HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE<br /><br />DAILY REPORT # 3156<br /><br />PERIOD COVERED: DOYs 193-195<br /><br />OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED [see HSTARS below for possible observation problems]<br /><br />ACS 9472<br /><br />A Snapshot Survey for Gravitational Lenses among z >= 4.0 Quasars<br /><br />Over the last few years, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey has revolutionized the<br />study of high-redshift quasars by discovering over 200 objects with redshift<br />greater than 4.0, more than doubling the number known in this redshift interval.<br />The sample includes eight of the ten highest redshift quasars known. We propose<br />a snapshot imaging survey of a well-defined sample of 250 z > 4.0 quasars in<br />order to find objects which are gravitationally lensed. Lensing models including<br />magnification bias predict that at least 4% of quasars in a flux-limited sample<br />at z > 4 will be multiply lensed. Therefore this survey should find of order 10<br />lensed quasars at high redshift; only one gravitationally lensed quasar is<br />currently known at z > 4. This survey will provide by far the best sample to<br />date of high-redshift gravitational lenses. The observed fraction of lenses can<br />put strong constraints on cosmological models, in particular on the cosmological<br />constant Lambda. In addition, magnification bias can significantly bias<br />estimates of the luminosity function of quasars and the evolution thereof; this<br />work will constrain how important an effect this is, and thereby give us a<br />better understanding of the evolution of quasars and black holes at early<br />epochs, as well as constrain models for black hole formation.<br /><br />ACS 9565<br /><br />ACS Post-SMOV UV Contamination Monitor<br /><br />This programme continues the UV sensitivity monitoring campaign {ACS SMOV<br />proposal 9010} of the HRC and SBC after the end of the SMOV period.<br /><br />ACS 9578<br /><br />Cosmic Shear With ACS Pure Parallels. Targeted Portion.<br /><br />Small distortions in the shapes of background galaxies by foreground mass<br />provide a powerful method of directly measuring the amount and distribution of<br />dark matter. Several groups have recently detected this weak lensing by<br />large-scale structure, also called cosmic shear. The high resolution and<br />sensitivity of HST/ACS provide a unique opportunity to measure cosmic shear<br />accurately on small scales. Using 260 parallel orbits in Sloan i {F775W} we will<br />measure for the first time: the cosmic shear variance on scales <0.7 arcmin, the<br />skewness of the shear distribution, and the magnification effect. Our<br />measurements will determine the amplitude of the mass power spectrum sigma_8<br />Omega_m^0.5, with signal-to-noise {s/n} ~ 20, and the mass density Omega_m with<br />s/n=4. They will be done at small angular scales where non-linear effects<br />dominate the power spectrum, providing a test of the gravitational instability<br />paradigm for structure formation. Measurements on these scales are not possible<br />from the ground, because of the systematic effects induced by PSF smearing from<br />seeing. Having many independent lines of sight reduces the uncertainty due to<br />cosmic variance, making parallel observations ideal.<br /><br />ACS 9299<br /><br />Geometric Measurement of Galaxy Distances<br /><br />We propose to utilize the imaging polarization capability of ACS to make<br />observations of supernova light echoes in an investigation of their potential<br />use for the geometric determination of galaxy distances. SN1991T in NGC4527 is a<br />confirmed light echo close to the Virgo galaxy cluster. We will visit it twice,<br />once early in the mission and then later to monitor its evolution. We will also<br />obtain high resolution imaging polarization observations of other candidates to<br />determine whether they are light echoes and to use them for distance estimation<br />if possible. We will also acquire a deep field image in polarized light of a<br />galaxy known to have hosted large numbers of historical supernovae. We will<br />search for light echoes, plerions and other sources of polarized emission in the<br />targets such as reflection nebulosity, light polarized by transmission through<br />aligned grains, light echoes from other transients or variable stars and light<br />scattering from the nucleus.<br /><br />ACS 9563<br /><br />Preliminary ACS Sensitivity<br /><br />A spectrophotometric standard star is observed through a popular subset of<br />filters of each camera to assess the sensitivity of the instrument. The star is<br />placed at the centre of the aperture, and two images are taken through each<br />filter. This programme is based on proposal 9020 designed for SMOV. There are<br />three groups of visits, numbered respectively 1 through 3, 4 through 6 and 7<br />through 9. The three visits in each group must be executed about one month apart<br />from one another, as indicated in the visit requirements. The first visit in<br />each group {namely visits 1, 4 and 7} ought to be scheduled during the month of<br />July 2002. During SMOV the standard star GD71 could be used, which is not<br />visible during the Cycle 11 interim calibration period. We have selected<br />GRW+705824 instead. The latter is a WD slightly brighter than GD71 in V but with<br />very similar spectral properties. The exposure times with this object have been<br />selected to reach, on average, SNR~350 in the central pixel for broad band<br />filters.<br /><br />ACS/CAL 9558<br /><br />ACS weekly Test<br /><br />This program consists of basic tests to monitor, the read noise, the development<br />of hot pixels and test for any source of noise in ACS CCD detectors. This<br />programme will be executed once a day for the entire lifetime of ACS.<br /><br />ACS/STIS 9451<br /><br />ACS Imaging and STIS Spectroscopy of Binary Brown Dwarfs<br /><br />We have compiled a sample of 9 spatially resolved binary brown dwarfs {18<br />objects}, and now propose ACS imaging and STIS spectroscopic follow-up<br />observations. While theoretical models on the interplay of chemical and physical<br />processes governing brown dwarf atmospheres have reached a high level of<br />sophistication, interpretation of observational data remains difficult. As brown<br />dwarfs never stabilize themselves on the hydrogen main sequence, there is always<br />an ambiguity between the temperature or luminosity of any brown dwarf and its<br />mass or age. The individual components of brown dwarf binaries, however, are<br />expected to be coeval and have the same underlying chemical composition. This<br />provides crucial constraints on any model, thus greatly reducing the number of<br />the free parameters. The aim is to obtain photometric and spectroscopic data to<br />probe the physical and chemical properties of the brown dwarf atmospheres, as<br />well as second epoch astrometric data to characterize the orbital motion. The<br />study will provide important feedback on theoretical model atmospheres and<br />evolutionary tracks for brown dwarfs. As such, it will be an important step<br />towards a better understanding of objects with spectral properties intermediate<br />between those of giant planets and late-type stars.<br /><br />ACS/WFC 9584<br /><br />ACS Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program II.<br /><br />The Advanced Camera for Surveys [WFC] was used to test ACS pure parallels.<br /><br />ACS/WFC 9575<br /><br />Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program.<br /><br />The Advanced Camera for Surveys [WFC] was used to test ACS pure parallels in<br />POMS.<br /><br />ACS/WFC 9353<br /><br />Direct imaging of the progenitors of massive, core-collapse supernovae<br /><br />Modern supernovae searches in the nearby Universe are discovering vast numbers<br />of SNe which have massive star progenitors {Types II, Ib and Ic}. The extensive<br />HST {and ground-based} image archives of galaxies within ~20 Mpc enables their<br />individual bright stellar content to be resolved. As massive, evolved stars are<br />the most luminous single objects in a galaxy, the progenitors of core-collapse<br />SNe should be directly detectable on pre-explosion images. Within the last year<br />we have set direct mass limits on the progenitors of two SNe Type II-P by<br />analyzing pre-explosion archive images and follow up HST exposures. We have now<br />identified six other recent, nearby SNe which have WFPC2 archive exposures of<br />the site taken before explosion. Additionally, our Cycle 10 SNAP program will<br />double the WFPC2 image archive of nearby galaxies which significantly increases<br />the chances of having multi-colour photometry of pre-explosion sites for future<br />SNe. In this Cycle, we request time on two fronts. Firstly we require imaging of<br />the six SNe with existing pre-explosion data in order to perform exact<br />astrometry of the SNe positions to around 0.05''. Secondly, as a follow on from<br />our two successful Cycle 10 programs, we request ToO status for any nearby<br />core-collapse SN which explodes during Cycle 11 and which has pre-explosion HST<br />images. The goal of this proposal is to directly identify the progenitor stars<br />of core-collapse SNe.<br /><br />GO 9508<br /><br />A binary system in the Kuiper Belt: 1998_WW31<br /><br />1998_WW31 is the first Kuiper Belt Object, outside the pair Pluto/Charon, to be<br />discovered as a binary object. Though only preliminary results are available<br />from two orbits of HST DDT observation when this proposal is submitted, the pair<br />exhibits a very high eccentricity {larger than 0.5} and a period of 570 days.<br />The purpose of this proposal is to complete the monitoring of the pair on a full<br />orbit, up to February 2003. Monitoring will then have to cease {Sun too close}.<br />The binarity of an asteroid allows the determination of the total mass of the<br />system and provides important information on the past Kuiper Belt environment<br />{formation/collisions/capture processes}. If size can be obtained from albedo<br />determination, the mass will give the density, a key parameter for any study of<br />the origin and evolution of the Kuiper Belt. Hubble's unparalleled resolution<br />provides the unique way to acquire observations of the pair good enough to<br />access the physical characteristics of this system with a high degree of<br />confidence, as the high eccentricity of the orbit keeps the two components less<br />than 1 arc-second apart for most of the orbit. The observations would be made<br />public immediately to allow the continuation of the education program offering<br />to follow the pair on a regular basis to illustrate the prediction/verification<br />iterative process of science and the direct use of simple laws for the<br />determination of key parameters.<br /><br />GO 9376<br /><br />A Powerful Double Radio Source from a Spiral Galaxy<br /><br />We have identified a powerful double radio source whose host galaxy is clearly a<br />disk system, and probably a spiral. This violates a very general pattern among<br />radio-loud AGN, and understanding this object may thus shed light on the<br />differences among expressions of nuclear activity between spiral and elliptical<br />hosts. We propose a set of images to verify the spiral morphology, seek evidence<br />of a nuclear ionization cone and jet/ISM interactions via narrow-band imaging,<br />and search for optical synchrotron emission from the radio jet. These data would<br />show whether indeed this {already strong} case indeed represents a spiral galaxy<br />producing a powerful double source, what kind of spiral, and how both the<br />nuclear and extended activity compare to those in typical elliptical host<br />systems.<br /><br />GO 9585<br /><br />Discovery of a Binary Kuiper Belt Object by HST<br /><br />We will observe 1997CQ29 at three epochs to make a first determination of its<br />orbital properties<br /><br />GO 9461<br /><br />HST / Chandra Monitoring of the M87 Jet<br /><br />We propose to correlate the X-ray variability of the M87 jet against<br />morphological changes and variability seen in high resolution HST optical/UV<br />observations. We have already been granted Chandra bi-monthly monitoring between<br />Nov. 2001 and Aug. 2002, as well as HST observations in Nov. 2001. Here we<br />propose for a second HST epoch in Aug. 2002 which will allow measurement of<br />optical/UV variability and morphological changes during the Chandra run. These<br />observations will elucidate the X-ray emission mechanism for the jet.<br /><br />GO 9679<br /><br />The Structure of Eta Carinae's Central Core<br /><br />We return to Eta Carinae. The extreme luminous blue variable Eta Carinae is one<br />of the most studied yet mysterious astronomical objects. In March 2002 we<br />observed it at a higher angular resolution that ever before with HST's FGS1r. A<br />high quality interferogram was obtained of the object's central core. The data<br />are best modeled as TWO point sources embedded in significant nebulosity. The<br />sources differ in brightness by less than one magnitude and have a projected<br />angular separation of about 33 mas. The goal of this DD proposal is to<br />re-observe Eta Carinae with HST/FGS1r but at different, yet specific, spacecraft<br />roll angles. This will change the projection angle of Eta Car within the FGS and<br />will allow us to confirm and refine our two point source model of Eta Car's<br />central core.<br /><br />GTO/ACS 9291<br /><br />Formation of High Redshift Radio Galaxies<br /><br />This programme uses ACS observations of high redshift radio galaxies {HzRGs} to<br />investigate massive galaxy and cluster formation in the early Universe. By<br />carrying out deep observations of a few z > 3.8 targets the following four<br />questions will be studied: {1} Are HzRGs massive central-cluster galaxies formed<br />through hierarchical assembly of Lyman break galaxies? Detailed brightness<br />distributions colors and morphologies of HzRG clumps will be measured and<br />compared with those of Lyman break galaxies. {2} Are HzRGs located in dense<br />{proto-} clusters and if so what are the properties of the associated<br />large-scale structures? Lyman alpha excesses, colors and morphologies of objects<br />in field will be used to search for companion galaxies of HzRGs. {3} What are<br />the origin and fate of giant gas halos associated with HzRGs and what role do<br />they play in the formation of massive galaxies? The morphologies and locations<br />of Ly-alpha clumps will be compared with those of continuum clumps. {4} Is<br />nuclear activity a source of star formation in the early Universe? The<br />properties of continuum and Ly-alpha clumps along will be compared in relation<br />to the radio jet.<br /><br />NICMOS 8790<br /><br />NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 1.<br /><br />A new procedure proposed to alleviate the CR-persistence problem of NICMOS. Dark<br />frames will be obtained immediately upon exiting the SAA contour 23, and every<br />time a NICMOS exposure is scheduled within 50 minutes of coming out of the SAA.<br />The darks will be obtained in parallel in all three NICMOS Cameras. The POST-SAA<br />darks will be non-standard reference files available to users with a USEAFTER<br />date/time mark.<br /><br />NICMOS 9645<br /><br />NICMOS Tilt Test<br /><br />The purpose of this activity is to determine the best tilt positions for NIC2<br />and NIC3<br /><br />POMS 9677<br /><br />POMS Test Proposal: WFII backup parallel archive proposal<br /><br />This is a POMS test proposal designed to simulate scientific plans.<br /><br />STIS 9618<br /><br />STIS MAMA Dispersion Solutions<br /><br />Obtain wavecals just deep enough to constrain wavelength and spatial distortion<br />maps without overusing the calibration lamp. For the first time on orbit, data<br />will be obtained at all available central wavelengths. This information will<br />help constrain global models of STIS optical performance being developed at ECF<br />and STScI. During the observations, MSM monthly offsets will be set to zero to<br />complement observations over the past couple of cycles, which occurred at extreme<br />monthly offsets. The echelle observations at zero offset will yield dispersion<br />solutions that are directly applicable to all echelle science data obtained<br />after monthly offsets are disabled.<br /><br />STIS 9635<br /><br />UV Zeeman spectroscopy of AM Herculis<br /><br />AM Herculis, the brightest strongly magnetic cataclysmic variable, entered in<br />December 2001 an extended state of low accretion activity. During such low<br />states, the magnetic white dwarf totally dominates the ultraviolet emission of<br />the system, and only then an in-depth study of its photospheric properties<br />becomes feasible. We propose to obtain an exploratory HST/STIS observation of<br />the magnetic white dwarf in AM Herculis. We will use these data to measure for<br />the first time the Zeeman splittings of metal {C, N, O, Si} resonance lines in a<br />magnetic field that is far beyond the reach of any terrestrial laboratory<br />{B=14MG}. These observations will provide fundamental experimental input that<br />should enable significant progress of our understanding of the behaviour of<br />matter in strong magnetic fields. Four HST orbits will be sufficient to map both<br />the abundance and temperature variation over the surface of the WD.<br /><br />STIS/CCD 9110<br /><br />A Search for Kuiper Belt Object Satellites.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to investigate whether<br />the large number of collisions thought to have taken place in the primordial<br />Kuiper belt suggest that many Kuiper belt objects {KBOs} could have suffered<br />binary-forming collisions similar to that which formed the Pluto -- Charon<br />binary. Detection of such KBO satellites would allow measurement of KBO masses,<br />would help to understand the past collisional environment of the Kuiper belt,<br />and would give a context to the otherwise unique-seeming formation of the Pluto<br />-- Charon binary.<br /><br />STIS/CCD 8904<br /><br />Bias Monitor-Part 2.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to monitor the bias in<br />the 1x1, 1x2, 2x1, and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at gain = 4 in order<br />to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns.<br /><br />STIS/CCD 9066<br /><br />Closing in on the Hydrogen Reionization Edge of the Universe.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used in parallel constrain<br />the Hydrogen reionization edge in emission that marks the transition from a<br />neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted redshifts.<br /><br />STIS/CCD 8902<br /><br />Dark Monitor-Part 2.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to monitor the darks.<br /><br />STIS/CCD 9317<br /><br />Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 10.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to perform the default<br />archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 10.<br /><br />STIS/CCD 8189<br /><br />The Source of Gamma Ray Bursts and the Nature of their Hosts.<br /><br />[CCD] was used to make high resolution optical and ultraviolet observations of<br />the Gamma Ray Burster [GRB] 990123 and its host galaxy. This comprehensive set<br />of observations will provide new insights into the astrophysics of GRBs and<br />their high redshift host galaxies.<br /><br />STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9081<br /><br />Accretion in the Planet-Forming Disks of the TW Hya Association.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD, MA1 and MA2] was used to obtain<br />high signal-to-noise, low resolution ultraviolet spectra of the only two stars<br />in the ~ 10 Myr old TW Hya association that are still accreting to measure the<br />mass accretion rate through their disks. With these measurements proposers will<br />be able to assess the gas content in these disks which show clear signs that<br />dust is rapidly evolving towards planetesimals and planets, and obtain crucial<br />parameters to address the problems of planet migration and survival at 10 Myr,<br />the time-scale for planet formation according to meteoritic and preliminary<br />astronomical evidence.<br /><br />STIS/MA1/MA2 8920<br /><br />Cycle 10 MAMA Dark Measurements.<br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [MA1 and MA2] was used to perform the<br />routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise, and is the primary means of<br />checking on health of the MAMA detectors systems through frequent monitoring of<br />the background count rate.<br /><br />WF/PC-2 9345<br /><br />Fundamental Properties of L-type Dwarfs in Binaries.<br /><br />The WF/PC-2 was used to characterize the physical properties of eight L-dwarfs<br />in four binary systems. The goal is to obtain astrometric, photometric and<br />spectroscopic measurements of each component that will yield basic information<br />on their atmospheric and dynamical properties.<br /><br />WF/PC-2 9318<br /><br />POMS Test Proposal: WFII Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation.<br /><br />The WF/PC-2 was used to perform the generic target version of the WFPC2 Archival<br />Pure Parallel program. The program was used to take parallel images of random<br />areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the Parallels Working Group.<br /><br />WFPC2 9599<br /><br />WFPC2 Cycle 11 UV Earth Flats<br /><br />Monitor flat field stability. This proposal obtains sequences of earth streak<br />flats to improve the quality of pipeline flat fields for the WFPC2 UV filter<br />set. These Earth flats will complement the UV earth flat data obtained during<br />cycles 8-10.<br /><br />WFPC2 8938<br /><br />WFPC2 CYCLE 9 SUPPLEMENTAL DARKS pt3/3.<br /><br />This dark calibration program obtains 3 dark frames every day to provide data<br />for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels.<br /><br />WFPC2 8934<br /><br />WFPC2 Decontaminations and Associated Observations Pt. 3/3<br /><br />This proposal is for the monthly WFPC2 decons. Also included are instrument<br />monitors tied to decons: photometric stability check, focus monitor, pre- and<br />post-decon internals {bias, intflats, kspots, & darks}, UV throughput check,<br />VISFLAT sweep, and internal UV flat check.<br /><br />WFPC2/PC1 9663<br /><br />Focus Monitoring<br /><br />The HST focus is monitored using WFPC2/PC1. In principle ACS/HRC should provide<br />superior capability for monitoring the HST focus. Since most of the HST science<br />will shift to ACS in Cycle 11 trending observations are continued with this<br />program to establish the focus of WFPC2/PC1 {and hence HST} and ACS/HRC {and WFC<br />to a lessor degree} using exposures over full orbits that are taken in parallel.<br />With parallel exposures breathing cancels out for the relative camera offset.<br /><br />FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:<br /><br />HSTARS: [For details see ]http://hst-sers.hst.nasa.gov/SERS/HST/HSTAR.nsf]<br />HSTAR: 8734 GS Re-acquisition [2,3,3] beginning @ 196/03:59:35Z had SSLE @ 196/04:02:07Z.<br /> Second try was successful in reaching FL and Science Init.<br /><br />COMPLETED OPS REQs: None<br /><br />OPS NOTES EXECUTED:<br />1021-1 - Battery 5, 6 Temperature Limit Adjust @ 193/2138z<br />1023-1 - Limit changes for Post-SM3B Loads @ 193/2203z<br />939-1 - NSSC-1 Load in Count Mode @ 196/0306z<br /><br /> SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES<br />FGS GSacq 28 28<br />FGS REacq 22 22<br />FHST Update 65 65<br />LOSS of LOCK None<br /><br />Operations Notes: Received Automated SSR Redump Request from PACOR @ 194/1533z<br />for WFPC # 179. Observation was successfully redumped @ 194/1922z<br /><br />SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: None