NASA Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report # 3579
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE – Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 3579
PERIOD COVERED: DOYs 86-88
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
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.
ACS/WFC/HRC 9977
Gravitational Microlensing in the NGC 3314A-B Galaxy Pair
Determining the composition of the dark matter that dominates the masses of
galaxies is an important unsolved problem, and the results of the MACHO
Collaboration suggest that some of Milky Way’s dark matter may be in the
form of
very old white dwarfs. However, some have argued that the excess of
microlensing
events seen by MACHO are due to a larger than expected microlensing rate for
lens stars in the LMC itself or its tidal debris. We propose to address this
question by detecting microlensing events in the line-of-sight galaxy pair
NGC
3314 A & B. The large line-of-sight distance between these galaxies gives an
optical depth that is 3-4 orders of magnitude larger than if the source
stars
and lenses were in the same galaxy, and the fact that the background galaxy
is a
spiral ensures that there will be a sufficient number of bright,
non-variable
source stars. Our proposed observations should have the sensitivity to
detect
microlensing by both ordinary stars and dark matter in NGC 3314A {the
foreground
galaxy}. If there are dark matter microlensing events to be found, they can
be
clearly distinguished from stellar microlensing events because they will
occur
outside the visible disk of NGC 3314A. If baryonic dark matter is detected
in
NGC 3314A, we will be able to map its radial density variation.
ACS/HRC/WFC 9919
The Morphological, Photometric, and Spectroscopic Properties of Intermediate
Redshift Cluster Galaxies:
New and fundamental constraints on the evolutionary state of high redshift
clusters will be made by obtaining deep, multiband images {SDSS r, i, z}
over
the central 1.5 Mpc regions of seven distant clusters in the range 0.76 < z
<
1.27. The ACS data will allow us to {1} definitively establish the
morphological
composition and star formation rates as functions of clustercentric radius,
local density, x-ray luminosity {obtained from accompanying Chandra, and XMM
data}, {2} explore the relationship between substructure, kinematics, and
morphology, {3} strongly constrain the galaxy merger frequency and the
origins
of elliptical and S0 galaxies, {4} measure the mass distribution
independently
from the light {via gravitational lensing} enabling comparisons with
kinematically derived masses, and {5} study the evolution of the structure
of
the brightest cluster members. The clusters selected for this program
already
have extensive spectroscopic observations and NIR imaging is either in hand
or
underway from approved ground based programs. To date, the lower part of
this
redshift range has only been marginally studied with HST. Our sample
includes
the two most distant, spectroscopically confirmed superclusters and will
significantly increase the baseline over which evolutionary effects can be
studied. The data will also be used to identify very high-z galaxies via
their
unique spectral properties.
FGS 9881
Dynamical Masses and Radii of Four White Dwarf Stars
The cool white dwarf stars WD1639+153 and WD1818+126 were recently resolved
by
HST FGS1r to be double degenerate binary systems with projected separations
of
112 mas and 174 mas respectively. At a distance of less than 50 pc they may
both
have periods shorter than about 20 years, making them ideal candidates for
follow up studies for dynamical mass determinations. This will increase the
number of white dwarfs with dynamical mass measurements from the current 4
up to
8. Continued observations of these white dwarfs along with nearby field
stars
with the FGS will accurately determine the orbital elements and parallax of
each
system. The mass and radius of all four white dwarfs can be determined to an
unprecedented 1%, making it possible to test and calibrate the theoretical
white
dwarf mass radius relation at the cool end of the cooling curve for the DA
and
DC subclasses. Since the components of the binary are coeval, once the mass
and
radius, and hence the cooling age of each star is known, it will be possible
to
estimate the relation between the initial mass and final mass for all four
white
dwarfs. We are requesting a total of 4 HST orbits per year for the next
three
cycles to initiate the process that will result in a determination of the
mass
and radius of the four white dwarfs.
FGS 9879
An Astrometric Calibration of the Cepheid Period-Luminosity Relation
We propose to measure the parallaxes of 10 Galactic Cepheid variables. 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.
WFPC2 9870
Low Mass Star Formation at Low Metallicity: Accretion Rates of Pre-Main
Sequence
Stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud
As part of an ongoing effort to characterize the process of star formation
at
low metallicity, we propose to measure by means of U-band excess the current
accretion rate for a homogenous sample of newly-born stars in NGC 1850, a
young
{5 Myr} stellar cluster in the LMC. Clearly, at this age most of the
accretion
has already taken place and its intensity is declining with respect to the
earliest stages of formation. However, a comparison with Galactic Pre-Main
Sequence stars of the same age immediately leads to assessing the relative
strength of accretion when the metallicity is decreased by a factor of
three. We
have already analyzed the images available in the archive for these fields
and
we have determined the basic parameters {effective temperature and
luminosity}
for all of the stars down to a mass of ~0.9 Mo. To take the next step and
determine the current accretion rate we only need WFPC2 imaging of NGC 1850
in
the F336W passband. With three orbit worth of observations, we will reach
m{F336W}~23 with an accuracy of 0.1 mag. In spite of their unique scientific
potential, the data we apply for are relatively inexpensive to gather, as
they
are the last missing tile of a large dataset already available in the HST
archive.
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<z<1.9, which provides an excellent measure of current star formation
rate.
We will also detect star-forming and active galaxies in other redshift
ranges
using other emission lines. The grism observations will produce by far the
best
available Halpha luminosity functions over the crucial–but poorly
observed–redshift range where galaxies appear to have assembled most of
their
stellar mass. This key process of galaxy evolution needs to be studied with
IR
data; we found that observations at shorter wavelengths appear to have
missed a
large fraction of the star-formation in galaxies, due to dust reddening. We
will
also obtain deep F110W and F160W images, to examine the space densities and
morphologies of faint red galaxies. In addition to carrying out the public
parallels, we will make the fully reduced and calibrated images and spectra
available on-line, with some ground-based data for the deepest parallel
fields
included.
ACS/HRC 9851
Host Galaxies of Reverberation-Mapped AGNs
We propose to obtain unsaturated ACS high-resolution images of all
reverberation-mapped active galactic nuclei in order to remove the
point-like
nuclear light from each image, thus yielding a "nucleus-free" image of the
host
galaxy. This will allow investigation of host-galaxy properties: our
particular
interest is determination of the host-galaxy starlight contribution to the
reverberation mapping observations, which is necessary for accurate
determination of the relationship between the AGN continuum flux and the
size of
the broad Balmer-line emitting region of AGNs. Because this relationship is
used
to estimate black-hole masses of large samples of distant AGNs, correct
determination of the slope of this relationship is critically important.
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.
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.
ACS/WFC 9788
A Narrow-band Snapshot Survey of Nearby Galaxies
We propose to use ACS/WFC to conduct the first comprehensive HST narrow-band
{H-alpha + [N II]} imaging survey of the central regions of nearby
bulge-dominated disk {S0 to Sbc} galaxies. This survey will cover, at high
angular resolution extending over a large field, an unprecedented number of
galaxies representing many different environments. It will have important
applications for many astrophysical problems of current interest, and it
will be
an invaluable addition to the HST legacy. The observations will be conducted
in
snapshot mode, drawing targets from a complete sample of 145 galaxies
selected
from the Palomar spectroscopic survey of nearby galaxies. Our group will
use the
data for two primary applications. First, we will search for nuclear
emission-line disks suitable for future kinematic measurements with STIS, in
order to better constrain the recently discovered relations between black
hole
mass and bulge properties. Preliminary imaging of the type proposed here
must be
done, sooner or later, if we are to make progress in this exciting new
field.
Second, we will investigate a number of issues related to extragalactic star
formation. Specifically, we will systematically characterize the properties
of H
II regions and super star clusters on all galactic scales, from
circumnuclear
regions to the large-scale disk.
STIS 9786
The Next Generation Spectral Library
We propose to continue the Cycle 10 snapshot program to produce a Next
Generation Spectral Library of 600 stars for use in modeling the integrated
light of galaxies and clusters. This program is using the low dispersion UV
and
optical gratings of STIS. The library will be roughly equally divided among
four
metallicities, very low {[Fe/H] lt -1.5}, low {[Fe/H] -1.5 to -0.5},
near-solar
{[Fe/H] -0.3 to 0.1}, and super-solar {[Fe/H] gt 0.2}, well-sampling the
entire
HR-diagram in each bin. Such a library will surpass all extant compilations
and
have lasting archival value, well into the Next Generation Space Telescope
era.
Because of the universal utility and community-broad nature of this venture,
we
waive the entire proprietary period.
ACS/HRC/WFC 9781
Galaxy Evolution in Action : The Detailed Morphology of Post-Starburst
Galaxy
If galaxies evolve morphologically, then some should be in transition
between
late and early types. One proposed evolutionary mechanism is a galaxy-galaxy
merger, but evolved merger products are difficult to find. Fortunately,
spectroscopic surveys have now uncovered large numbers of E+A galaxies, a
class
of objects whose post-starburst spectra, current lack of HI gas, and
pressure-supported kinematics suggest that they are the missing panel that
connects the "Toomre sequence" of merging spirals with normal ellipticals
and
S0s. Our first HST observations of five of these galaxies are intriguing. We
find a considerable range of tidally disturbed morphologies, an "E+A"
fundamental plane, significant differences among the color gradients within
1
kpc {~0.8”}, and populations of bright, blue globular clusters. These
initial
results are difficult to interpret, however, because they are drawn from a
small
sample of galaxies whose very blue overall colors may have selected a
particular
evolutionary path of E+As. Here we propose for ACS imaging of the remaining
15
E+As from the Las Campanas Redshift Survey to probe the full range of E+A
properties. The proposed observations will allow us to 1} determine what
fraction of the interactions that lead to E+As destroy all disk-like
structures
{and therefore necessarily lead to elliptical formation}, 2} measure the inn
er
color gradients and constrain the spatial distribution of stars produced as
gas
sinks to the center during a merger, and 3} determine whether these
interactions
produce globular clusters in the required numbers to account for the
increased
specific frequency of clusters in early-type galaxies.
STIS/CCD 9776
Black Holes in Big Galaxies with Small Bulges
In early-type galaxies the black hole {BH} mass is tightly correlated with
the
bulge velocity dispersion. This correlation suggests that the BH mass is
determined by local processes in the central part of the galaxy. However,
the
bulge dispersion in these galaxies is correlated with the disk circular
speed
which in turn correlates with the inferred halo circular speed {the
"disk-halo
conspiracy"}. For this reason, existing data cannot decide whether the BH
mass
is set by the bulge dispersion or the disk or halo circular speed. We
propose to
break this degeneracy by weighing the BH in 3 Sc galaxies in which the ratio
of
bulge circular speed to bulge velocity dispersion is large, leading to large
differences between BH masses predicted from these quantities. These
measurements will increase the number of carefully studied Sc bulges from
one to
four and will determine whether the masses of nuclear BHs are set by
{presumably
baryonic} processes in galaxy bulges or by {presumably non-baryonic}
processes
in their dark halos.
ACS/WFC/HRC 9771
The local Hubble flow and the density field within 6 Mpc
Great progress has been made recently in accurate distance measurements of
nearby galaxies beyond the Local Group based on the luminosity of the tip
of the
red giant branch {TRGB}. Over the last three years, snapshot surveys with
HST
have provided us with the TRGB distances for more than a hundred nearby
galaxies
obtained with an accuracy of about 10%. The local velocity field within 5
Mpc
exhibits a significant anisotropy which disagrees with a spherical
Virgo-centric
flow. The local Hubble flow is very cold, with 1-D rms deviations of ~30
km/s.
Cosmological simulations with Cold Dark Matter can only realize such low
dispersions with a combination of a low mean density of matter and a
substantial
component with negative pressure. There may be a constraint on the equation
of
state w=-p/rho. Our observations will concentrate on 116 galaxies whose
expected
distances lie within 4 – 6 Mpc, allowing us to trace a Dark Matter
distribution
in the Local Volume with twice the information currently available. The
program
is a good one for SNAP mode because the order and rate that the
observations are
made are not very important, as long as there is good completion over
several
years.
ACS/HRC 9747
An Imaging Survey of the Statistical Frequency of Binaries Among
Exceptionally-Young Dynamical Families in the Main Asteroid Belt
We propose an ambitious SNAPSHOT program to determine the frequency of
binaries
among two very young asteroid families in the Main Belt, with potentially
profound implications. These families {of C- and S-type} have recently been
discovered {Nesvorny et al. 2002, Nature 417, 720}, through dynamical
modeling,
to have been formed at 5.8 MY and 8.3 MY ago in catastrophic impact events.
This
is the first time such precise and young ages have been assigned to a
family.
Main-belt binaries are almost certainly produced by collisions, and we would
expect a young family to have a significantly higher frequency of binaries
than
the background, because they may not yet have been destroyed by impact or
longer-term gravitational instabilities. In fact, one of the prime
observables
from such an event should be the propensity for satellites. This is the
best way
that new numerical models for binary production by collisions {motivated
largely
by our ground-based discoveries of satellites among larger asteroids}, can
be
validated and calibrated. We will also measure two control
clusters, one being an "old" family, and the other a collection of
background
asteroids that do not have a family association, and further compare with
our
determined value for the frequency of large main-belt binaries {2%}. We
request
visits to 180 targets, using ACS/HRC.
ACS/WFC 9744
HST Imaging of Gravitational Lenses
Gravitational lenses offer unique opportunities to study cosmology, dark
matter,
galactic structure, galaxy evolution and quasar host galaxies. They are
also the
only sample of galaxies selected based on their mass rather than their
luminosity or surface brightness. While gravitational lenses can be
discovered
with ground-based optical and radio observations, converting them into
astrophysical tools requires HST. We will obtain ACS/WFC V and
I images and NICMOS H images of 21 new lenses never observed by HST and
NICMOS H
images of 16 lenses never observed by HST in the IR. As in previous cycles,
we
request that the data be made public immediately.
STIS/MA1/MA2 9739
Are We Missing the Dominant Sites of Star Formation in Local UV-Bright
Starbursts?
We propose to explore the ages, extinctions, and masses of young stellar
clusters in four nearby dwarf starburst galaxies {He 2-10, NGC 5253, NGC
4214,
and IIZw40}. We will combine available archival data with new, high
resolution
HST observations from the ultraviolet to the infrared. All four galaxies are
known from ground based radio/infrared observations to contain highly
obscured,
massive stellar clusters, which dominate the far infrared flux. Despite the
fact
that almost all of the infrared flux comes from regions which are obscured
at UV
and optical wavelengths, these galaxies are consistent with the well known
correlation between the UV slope {beta} and the ratio of far infrared flux
to
ultraviolet flux at 1600 Angstroms. Because the UV and IR fluxes are
decoupled,
this observation implies that a simple foreground screen model, where UV
photons
from hot stars are reprocessed into the infrared by local dust, is not the
proper interpretation for why these galaxies follow the beta relation. We
propose to investigate the underlying mechanisms responsible for this
observed
correlation in these UV bright galaxies, and explore the implication for
high
redshift starbursts.
STIS/CCD/MA1 9724
Towards a global understanding of accretion physics – Clues from an UV
spectroscopic survey of cataclysmic variables
Accretion inflows and outflows are fundamental phenomena in a wide variety
of
astrophysical environments, such as Young Stellar Objects, galactic
binaries,
and AGN. Observationally, cataclysmic variables {CVs} are particularly well
suited for the study of accretion processes. We are currently carrying out a
Cycle 11 STIS UV spectroscopic snapshot survey of CVs to fully exploit the
diagnostic potential of these objects for our understanding of accretion
physics. While the data obtained so far are of excellent quality, the number
of
targets that will be observed in Cycle 11 is too small for a statistically
significant analysis {only 19 objects out of our 149 accepted Cycle 11
snapshot
targets have been observed at the time of writing}. We propose here to
extend
this survey into Cycle 12, building a homogenous database of accretion disc
and
wind outflow spectra covering a wide range of mass transfer rates and binary
inclinations. We will analyze these spectra with state-of-the-art accretion
disc
model spectra {SYNDISK}, testing our current knowledge of the accretion disc
structure, and, thereby, providing new insight into the so far not well
understood process of viscous dissipation. We will use our parameterised
wind
model PYTHON for the analysis of the radiation driven accretion disc wind
spectra, assessing the fundamental question whether the mass loss rate
correlates with the disc luminosity. In addition, our survey data will
identify
a number of systems in which the white dwarf significantly contributes to
the UV
flux, permitting an analysis of the impact of mass accretion on the
evolution of
these compact stars. This survey will triple the number of currently
available
high-quality accretion disc / wind outflow / accreting white dwarf spectra,
and
we waive our proprietary rights to permit a timely use of this database.
ACS/WFC 9722
Life in the fast lane: The dark-matter distribution in the most massive
galaxy
clusters in the Universe at z>0.5
We propose two-filter ACS observations of a complete sample of 12 very X-ray
luminous galaxy clusters at 0.5<z<0.7 as a cornerstone of a comprehensive
multi-wavelength study of the properties of the most massive clusters in the
universe. Our sample includes the famous systems Cl0016+16 and MS0451-03;
all
other clusters are new discoveries from the MACS survey. Being the
counterparts
of the best-studied systems at lower and higher redshift and comprising ALL
massive clusters at 0.5<z<0.7 observable from Mauna Kea this sample will
become
the ultimate reference for cluster studies at z>0.5. HST’s unique
capabilities
will allow us to: 1} measure accurately the clusters’ dark matter
distribution
on scales from tens to more than 500/h_50 kpc from observations of strong
and
weak gravitational lensing, 2} use galaxy-galaxy lensing to measure the
shape,
extent, and mass content of the dark-matter halos of both cluster and field
galaxies, and 3} study the color morphology of mergers and the star
formation
history of galaxies in a high-density environment. The proposed
observations are
complemented by Chandra observations of all our targets {all 12 awarded, 11
executed to date} which provide independent constraints on the dark matter
and
gas distribution in the cluster cores, as well a by extensive groundbased
observations of weak lensing on yet larger scales, galaxy dynamics, and the
SZ
effect.
ACS/WFC 9701
ACS Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program II
The proposal is designed to test ACS pure parallels in POMS.
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.
ACS/WFC 9575
Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program.
The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC) was used to test ACS pure parallels in
POMS.
ACS/WFPC2 9488
Cosmic Shear – with ACS Pure Parallel Observations
The ACS, with greater sensitivity and sky coverage, will extend our ability
to
measure the weak gravitational lensing of galaxy images caused by the large
scale distribution of dark matter. We propose to use the ACS in pure
parallel
{non- proprietary} mode, following the guidelines of the ACS Default Pure
Parallel Program. Using the HST Medium Deep Survey WFPC2 database we have
measured cosmic shear at arc-min angular scales. The MDS image parameters,
in
particular the galaxy orientations and axis ratios, are such that any
residual
corrections due to errors in the PSF or jitter are much smaller than the
measured signal. This situation is in stark contrast with ground-based
observations. We have also developed a statistical analysis procedure to
derive
unbiased estimates of cosmic shear from a large number of fields, each of
which
has a very small number of galaxies. We have therefore set the stage for
measurements with the ACS at fainter apparent magnitudes and smaller, 10
arc-second scales corresponding to larger cosmological distances. We will
adapt
existing MDS WFPC2 maximum likelihood galaxy image analysis algorithms to
work
with the ACS. The analysis would also yield an online database similar to
that
in archive.stsci.edu/mds/
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 9355
Test of Efficient Subsampling for NIC3 by Smearing Images of Jupiter
Several camera/filter combinations of HST do not sample the point spread
function with a sufficiently small sampling interval to retrieve the full
spatial resolution possible at the wavelength of the filter. This is
especially
true for the NIC3 camera. Dithering observations by sub-pixels is the
standard
solution. However, the extra overhead time of dithering can be too long to
make
dithering feasible for many solar system targets where rotation or relative
motion is noticeable during the overhead time. I suggest to test a new
method
where a single exposure yields 13-22 dithered images which provide
sufficient
subpixel information to recover the whole spatial capabilities of HST. I
suggest
to test this method with Jupiter imaged by six NIC3 filters. Still exposures
in
the same six filters of NIC1 or NIC2 will be added to provide the standard
for
comparison of spatial resolution. The method lets Jupiter smear across NIC3
by
about 4-6 pixels during the whole exposure by c hanging HST’s tracking
rates.
Each interval between readouts of NIC3 provides a dithered image. It is
difficult to predict how well the reduced NIC3 images will compare with the
still NIC1 and NIC2 images with respect to spatial resolution, but one orbit
of
HST can test the method. If this method works well, it could be applied to
many
other future observations.
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.
WFPC2 10090
WFII backup parallel archive proposal
This is a POMS test proposal designed to simulate scientific plans.
STIS/CCD 10085
STIS Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 12
This is the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 12.
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.
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.
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/WFC 10046
CCD Hot Pixel Annealing
Hot pixel annealing will be performed once every 4 weeks. The CCD TECs will
be
turned off and heaters will be activated to bring the detector temperatures
to
about +20C. This state will be held for approximately 12 hours, after which
the
heaters are turned off, the TECs turned on, and the CCDs returned to normal
operating condition. To assess the effectiveness of this procedure, a bias
and
two dark images will be taken after the annealing procedure for both WFC and
HRC. The HRC darks are taken in parallel with the WFC darks.
STIS/CCD 10022
STIS CCD Hot Pixel Annealing Cycle 12
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 9612.
STIS/CCD 10020
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/CCD 10018
CCD Dark Monitor-Part 2
Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.) None
COMPLETED OPS REQs:
- 17109-2 Genslew Request for Proposal 9475 (Slot#6)@086/1713z
- 17110-0 Genslew Request for Proposal 9475 (Slot#7)@086/1715z
- 17111-0 Genslew Request for Proposal 9475 (Slot#8)@086/1716z
- 17112-0 Genslew Request for Proposal 9475 (Slot#9)@086/1717z
- 17113-0 Genslew Request for Proposal 9475 (Slot#10)@086/1718z
OPS NOTES EXECUTED:
- 1208-1 Adjust ACS Error Count Limit (Closed) @086/1308z
- 1188-0 Unknown FMT ID @087/2006z (MARREAC required)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES
FGS GSacq 26 26
FGS REacq 21 21
FHST Update 55 55
LOSS of LOCK
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:
Conduct Readiness Review at 089/18:00Z for Battery 2,
Two-stage Battery Capacity testing. Testing scheduled to begin ~ 090/03:00Z
(OR 17107 with attached script). Initiate continuous engineering data
recording periods, the first period starts at 090/03:03Z and the last
period ends at 093/01:00Z. A number of gaps in continuous engineering
data recording were planned to allow playback of the data and to prevent
any overflows of the recorder. Efforts were made to match these gaps to
known times of TDRS return contacts.
HST-SIMSS Release 1.0 Interface Checkout with SOCPSS to support JIS
configuration scheduled 089/12:00Z – 20:00Z with GDOC, SOC, HITT, and CCS
using CCS "B" String with CCS Release 4.0.3.1 and PRD O06300T. The purpose
of this testing is to verify the capability of HST-SIMSS Release 1.0
interface
to support a JIS configuration.
