
AGNs and ULIRGs. The HDF-N is currently the only field with
spatially-coincident deep HST imaging in both the optical and near-IR.
The small size of the HDF-N means that large scale structure is the
dominant error in the results from the HDF-N. Providing observations
in a field that is spatially uncorrelated is critically important. The
UDF/CDF-S fulfills that goal. The depth of the UDF ACS imaging, and
the wealth of Great Observatory and ground based observations in the
CDF-S, make these NICMOS observations uniquely valuable. An
extraordinarily rich array of science opportunities await the
community from the NICMOS UDF data.
STIS/CCD 10000
STIS Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 12
This is the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during
cycle 12.
STIS/CCD 10016
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. Bias frames
are taken in subarray readouts to check the bias level for ACQ and
ACQ/PEAK observations. All exposures are internals.
STIS/CCD 10019
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/MA1 10034
Cycle 12 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.
WFPC2 10068
WFPC2 CYCLE 12 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 10072
WFPC2 CYCLE 12 INTERNAL MONITOR
This calibration proposal is the Cycle 12 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.
WFPC2 10074
WFPC2 Cycle 12 UV Earth Flats
Monitor flat field stability. This proposal obtains sequences of earth
streak flats to improve the quality of pipeline flat fields for the
WFPC2 UV filter set. These Earth flats will complement the UV earth
flat data obtained during cycles 8-11.
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.
WFPC2 9712
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.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary
reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)
HSTAR 9185: GS Acquisition (2,1,1) @ 307/10:03:07Z resulted in FL
backup using FGS 2. No flags were triggered, but after coming out of
LOS, only FGS 2 had acquired FL. FHST Map @ 207/10:39:56Z showed
errors of 0/639, 1.797, and 10.202 arcsec. Under investigation.
HSTAR 9186: GS Acquisition (1,2,2) @ 307/21:47:57Z resulted in FL
backup on FGS 1 due to SSLE on FGS 1 @ 307/21:50:37Z. GS
Re-acquisitions scheduled @ 307/23:28:54Z and 308/01:11:17Z. Under
investigation.
HSTAR 9188: FHST FM (U2,3) Update failures @ 307/03:28:56Z and
307/03:31:41Z. Error Box results QEBSTF0, QEBSTFG1, and QEBSTFG2
showed ‘3 Failed’. Following GS Acquisition (1,2,2) succeeded with no
problems. Under investigation.
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES
FGS GSacq 6 6
FGS REacq 10 10
FHST Update 15 13 (see
HSTAR 9188)
LOSS of LOCK
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: None
