NASA Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report # 3571
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE – Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 3571
PERIOD COVERED: DOY 76
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
ACS/HRC 10041
Characterization of a planetary-sized body in the inner Oort cloud
Our recent discovery of a planetary-sized body in the inner Oort cloud
presents
the opportunity for quick low-cost survey of this extremely interesting
object.
With just 2 orbits we will be able to independently determine the size of
this
object, definitely determine if satellites exist, and search for the
shortest
timescale photometric variations. As little is known about this body, it is
difficult to predict what results will come from these observations, but it
is
clear that such an object deserves observations at the high resolution.
ACS/HRC/WFC 10059
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/HRC/WFC/NIC2 9753
Morphologies of EROs and Field Galaxies in SIRTF’s First Look Survey: A Rich
Early Release Dataset
The SIRTF First Look Survey {FLS} will be the first scientific program
undertaken with NASA’s next Great Observatory. The FLS provides the first
large
sample of dusty galaxies to redshifts to z < 2 and a census of large-scale
global IR properties {luminosities, color temperatures, total dust mass,
etc.}
HST observations to measure morphology are critical to provide insight into
the
mechanisms which build up the various galaxy components--disks, bulges as
well
as chaotic morphologies. We will measure quantitative morphology of fifty
extremely red objects {EROs} with targeted NICMOS pointings and hundreds of
field galaxies with ACS in parallel in the FLS. We aim to understand how
EROs
fit into the evolutionary sequence of galaxy formation. The combined HST and
SIRTF observations will provide clues into the physical processes
responsible
for generating powerful far-IR sources or, conversely, may explain why some
galaxies are inactive in the far-IR. Ancillary ground-based optical,
near-IR,
and radio data have already been obtained and DEIMOS spectra are scheduled
for
June, 2003. We waive the proprietary period for the HST observations and if
executed early in Cycle 12 the FLS will be the first complete SIRTF+HST
survey
made available to the astronomical community, well in advance of the
majority of
the Legacy observations and all of the GTO surveys.
ACS/WFC 9575
Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program.
The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC) was used to test ACS pure parallels in
POMS.
ACS/WFC 9701
ACS Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program II
The proposal is designed to test ACS pure parallels in POMS.
ACS/WFC/WFPC2 9822
The COSMOS 2-Degree ACS Survey
We will undertake a 2 square degree imaging survey {Cosmic Evolution
Survey —
COSMOS} with ACS in the I {F814W} band of the VIMOS equatorial field. This
wide
field survey is essential to understand the interplay between Large Scale
Structure {LSS} evolution and the formation of galaxies, dark matter and
AGNs
and is the one region of parameter space completely unexplored at present by
HST. The equatorial field was selected for its accessibility to all
ground-based
telescopes and low IR background and because it will eventually contain
~100,
000 galaxy spectra from the VLT-VIMOS instrument. The imaging will detect
over 2
million objects with I> 27 mag {AB, 10 sigma}, over 35, 000 Lyman Break
Galaxies
{LBGs} and extremely red galaxies out to z ~ 5. COSMOS is the only HST
project
specifically designed to probe the formation and evolution of structures
ranging
from galaxies up to Coma-size clusters in the epoch of peak galaxy, AGN,
star
and cluster formation {z ~0.5 to 3}. The size of the largest structures
necessitate the 2 degree field. Our team is committed to the assembly of
several
public ancillary datasets including the optical spectra, deep XMM and VLA
imaging, ground-based optical/IR imaging, UV imaging from GALEX and IR data
from
SIRTF. Combining the full-spectrum multiwavelength imaging and spectroscopic
coverage with ACS sub-kpc resolution, COSMOS will be Hubble’s ultimate
legacy
for understanding the evolution of both the visible and dark universe.
FGS 9879
An Astrometric Calibration of the Cepheid Period-Luminosity Relation
We propose to measure the parallaxes of 10 Galactic Cepheid variables. There
is
no other instrument on or off the earth that can consistently deliver HST
FGS
level of precision for critical parallaxes. When these parallaxes {with
1-sigma
precisions of 10% or better} are added to our recent HST FGS parallax
determination of delta Cep {Benedict et al 2002}, we anticipate determining
the
Period-Luminosity relation zero point with a 0.03 mag precision. In addition
to
permitting the test of assumptions that enter into other Cepheid distance
determination techniques, this calibration will reintroduce Galactic
Cepheids as
a fundamental step in the extragalactic distance scale ladder. A
Period-Luminosity relation derived from solar metallicity Cepheids can be
applied directly to extragalactic solar metallicity Cepheids, removing the
need
to bridge with the Large Magellanic Cloud and its associated metallicity
complications.
FGS 9883
Parallaxes of Extreme Halo Subgiants: Calibrating Globular Cluster
Distances and
the Ages of the Oldest Stars
The ages of the oldest stars are a key constraint on the evolution of our
Galaxy, the history of star formation, and cosmological models. These ages
are
usually determined from globular clusters. However, it is alternatively
possible
to determine ages of extreme Population II subgiants in the solar
neighborhood
based on trigonometric parallaxes, without any recourse to clusters. This
approach completely avoids the vexing issues of cluster distances,
reddenings,
and chemical compositions. There are 3 known nearby, extremely
metal-deficient
Pop II subgiants with Hipparcos parallax errors of 6-11% which are
available for
such age determinations. At present, based on the latest isochrones, the
derived
ages of these stars {HD 84937, HD 132475, and HD 140283} are all close to 14
Gyr, uncomfortably close to or higher than current estimates of the age of
the
universe. However, the errors in the Hipparcos parallaxes imply
uncertainties of
at least 2 Gyr in the ages of the 3 stars. We propose to measure parallaxes
of
these three Pop II subgiants using HST’s Fine Guidance Sensor 1R. We expect
to
reduce the Hipparcos parallax error bars by factors of 5-6, providing the
most
stringent test yet of current theoretical stellar models of Pop II stars and
pushing the age uncertainties to below 0.5 Gyr. These data will also provide
a
major new constraint on the distance scale of globular clusters, with wide
implications for stellar evolution and the calibration of Pop II standard
candles.
NIC/NIC3 9865
The NICMOS Parallel Observing Program
We propose to continue managing the NICMOS pure parallel program. Based on
our
experience, we are well prepared to make optimal use of the parallel
opportunities. The improved sensitivity and efficiency of our observations
will
substantially increase the number of line-emitting galaxies detected. As our
previous work has demonstrated, the most frequently detected line is Halpha
at
0.7
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.
NIC3 9999
The COSMOS 2-Degree ACS Survey NICMOS Parallels
The COSMOS 2-Degree ACS Survey NICMOS Parallels. This program is a companion
to
program 9822.
STIS/CCD 10017
CCD Dark Monitor-Part 1
Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD.
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/CCD 10085
STIS Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 12
This is the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 12.
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 10070
WFPC2 CYCLE 12 Supplemental Darks Part 2/3
This dark calibration program obtains 3 dark frames every day to provide
data
for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels.
WFPC2 10084
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.) None
COMPLETED OPS REQs: None
OPS NOTES EXECUTED: None
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES
FGS GSacq 11 11
FGS REacq 05 05
FHST Update 17 17
LOSS of LOCK
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:
Continue CCS “D” and “F” String critical commanding Operational
Certification.
First SPC load uplinked from CCS “D” String @ 076/04:50Z.
FOT Teams A and C Thermal Control Subsystem (TCS) Training session, 18:00Z
– 22:00Z.
HST-SIMSS Release 1.0 Interface Checkout with SOC PSS scheduled to support
Joint Integrated Simulation configuration 077/12:00Z – 20:00Z with GDOC,
SOC, HITT,
and CCS using CCS “B” String with CCS Release 4.0.3.1 and PRD O06300T and
“H” String
with CCS Release 5.0.3.1 and PRD O06300ST. The purpose of this testing is
to verify
the capability of the HST-SIMSS Release 1.0 interface to support a Joint
Integrated
Simulation configuration.
