HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to Collect World Class Science =
DAILY
REPORT #4967
PERIOD
COVERED: 5am November 5 - 5am November 6, 2009 (DOY =
309/10:00z-310/10:00z)
OBSERVATION=
S
SCHEDULED
COS/NUV/FUV=
/WFC3/UV/IR
11528
COS-GTO:
Studies of the HeII Reionization Epoch
Intergalact=
ic
Ly-alpha opacity suggests that H I was reionized at z ~ =
6,
while
He II reionization was delayed to z ~ 3. Both epochs are =
slightly
in
disagreement with recent (WMAP-3) inferences from the CMB =
optical
depth,
which suggest that IGM reionization occurred at z =3D 10.7 =
(+2.7,
-2.3)
(Spergel et al. 2007). However, these two methods are sensitive =
to
different
ranges of ionization (neutral fractions), which allows =
a
partially
ionized IGM between z =3D 6-10 produced by early stars and =
black
holes.
One of the major contributions of FUSE to cosmological =
studies
was
the detection of He II Ly-alpha (Gunn-Peterson) absorption in =
the
spectra
of two AGN at redshifts z =3D 2.72-2.89. The He II absorption =
is
quite
patchy between redshifts z =3D 2.6 and 3.2 probably because the =
IGM
is
clumpy and the reionization process is affected by =
source
fluctuation=
s,
spectra, and radiative transfer through the IGM.
Observation=
s
of the He II absorption can therefore be used as
diagnostics=
of the ionizing sources and radiative transport over =
large
(30-50
Mpc) distances through the IGM. The ionizing radiation =
field
appears
to be softer (higher He II/H I) in the galaxy voids. These =
void
regions
may be ionized by local soft sources (dwarf starburst =
galaxies),
or
the QSO radiation may softened by escape from AGN cores and =
transport
through
denser regions in the cosmic web.With COS, we will observe =
the
brightest
He II target, HE2347-4342, a QSO with z_em =3D 2.885. Our =
goal
is
to obtain a G130M moderate-resolution (R =3D 20, 000) spectrum =
from
1145-1450A.=
Because COS has far greater throughput than either STIS =
or
FUSE,
we will be able to resolve and characterize the He II =
absorption
lines.
The region shortward of the redshifted He II =
(Ly-alpha)
corresponds=
to z =3D 2.77-2.92, where He II exhibits patchy =
transmission
and
absorption. The ratio of He II/H I (Ly-alpha line) opacities =
will
provide
information on the ionizing radiation field (and =
ionizing
sources)
at 1 and 4 ryd. We will perform similar He II studies on =
three
other
targets, HS1700+6416, PKS1935-692, and Q0302-003.
WFC3/IR
11548
Infrared
Imaging of Protostars in the Orion A Cloud: The Role =
of
Environment=
in Star Formation
We
propose NICMOS and WFC3/IR observations of a sample of 252 =
protostars
identified
in the Orion A cloud with the Spitzer Space Telescope. =
These
observation=
s
will image the scattered light escaping the =
protostellar
envelopes,
providing information on the shapes of outflow cavities, =
the
inclination=
s
of the protostars, and the overall morphologies of =
the
envelopes.
In addition, we ask for Spitzer time to obtain 55-95 =
micron
spectra
of 75 of the protostars. Combining these new data with =
existing
3.6
to 70 micron photometry and forthcoming 5-40 micron spectra =
measured
with
the Spitzer Space Telescope, we will determine the =
physical
properties
of the protostars such as envelope density, =
luminosity,
infall
rate, and outflow cavity opening angle. By examining how =
these
properties
vary with stellar density (i.e. clusters vs. groups =
vs.
isolation)
and the properties of the surrounding molecular cloud; we =
can
directly
measure how the surrounding environment influences =
protostellar
evolution,
and consequently, the formation of stars and =
planetary
systems.
Ultimately, this data will guide the development of a theory =
of
protostella=
r
evolution.
WFC3/IR
11202
The
Structure of Early-type Galaxies: 0.1-100 Effective Radii =
The
structure, formation and evolution of early-type galaxies is =
still
largely
an open problem in cosmology: how does the Universe evolve =
from
large
linear scales dominated by dark matter to the highly =
non-linear
scales
of galaxies, where baryons and dark matter both play =
important,
interacting=
,
roles? To understand the complex physical =
processes
involved
in their formation scenario, and why they have the =
tight
scaling
relations that we observe today (e.g. the Fundamental Plane), =
it
is
critically important not only to understand their stellar =
structure,
but
also their dark-matter distribution from the smallest to the =
largest
scales.
Over the last three years the SLACS collaboration has =
developed
a
toolbox to tackle these issues in a unique and encompassing way =
by
combining
new non-parametric strong lensing techniques, =
stellar
dynamics,
and most recently weak gravitational lensing, with
high-qualit=
y
Hubble Space Telescope imaging and VLT/Keck =
spectroscopic
data
of early-type lens systems. This allows us to break =
degeneracies
that
are inherent to each of these techniques separately and probe =
the
mass
structure of early-type galaxies from 0.1 to 100 effective =
radii.
The
large dynamic range to which lensing is sensitive allows us both =
to
probe
the clumpy substructure of these galaxies, as well as =
their
low-density=
outer haloes. These methods have convincingly been
demonstrate=
d,
by our team, using smaller pilot-samples of SLACS =
lens
systems
with HST data. In this proposal, we request observing time =
with
WFC3
and NICMOS to observe 53 strong lens systems from SLACS, to =
obtain
complete
multi-color imaging for each system. This would bring the =
total
number
of SLACS lens systems to 87 with completed HST imaging =
and
effectively=
doubles the known number of galaxy-scale strong lenses. =
The
deep
HST images enable us to fully exploit our new techniques, beat =
down
low-number
statistics, and probe the structure and evolution of =
early-
type
galaxies, not only with a uniform data-set an order of =
magnitude
larger
than what is available now, but also with a fully-coherent =
and
self-consis=
tent
methodological approach!
WFC3/UVIS
11905
WFC3
UVIS CCD Daily Monitor
The
behavior of the WFC3 UVIS CCD will be monitored daily with a set =
of
full-frame,=
four-amp bias and dark frames. A smaller set of =
2Kx4K
subarray
biases are acquired at less frequent intervals throughout =
the
cycle
to support subarray science observations. The internals from =
this
proposal,
along with those from the anneal procedure (Proposal =
11909),
will
be used to generate the necessary superbias and superdark =
reference
files
for the calibration pipeline (CDBS).
FLIGHT
OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant=
Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary =
reports
of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.) =
HSTARS:
FOR
DAY 302
12067
- GSAcq(1,2,1) at 302/22:12:17 lost lock shortly after achieving =
=
;
FL-DV on FGS2.
COMPLETED
OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED
OPS NOTES: (None)
=
; =
SCHEDULED &nbs=
p;
SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSAcq
6 =
6 =
FGS
REAcq
7 =
7 =
&=
nbsp; &n=
bsp; &nb=
sp; &nbs=
p; =
; =
&=
nbsp;
OBAD
with Maneuver
8 =
8 =
=
;
SIGNIFICANT=
EVENTS: (None)