NASA Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report # 4560

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE DAILY REPORT # 4560

Continuing to collect World Class Science

PERIOD COVERED: UT March 04, 2008 (DOY 064)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

FGS 11295

Trigonometric Calibration of the Distance Scale for Classical Novae

The distance scale for classical novae is important for understanding the stellar physics of their thermonuclear runaways, their contribution to Galactic nucleosynthesis, and their use as extragalactic standard candles. Although it is known that there is a relationship between their absolute magnitudes at maximum light and their subsequent rates of decline–the well-known maximum-magnitude rate-of-decline {MMRD} relation–it is difficult to set the zero-point for the MMRD because of the very uncertain distances of Galactic novae. We propose to measure precise trigonometric parallaxes for the quiescent remnants of the four nearest classical novae. We will use the Fine Guidance Sensors, which are proven to be capable of measuring parallaxes with errors of ~0.2 mas, well below what is possible from the ground.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 11330

NICMOS Cycle 16 Extended Dark

This takes a series of Darks in parallel to other instruments.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8795

NICMOS Post-SAA calibration – CR Persistence Part 6

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 11142

Revealing the Physical Nature of Infrared Luminous Galaxies at 0.3

We aim to determine physical properties of IR luminous galaxies at 0.3 0.8mJy and their mid-IR spectra have already provided the majority

targets with spectroscopic redshifts {0.31 ULIRGs, as in the local Universe. {2} study the co-evolution of star formation and blackhole accretion by investigating the relations between the fraction of starburst/AGN measured from mid-IR spectra vs. HST morphologies, L{bol} and z. {3} obtain the current best estimates of the far-IR emission, thus L{bol} for this sample, and establish if the relative contribution of mid-to-far IR dust emission is correlated with morphology {resolved vs. unresolved}.

NIC3 11153

The Physical Nature and Age of Lyman Alpha Galaxies

In the simplest scenario, strong Lyman alpha emission from high redshift galaxies would indicate that stellar populations younger than 10 Myrs dominate the UV. This does not, however, constrain the stellar populations older than 100 Myrs, which do not contribute to UV light. Also, the Lyman alpha line can be boosted if the interstellar medium is both clumpy and dusty. Different studies with small samples have reached different conclusions about the presence of dust and old stellar populations in Lyman alpha emitters. We propose HST- NICMOS and Spitzer-IRAC photometry of 35 Lyman-alpha galaxies at redshift 4.5 8} not easily probed by any other means. {2} The dust extinction in the rest-frame UV, and therefore a correction to their present star-formation rates. Taken together, these two quantities will yield the star-formation histories of Lyman alpha galaxies, which form fully half of the known galaxies at z=4-6. They will tell us whether these are young or old galaxies by straddling the 4000A break. Data from NICMOS is essential for these compact and faint {i=25-26th magnitude AB} high redshift galaxies, which are too faint for good near-IR photometry from the ground.

WFPC2 10827

Imaging Polarimetry of the Seyfert 1 MCG-6-30-15: Clues to the Structure of Warm Absorbers

Imaging polarimetry at high spatial resolution, which is only possible with HST, offers a potentially powerful new tool for determining the orientation and geometry of AGN containing warm absorbers. These absorbed AGN tend to be more highly polarized than unabsorbed Type 1s, but less polarized than Type 2s. If the polarized flux is due to a polar scattering region as seen in polarized flux images of Seyfert 2s, imaging polarimetry of nearby absorbed Type 1 objects using HST can detect and resolve these scattering regions. We propose to make the first HST imaging polarimetry study of an absorbed Seyfert 1 by obtaining broad-band polarization images with WFPC2 of the prototypical “dusty warm absorber” in MCG-6-30-15 {z=0.0077, D~33 Mpc}. We will measure the wavelength dependence of the polarized light free from dilution by the host galaxy starlight in order to assess whether the polarization is due to a nuclear scattering region or dichroic transmission through the absorbing dust. These observations will enable us to {1} use the wavelength dependence of unresolved polarized flux to understand the properties of the absorbing dust suggested by X-ray spectral features attributed to Fe~I absorption, and {2} test whether polarization in warm absorbers is due to resolved polar scattering regions. Resolving the scattering region in a moderately polarized Seyfert 1 such as MCG-6-30-15 will let us answer the question of whether line-of-sight inclination can be directly linked to observed outflow characteristics, as suggested by the most recent unified models of AGN outflows.

WFPC2 11103

A Snapshot Survey of The Most Massive Clusters of Galaxies

We propose the continuation of our highly successful SNAPshot survey of a sample of 125 very X-ray luminous clusters in the redshift range 0.3-0.7. As demonstrated by the 25 snapshots obtained so far in Cycle14 and Cycle15 these systems frequently exhibit strong gravitational lensing as well as spectacular examples of violent galaxy interactions. The proposed observations will provide important constraints on the cluster mass distributions, the physical nature of galaxy-galaxy and galaxy-gas interactions in cluster cores, and a set of optically bright, lensed galaxies for further 8-10m spectroscopy. All of our primary science goals require only the detection and characterization of high-surface-brightness features and are thus achievable even at the reduced sensitivity of WFPC2. Because of their high redshift and thus compact angular scale our target clusters are less adversely affected by the smaller field of view of WFPC2 than more nearby systems. Acknowledging the broad community interest in this sample we waive our data rights for these observations. Due to a clerical error at STScI our approved Cycle15 SNAP program was barred from execution for 3 months and only 6 observations have been performed to date – reinstating this SNAP at Cycle16 priority is of paramount importance to reach meaningful statistics.

WFPC2 11138

The Physics of the Jets of Powerful Radio Galaxies and Quasars

We propose to obtain HST polarimetry of the jets of the quasars 1150+497 and PKS 1136-135. Our goal is to solve the riddle of their high-energy emission mechanism, and tackle issues such as particle acceleration and jet dynamics. Our targets are the optically brightest quasar jets, and they span the range of luminosities and beaming parameters seen in these objects. Recent observations with Spitzer, HST and Chandra have shed new light on the spectral morphology of quasar jets, throwing wide open the question of the nature of their optical and X-ray emission. Three mechanisms are possible, including synchrotron emission as well as two Comptonization processes. Polarimetry can uniquely determine which of these mechanisms operates in the optical. We will compare the optical polarimetry to in- hand radio polarimetry as well as in-hand and new Spitzer, HST and Chandra imaging to gain new insights on the structure of these jets, as well as particle acceleration mechanisms and jet dynamics.

WFPC2 11198

Pure Parallel Imaging in the NDWFS Bootes Field

The NOAO Deep-Wide Field Survey {NDWFS} Bootes field is the target of one of the most extensive multiwavelength campaigns in astronomy. In addition to ground-based optical and near-infrared imaging, deep radio mapping, and extensive spectroscopy, this entire region has been imaged by the Chandra, Spitzer {IRAC and MIPS}, and GALEX missions. Robust photometric redshifts {calibrated using over 20,000 spectroscopic redshifts} exist for all sources brighter than R=24.5 or than 13 uJy at 4.5 microns. To enhance the value of this data set, we propose pure parallel observations for all approved Cycle 16 programs in this region that lack coordinated parallel observations. The primary aim of this program will be to provide a database useful for the broad range of science programs underway in this region.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)

HSTARS:

11207 – OBAD Failed Quaternion (ESB 1903)

At 065/08:48:39, OBAD using FHST trackers 1 & 3 failed. OBAD Flag mnemonic GOBSTAT=AttDtErr. One 486 ESB 1903 “OBAD Failed Quaternion” was received. OBAD1 had (RSS) value of 5261.56 arcseconds. OBAD2 had (RSS) value of 70.45 arcseconds. Dumped OBAD Tables 369 & 370 at 065/08:52:45 per (OPS REQUEST 17543-2). Subsequent GSAcq at 065/08:53:49 was successful.

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:

17543-2 – Dump OBAD tables after failed OBAD (Generic) @ 065/0852z

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

                        SCHEDULED      SUCCESSFUL

FGS GSacq                08                  08
FGS REacq                06                  06
OBAD with Maneuver       28                  27

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)