! File: 3616C.PROP ! Database: PEPDB ! Date: 19-FEB-1994:14:00:18 coverpage: title_1: THE UPPER ATMSPHERES OF URANUS AND NEPTUNE sci_cat: SOLAR SYSTEM sci_subcat: GIANT PLANETS proposal_for: GO pi_fname: MELISSA pi_mi: A. pi_lname: MCGRATH pi_inst: SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE pi_country: USA pi_phone: 410-338-4545 hours_pri: 10.64 num_pri: 2 hrs: Y funds_amount: 66548 funds_length: 12 off_fname: ETHAN off_lname: SCHREIRER off_title: ACTING DEP DIRECTOR off_inst: SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE off_addr_1: 3700 SAN MARTIN DRIVE off_city: BALTIMORE off_state: MD off_zip: 21218 off_country: USA off_phone: 410-338-4740 ! end of coverpage abstract: line_1: Far-ultraviolet observations of the planets Uranus and Neptune are proposed to line_2: detect and accurately measure the upper-atmospheric molecular hydrogen line_3: emissions with line_4: higher S/N and spectral resolution than has been achievable previously. line_5: Until the advent of the HST, the only previous remote detection of these line_6: planets at wavelengths below 1800A has been Ly-alpha emission from Uranus. line_7: The proposed program is the logical extension of a currently-approved line_8: program (GO 2625) for similar observations of Jupiter and Saturn, which is line_9: designed to facilitate detailed intercomparisons among all the outer planets by line_10: making a thorough inventory of their far-UV emissions. These observations will line_11: determine the dominant excitation process for line_12: the upper atmospheric emissions, which is a critical question because line_13: of its possible link to the unexpectedly high exospheric temperatures line_14: revealed by the Voyager flybys. Planet to planet variations in the excitation line_15: mechanism(s) and their variation with solar input will also be determined. ! ! end of abstract general_form_proposers: lname: MCGRATH fname: MELISSA title: PI mi: A. inst: SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE country: USA ! lname: CLARKE fname: JOHN mi: T. inst: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN country: USA ! lname: YELLE fname: ROGER mi: V. inst: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA country: USA ! ! end of general_form_proposers block general_form_text: question: 3 section: 1 line_1: Two integrations on each planet using both gratings G130H line_2: and G190H of the FOS are to be performed with the planet centered line_3: in the 1.0x1.0" aperture in cycle 2. Dark time is requested for line_4: the G130H integrations to avoid contamination of the H2 band line_5: emission between 1200-1300A by earth airglow emission. ! question: 4 section: 1 line_1: Until the advent of HST, no other astronomical satellite has line_2: had the capability of detecting these planets at far-UV line_3: wavelengths. Neptune, for example, has never been remotely line_4: detected at wavelengths shortward of 1800A, while Uranus has been line_5: detected remotely only by its Ly-alpha emission of ~1-2kR with IUE. line_6: The scientific objectives outlined in this proposal can therefore line_7: only be accomplished using the superior spectral resolution and line_8: sensitivity of the HST. ! question: 6 section: 1 line_1: Dark time is required for the G130H exposures to avoid earth line_2: airglow contamination of the H2 emission near Ly-alpha and 1304A. ! question: 7 section: 1 line_1: We have extensive previous experience both observing and line_2: analysing the far-UV emission and reflectance spectra of the outer line_3: planets (Clarke 1982; Clarke et al. 1986; Clarke et al. 1987; Yelle line_4: et al. 1987a,b; Yelle 1988; McGrath et al. 1989, 1990; McGrath and line_5: Clarke 1992). We have at hand models of both electron-excited and line_6: solar fluorescence H2 emissions, and models of atmospheric line_7: composition and structure determined from Voyager data, as well line_8: as software for modeling the UV reflectance spectra, which will be line_9: invaluable in analysis of HST data. In addition, we have adequate line_10: computer hardware and software to perform data recudtion and line_11: analysis, including SUN and VAX workstations and extensive line_12: software libraries such as the standard HST data reduction package line_13: SDAS, IDL, IRAF, etc., already in place on these systems. ! question: 9 section: 1 line_1: ID #2625: Excitation Processes for the Outer Planet UV line_2: Emission, M. McGrath and J. Clarke, Co-Is. Related to the present line_3: proposal in a complementary fashion. line_5: ID #2627: Io's Atmosphere and its Interaction with the Plasma line_6: Torus, M. McGrath, Co-I. Unrelated to the present proposal. line_8: ID #2602: The Excitation of the Atmospheres of Planetary line_9: Satellites, J. Clarke, P.I. Unrelated to the present proposal. line_11: ID #2603: Parallel Observations of H Ly alpha Emission line_12: from the Local ISM, J. Clarke, P.I. Unrelated to the present line_13: proposal. line_15: ID #2393: D/H Ratio of Venus and Mars from Lyman alpha line_16: Emission, J. Clarke, Co-I. Unrelated to the present proposal. ! question: 10 section: 1 line_1: Computer hardware, software and maintenance will be provided line_2: by our home institutions, as well as partial salary support for J. line_3: Clarke and full salary support for M. McGrath. ! !end of general form text general_form_address: lname: MCGRATH fname: MELISSA mi: A. category: PI inst: SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE addr_1: 3700 SAN MARTIN DRIVE city: BALTIMORE state: MD zip: 21218 country: USA phone: 410-338-4545 ! ! end of general_form_address records ! No fixed target records found solar_system_targets: targnum: 1 name_1: TITANIA-ACQ descr_1: SATELLITE TITANIA lev1_1: STD=URANUS lev2_1: STD=TITANIA wind_1: SEP OF OBERON TITANIA FROM wind_2: EARTH GT 10", SEP OF UMBRIEL wind_3: TITANIA FROM EARTH GT 10", wind_4: SEP OF ARIEL TITANIA FROM wind_5: EARTH GT 10" comment_1: OFFSET ACQUISITION TARGET fluxnum_1: 1 fluxval_1: V=13.73 ! targnum: 2 name_1: URANUS descr_1: PLANET URANUS CENTER lev1_1: STD=URANUS fluxnum_1: 1 fluxval_1: SURF(V)=8.3 fluxnum_2: 2 fluxval_2: V=5.7 ! targnum: 3 name_1: TRITON-ACQ descr_1: SATELLITE TRITON lev1_1: STD=NEPTUNE lev2_1: STD=TRITON comment_1: OFFSET ACQUISITION TARGET fluxnum_1: 1 fluxval_1: V=13.47 ! targnum: 4 name_1: NEPTUNE descr_1: PLANET NEPTUNE CENTER lev1_1: STD=NEPTUNE fluxnum_1: 1 fluxval_1: SURF(V)=9.45 fluxnum_2: 2 fluxval_2: V=8.0 ! ! end of solar system targets ! No generic target records found exposure_logsheet: linenum: 1.000 targname: TITANIA-ACQ config: FOS/BL opmode: ACQ/BINARY aperture: 4.3 sp_element: MIRROR num_exp: 1 time_per_exp: 9S fluxnum_1: 1 priority: 1 req_1: ONBOARD ACQ FOR 2-3; req_2: CYCLE 2 / 1-6; req_3: GROUP 1-3 NOGAP ! linenum: 2.000 targname: URANUS config: FOS/BL opmode: ACCUM aperture: 1.0-PAIR sp_element: G130H num_exp: 1 time_per_exp: 120M fluxnum_1: 1 priority: 1 param_1: STEP-PATT=SINGLE req_1: DARK TIME ! linenum: 3.000 targname: URANUS config: FOS/BL opmode: ACCUM aperture: 1.0-PAIR sp_element: G190H num_exp: 1 time_per_exp: 100M fluxnum_1: 1 priority: 1 param_1: STEP-PATT=SINGLE ! linenum: 4.000 targname: TRITON-ACQ config: FOS/BL opmode: ACQ/BINARY aperture: 4.3 sp_element: MIRROR num_exp: 1 time_per_exp: 7S fluxnum_1: 1 priority: 1 req_1: ONBOARD ACQ FOR 5-6; req_2: GROUP 4-6 NOGAP ! linenum: 5.000 targname: NEPTUNE config: FOS/BL opmode: ACCUM aperture: 1.0-PAIR sp_element: G130H num_exp: 1 time_per_exp: 133M fluxnum_1: 1 priority: 1 param_1: STEP-PATT=SINGLE req_1: DARK TIME ! linenum: 6.000 targname: NEPTUNE config: FOS/BL opmode: ACCUM aperture: 1.0-PAIR sp_element: G190H num_exp: 1 time_per_exp: 113M fluxnum_1: 1 priority: 1 param_1: STEP-PATT=SINGLE ! ! end of exposure logsheet ! No scan data records found