NASA Hubble Space Telescope Daily Status Report #4545
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE DAILY REPORT # 4545 Continuing to collect World Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 4545
PERIOD COVERED: UT February 11, 2007 (DOY 042)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
ACS/SBC 10862
Comprehensive Auroral Imaging of Jupiter and Saturn during the International Heliophysical Year
A comprehensive set of observations of the auroral emissions from Jupiter and Saturn is proposed for the International Heliophysical Year in 2007, a unique period of especially concentrated measurements of space physics phenomena throughout the solar system. We propose to determine the physical relationship of the various auroral processes at Jupiter and Saturn with conditions in the solar wind at each planet. This can be accomplished with campaigns of observations, with a sampling interval not to exceed one day, covering at least one solar rotation. The solar wind plasma density approaching Jupiter will be measured by the New Horizons spacecraft, and a separate campaign near opposition in May 2007 will determine the effect of large-scale variations in the interplanetary magnetic field {IMF} on the Jovian aurora by extrapolation from near-Earth solar wind measurements. A similar Saturn campaign near opposition in Jan. 2007 will combine extrapolated solar wind data with measurements from a wide range of locations within the Saturn magnetosphere by Cassini. In the course of making these observations, it will be possible to fully map the auroral footprints of Io and the other satellites to determine both the local magnetic field geometry and the controlling factors in the electromagnetic interaction of each satellite with the corotating magnetic field and plasma density. Also in the course of making these observations, the auroral emission properties will be compared with the properties of the near-IR ionospheric emissions {from ground-based observations} and non thermal radio emissions, from ground-based observations for Jupiter’s decametric radiation and Cassini plasma wave measurements of the Saturn Kilometric Radiation {SKR}.
WFPC2 11024
WFPC2 CYCLE 15 INTERNAL MONITOR
This calibration proposal is the Cycle 15 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 {both gain 7 and gain 15 — to test stability of gains and bias levels}, a test for quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup of contaminants on the CCD windows. These also provide raw data for generating annual super-bias reference files for the calibration pipeline.
NIC1 11057
Cycle 15 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 15. This proposal is a slightly modified version of proposal 10380 of cycle 13 and 9993 of cycle12 and is the same as Cycle 14. that we cut down some exposure time to make the observation fit within 24 orbits.
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=3Ddate/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 i mages. Each observation will need its own CRMAP, as different SAA passages leave different imprints on the NICMOS detectors.
NIC3 11195
Morphologies of the Most Extreme High-Redshift Mid-IR-luminous Galaxies II: The `Bump’ Sources
The formative phase of some of the most massive galaxies may be extremely luminous, characterized by intense star- and AGN-formation. Till now, few such galaxies have been unambiguously identified at high redshift, and thus far we have been restricted to studying the low-redshift ultraluminous infrared galaxies as possible analogs. We have recently discovered a sample of objects which may indeed represent this early phase in galaxy formation, and are undertaking an extensive multiwavelength study of this population. These objects are optically extremely faint {R>26} but nevertheless bright at mid-infrared wavelengths {F[24um] > 0.5 mJy}. Mid-infrared spectroscopy with Spitzer/IRS reveals that they have redshifts z~2, implying luminosities ~1E13 Lsun. Their mid-IR SEDs fall into two broad, perhaps overlapping, categories. Sources with brighter F[24um] exhibit power-law SEDs and SiO absorption features in their mid-IR spectra characteristic of AGN, whereas those with fainter F[24um] show a “bump” characteristic of the redshifted 1.6um peak from a stellar population, and PAH emission characteristic of starformation. We have begun obtaining HST images of the brighter sources in Cycle 15 to obtain identifications and determine kpc-scale morphologies for these galaxies. Here, we aim to target the second class {the “bump” sources} with the goal of determining if these constitute morphologically different objects, or simply a “low-AGN” state of the brighter class. The proposed observations will help us determine whether these objects are merging systems, massive obscured starbursts {with obscuration on kpc scales!} or very reddened {locally obscured} AGN hosted by intrinsically low-luminosity galaxies.
S/C 11320
NICMOS Focus Monitoring Cycle 16
This program is a version of the standard focus sweep used since cycle 7. It has been modified to go deeper and uses more narrow filters for improved focus determination. A new source was added in Cycle 14 in order to accommodate 2-gyro mode: the open cluster NGC1850. This source is part of the current proposal. The old target, the open cluster NGC3603, will be used whenever available and the new target used to fill the periods when NGC3603 is not visible. Steps: a) Use refined target field positions as determined from cycle 7 calibrations b) Use MULTIACCUM sequences of sufficient dynamic range to account for defocus c) Do a 17-point focus sweep, +/- 8mm about the PAM mechanical zeropoint for each cameras 1 and 2, in 1.0mm steps. For NIC3 we step from -0.5mm to -9.5mm relative to mechanical zero, in steps of 1.0mm. d) Use PAM X/Y tilt and OTA offset slew compensations refined from previous focus monitoring/optical alignment activities
WFPC2 11002
A Census of LIRGs in Clusters of Galaxies in the First Half of the Universe from the IRAC Shallow Survey
The incidence of LIRGs and ULIRGs is roughly two orders of magnitude higher in the field at redshift z > 1, and at these redshifts such objects dominate the global star formation activity. Mergers which fuel such activity might be expected to enhance the frequency of LIRGs in dense environments. We propose to use MIPS to obtain a census of LIRGs in z > 1 galaxy clusters from a well defined sample found in the IRAC Shallow Survey. Supporting IRAC and HST ACS data are also requested.
WFPC2 11022
WFPC2 Cycle 15 Decontaminations and Associated Observations
This proposal is for the WFPC2 decons. Also included are instrument monitors tied to decons: photometric stability check, focus monitor, pre- and post-decon internals {bias, intflats, kspots, & darks}, UV throughput check, VISFLAT sweep, and internal UV flat check.
WFPC2 11070
WFPC2 CYCLE 15 Standard Darks – part II
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 11083
The Structure, Formation and Evolution of Galactic Cores and Nuclei
A surprising result has emerged from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey {ACSVCS}, a program to obtain ACS/WFC gz imaging for a large, unbiased sample of 100 early-type galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. On subarcsecond scales {i.e., <0.1"-1"}, the HST brightness profiles vary systematically from the brightest giants {which have nearly constant surface brightness cores} to the faintest dwarfs {which have compact stellar nuclei}. Remarkably, the fraction of galaxy mass contributed by the nuclei in the faint galaxies is identical to that contributed by supermassive black holes in the bright galaxies {0.2%}. These findings strongly suggest that a single mechanism is responsible for both types of Central Massive Object: most likely internally or externally modulated gas inflows that feed central black holes or lead to the formation of "nuclear star clusters". Understanding the history of gas accretion, star formation and chemical enrichment on subarcsecond scales has thus emerged as the single most pressing question in the study of nearby galactic nuclei, either active or quiescent. We propose an ambitious HST program {199 orbits} that constitutes the next, obvious step forward: high-resolution, ultraviolet {WFPC2/F255W} and infrared {NIC1/F160W} imaging for the complete ACSVCS sample. By capitalizing on HST's unique ability to provide high-resolution images with a sharp and stable PSF at UV and IR wavelengths, we will leverage the existing optical HST data to obtain the most complete picture currently possible for the history of star formation and chemical enrichment on these small scales. Equally important, this program will lead to a significant improvement in the measured structural parameters and density distributions for the stellar nuclei and the underlying galaxies, and provide a sensitive measure of "frosting" by young stars in the galaxy cores. By virtue of its superb image quality and stable PSF, NICMOS is the sole instrument capable of the IR observations proposed here. In the case of the WFPC2 observations, high-resolution UV imaging {< 0.1"} is a capability unique to HST, yet one that could be lost at any time.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS: 11185 – FGS-1 acquires incorrect guide star in (1,0,1) STScI pointed out a possible pointing error for the GSACQ (1,0,1) acquisition that took place on 034/07:03:02 based on the science data. The FGS was looking for a 12.4 magnitude star and found a 13.2 magnitude star. It had a search radius of 48 arcseconds. The FHST MAP immediately after the acq showed errors of V1:238.7, V2:102.9, V3:248.6 which is same size as the correction (but opposite sign) as made by the second OBAD prior to the acq indicating that the second OBAD may have introduced the attitude error.
=20 11186 – REacq(1,3,3) failed to RGA Hold (Gyro Control) REacq(1,3,3) scheduled at 042/21:26:56- 21:35:01 failed to RGA Hold due to a Search Radius Limit Exceeded Error on FGS-1. One 486 ESB “a05” (FGS Coarse Track failed-Search Radius Limit Exceeded) was received at 042/21:32:39. Pre-acquisition OBADs were successful. OBAD2 had (RSS) value of 53.35 arcseconds. Post-acq OBAD/MAP has not been scheduled. Prior guide star acquisition was successful.
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq 05 05
FGS REacq 09 08
OBAD with Maneuver 28 28
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)
