NASA Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #4112
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE – Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 4112
PERIOD COVERED: UT May 11, 2006 (DOY 131)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
ACS/HRC/WFC 10487
A Search for Debris Disks in the Coeval Beta Pictoris Moving Group
Resolved observations of debris disks present us with the opportunity of studying planetary evolution in other solar systems. We propose to search for debris disks in the Beta Pictoris moving group {8-20 Myrs, 10-50 pc away} , which provides a coeval sample of multiple spectral types, and it has already produced two magnificent resolved debris disks: AU Mic and Beta Pic. Such coeval sample will provide us with a snapshop of the crucial time in disk evolution in which the disk makes the transition from optically thick to optically thin, and it will be useful to study the stellar mass dependence of the disk evolution.
ACS/WFC 10486
A Cosmic String Lens Candidate
We propose two-band imaging observations with ACS of a cosmic string lens candidate, CSL-1, to look for a feature predicted by the cosmic string model: a low-surface brightness discontinuity in between the two galaxy images.
ACS/WFC 10592
An ACS Survey of a Complete Sample of Luminous Infrared Galaxies in the Local Universe
At luminosities above 10^11.4 L_sun, the space density of far-infrared selected galaxies exceeds that of optically selected galaxies. These `luminous infrared galaxies’ {LIRGs} are primarily interacting or merging disk galaxies undergoing enhanced star formation and Active Galactic Nuclei {AGN} activity, possibly triggered as the objects transform into massive S0 and elliptical merger remnants. We propose ACS/WFC imaging of a complete sample of 88 L_IR > 10^11.4 L_sun luminous infrared galaxies in the IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample {RBGS: i.e., 60 micron flux density > 5.24 Jy}. This sample is ideal not only in its completeness and sample size, but also in the proximity and brightness of the galaxies. The superb sensitivity, resolution, and field of view of ACS/WFC on HST enables a unique opportunity to study the detailed structure of galaxies that sample all stages of the merger process. Imaging will be done with the F439W and F814W filters {B and I-band} to examine as a function of both luminosity and merger state {i} the evidence at optical wavelengths of star formation and AGN activity and the manner in which instabilities {bars and bridges} in the galaxies may funnel material to these active regions, {ii} the relationship between star formation and AGN activity, and {iii} the structural properties {AGN, bulge, and disk components} and fundamental parameters {effective radius and surface brightness} of LIRGs and their similarity with putative evolutionary byproducts {elliptical, S0 and classical AGN host galaxies}. This HST survey will also bridge the wavelength gap between a Spitzer imaging survey {covering seven bands in the 3.6-160 micron range} and a GALEX UV imaging survey of these galaxies, but will resolve complexes of star clusters and multiple nuclei at resolutions well beyond the capabilities of either Spitzer or GALEX. The combined datasets will result in the most comprehensive multiwavelength study of interacting and merging galaxies to date.
ACS/WFC 10742
Ramp Filter and Grism Zeroth Order Wavelengths
A calibration of ramp filters on the ACS is obtained through crossing the ramp filters with the G800L grism in observations of the standard star GD 153. The standard star is also observed through the F606W filter and each ramp crossed with a wide-band filter to measure any filter- wedge offset from the standard grism calibration produced by crossing a ramp with the grism. The ramp filters chosen for this first calibration are those which have been used most extensively by observers during the past ACS cycles and can be usefully crossed with the G800L grism.
ACS/WFC 10775
An ACS Survey of Galactic Globular Clusters
We propose to conduct an ACS/WFC imaging survey of Galactic globular clusters. We will construct the most extensive and deepest set of photometry and astrometry to-date for these systems reaching a main sequence mass of ~0.2 solar mass with S/N >= 10. We will combine these data with archival WFPC2 and STIS images to determine proper motions for the stars in our fields. The resultant cleaned cluster CMDs will allow us to study a variety of scientific questions. These include [but are not limited to] 1} the determination of cluster ages and distances 2} the construction of main sequence mass functions and the issue of mass segregation 3} the internal motions and dynamical evolution of globular clusters, and 4} absolute cluster motions, orbits, and the Milky Way gravitational potential. We anticipate that the unique resource provided by the proposed treasury archive will play a central role in the field of globular cluster studies for decades, with a stature comparable to that of the Hubble Deep Field for high redshift studies.
NIC1/NC2/NC3 10723
Cycle 14 NICMOS dark current, shading profile, and read noise monitoring program
The purpose of this proposal is to monitor the dark current, read noise, and shading profile for all three NICMOS detectors throughout the duration of Cycle 14. This proposal is a slightly modified version of proposal 10380 of cycle 13 and 9993 of cycle12 that we cut down some exposure time to make the observation fit within 24 orbits.
NIC2 10518
Dark matter and the missing images of cx2201-3201
The galaxy lensing the z=3.9 quasar cx2201-3201 is a bulgeless edge-on spiral. Models for the disk that contain more than 20% of the mass predict four images, but only two are seen in ground-based images. We request 3 orbits to obtain high resolution optical and infrared images. If the missing images are indeed absent, more than 80% of the mass inside the Einstein radius must be in an unseen spherical component.
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.
WFPC2 10561
A deep UV imaging survey of the Globular Cluster M 30
We propose to carry out a deep FUV and NUV survey of M30 {NGC 7099} in order to find and study the hot and/or dynamically-formed stellar populations in the globular cluster. In particular, we will {i} search for the UV counterpart to a MSP binary, {ii} find and study the full population of cataclysmic variables in this cluster, {iii} study the UV properties of the cluster’s extensive blue straggler population, {iv} detect the first set of white dwarfs in this cluster. Our survey will be sensitive to variability on time-scales from minutes to weeks, allowing us to search for variable stars in all of the FUV populations.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS: (None)
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:
17753-2 – FSW TDRSS-W Elements Update (thru step 5) @ 131/1540z
17695-2 – Monitor VehConLaw.Integral Path Data via TMDIAG Slot 0 @ 131/1546z
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq 11 11
FGS REacq 04 04
OBAD with Maneuver 30 30
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)
