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Äàòà èíäåêñèðîâàíèÿ: Wed Apr 6 20:20:47 2016
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Ïîèñêîâûå ñëîâà: mercury program
HST Call For Proposals January 2016

Hubble Space Telescope Call for Proposals for Cycle 24
Policies, Procedures & Phase I Proposal Instructions

3700 San Martin Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21218 help@stsci.edu

Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


Call for Proposals
We invite scientists to participate in Cycle 24 of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The telescope and its instruments were built under the auspices of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Management of HST's scientific program is carried out by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). We anticipate allocating up to 3400 orbits in this cycle, including 1800 orbits for Small Programs, 650 orbits for Medium Programs, and 1000 orbits for Large and Treasury Programs. An additional 1000 Snapshot observations and 500 Pure-Parallel observations may be allocated. Abstracts of previously accepted programs can be found on the HST proposal catalogs webpage. · Phase I proposal deadline: Friday, April 8, 2016, 8:00 pm EDT · Phase II proposal/budget deadline: Thursday, July 21, 2016

Where to Get Help
· Read this Call for Proposals and the HST Primer. · Visit the STScI Phase I Roadmap. · Visit the Cycle 24 Announcement webpage. · Visit STScI's website at http://www.stsci.edu/ · Register (or review/check) a STScI Single Sign-On (SSO) Account. · Contact the STScI Help Desk. Either send an e-mail to help@stsci.edu, call 1-800-544-8125, or call +1-410-338-1082 from outside the U.S. and Canada.

Who's Responsible
The Science Policies Group (SPG), part of the STScI Science Mission Office (SMO), is responsible for the HST science program selection process. The SPG staff includes astronomers Claus Leitherer (Head of SPG), Neill Reid (Head of SMO), Andrew Fruchter, Janice Lee, Jennifer Lotz, Amaya Moro-Martin, Louis-Gregory Strolger, and Technical Manager Brett Blacker. The Cycle 24 Call for Proposals was edited by Louis-Gregory Strolger and Susan Rose, based in part on versions from previous cycles, and with text and assistance from many different individuals at STScI, in particular Ron Downes, Linda Dressel, Andrew Fox, Dorothy Fraquelli, Claus Leitherer, Neill Reid, Paula Sessa, and Denise Taylor.
Send comments or corrections to: Science Policies Group Space Telescope Science Institute 3700 San Martin Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21218 E-mail:help@stsci.edu


Table of Contents
Chapter 1: General Information
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
......................................... 1 1 2 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9

About this Document .................................................................... New and Important Features of Cycle 24 ................................ General Guidelines for Proposal Preparation......................... Resources, Documentation and Tools .....................................

Cycle 24 Announcement Webpage ............................................ Phase I Roadmap ....................................................................... HST Primer ................................................................................. Instrument Handbooks ................................................................ The Astronomer's Proposal Tool (APT) ...................................... Exposure Time Calculators (ETCs) ............................................ HST Data Archive ....................................................................... Duplication checking ................................................................... 1.5 STScI Help Desk ........................................................................... 1.6 Organization of this Document ................................................... 1.6.1 Policies, Procedures and General Information ........................... 1.6.2 Preparing and Submitting Your Proposal.................................... 1.6.3 Information Pertaining to Accepted Proposals ............................ 1.6.4 Appendices .................................................................................

1.4.1 1.4.2 1.4.3 1.4.4 1.4.5 1.4.6 1.4.7 1.4.8

Chapter 2: Proposal Submission Policies

............. 10

2.1 The Proposal Process: Phase I and Phase II....................... 10 2.2 Deadlines ....................................................................................... 11 2.3 Who May Submit .......................................................................... 11
2.3.1 Principal Investigator and Co-Investigators ............................... 11 2.3.2 ESA Scientists .......................................................................... 12 2.3.3 Student PIs ............................................................................... 12 2.4 Institutional Endorsement .......................................................... 12 2.5 Funding .......................................................................................... 13 2.6 Proposal Confidentiality ............................................................. 13
iii


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iv

Chapter 3:Proposal Categories
3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 3.2.4 3.2.5 3.2.6

........................................ 14

3.1 Overview of Proposal Categories ............................................ 14 3.2 General Observer (GO) Proposals ......................................... 15
Small GO Proposals ................................................................. Medium GO Proposals.............................................................. Large GO Proposals ................................................................. Calibration GO Proposals ......................................................... Long-Term GO Proposals ......................................................... Treasury GO Proposal .............................................................. 3.3 Snapshot (SNAP) Proposals .................................................... 3.3.1 Characteristics of SNAPs.......................................................... 3.3.2 Calibration SNAP Proposals ..................................................... 3.3.3 Guidelines for SNAP Proposals ................................................ 3.4 Archival Research (AR) Proposals ......................................... 3.4.1 Regular AR Proposals .............................................................. 3.4.2 Legacy AR Proposals ............................................................... 3.4.3 Calibration AR Proposals .......................................................... 3.4.4 Theory Proposals ...................................................................... 3.4.5 Guidelines for AR Proposals ..................................................... 3.4.6 Suggestions for AR Proposals .................................................. 3.5 Joint HST-Chandra Observing Proposals ............................. 3.6 Joint HST-Spitzer Observing Proposals ................................ 3.7 Joint HST/XMM-Newton Observing Proposals .................... 3.8 Joint HST-NOAO Observing Proposals ................................. 3.9 Joint HST-NRAO Observing Proposals ................................. 3.10 Mid-Cycle GO Proposals ......................................................... 3.11 Director's Discretionary (DD) Time Proposals ................... 15 15 16 17 18 19 21 21 22 22 24 24 25 26 26 28 29 29 30 31 33 34 36 37

Chapter 4: Observation Types and Special Requirements ..............................................
4.1.1 Continuous Viewing Zone (CVZ) Observations ........................ 4.1.2 Target-of-Opportunity (ToO) Observations ............................... 4.1.3 Special Restrictions on Observations with COS, STIS/MAMA and ACS/SBC ........................................................... 4.1.4 Solar System Targets ............................................................... 4.1.5 Observations of Targets That Have Not Yet Been Discovered or Identified ....................................................... 4.1.6 Time-Critical Observations........................................................ 4.1.7 Dithering strategies with ACS and WFC3 .................................

39 39 40 43 45 45 46 46

4.1 Primary Observations ................................................................. 39


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v

4.2 Parallel Observations ................................................................. 47
4.2.1 Coordinated Parallel Observations .......................................... 4.2.2 Pure Parallel Observations ....................................................... 4.2.3 Restrictions and Limitations on Parallel Observations .............. 4.3 Special Calibration Observations ............................................ 48 48 49 50

Chapter 5: Data Rights and Duplications

................ 52

5.1 Data Rights ................................................................................... 52 5.2 Policies and Procedures Regarding Duplications ............... 53
5.2.1 Duplication Policies ................................................................... 53 5.2.2 How to Check for Duplications .................................................. 54

Chapter 6: Proposal Selection Procedures

........... 55 55 56 56 58 59

6.1 How STScI Conducts the Proposal Review.......................... 55
6.1.1 The Review Panels ................................................................... 6.1.2 The Telescope Allocation Committee (TAC)............................. 6.2 Selection Criteria ......................................................................... 6.3 Ultraviolet Initiative ...................................................................... 6.4 JWST Preparatory Observations .............................................

Chapter 7: Guidelines and Checklist for Phase I Proposal Preparation..............................
7.1.1 Deadline .................................................................................... 7.1.2 Phase I Proposal Format .......................................................... 7.1.3 Page Limits for PDF Attachment............................................... 7.2 Proposal Preparation Checklist................................................

61 62 62 63 64

7.1 General Guidelines ..................................................................... 62

Chapter 8: Filling Out the APT Proposal Form ...........................................................................
8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 Title ................................................................................................. Abstract .......................................................................................... Proposal Phase............................................................................ Category ........................................................................................ Cycle ............................................................................................... Requested Resources................................................................

66

67 67 67 67 67 68 8.6.1 Primary and Parallel Orbits ....................................................... 68 8.6.2 Total Targets ............................................................................. 68


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vi

8.7 Proprietary Period ....................................................................... 8.8 Scientific Category ...................................................................... 8.9 Keywords ....................................................................................... 8.10 Special Proposal Types ...........................................................
8.10.1 Chandra ksec .......................................................................... 8.10.2 Spitzer hours ........................................................................... 8.10.3 XMM-Newton ksec .................................................................. 8.10.4 NOAO Nights .......................................................................... 8.10.5 NRAO Hours ........................................................................... 8.10.6 Theory ..................................................................................... 8.10.7 Legacy .................................................................................... 8.10.8 Calibration ............................................................................... 8.10.9 Treasury .................................................................................. 8.10.10 UV Initiative ........................................................................... 8.10.11 JWST Preparatory Science................................................... 8.11 Proposal PDF Attachment ...................................................... 8.12 Principal Investigator ................................................................ 8.13 Co-Investigators ........................................................................ 8.14 Datasets ...................................................................................... 8.15 Targets......................................................................................... 8.15.1 Target Number ........................................................................ 8.15.2 Target Name ........................................................................... 8.15.3 Provisional Coordinates .......................................................... 8.15.4 V-Magnitude............................................................................ 8.15.5 Other Fluxes ........................................................................... 8.16 Observation Summary (OS) ................................................... 8.16.1 Target...................................................................................... 8.16.2 Instrument ............................................................................... 8.16.3 Instrument Setup(s) ................................................................ 8.16.4 Config...................................................................................... 8.16.5 Science Mode ......................................................................... 8.16.6 Coronagraphy ......................................................................... 8.16.7 Polarizer .................................................................................. 8.16.8 Spectral Element..................................................................... 8.16.9 Orbits ...................................................................................... 8.16.10 Number of Iterations ............................................................. 8.16.11 Special Requirement Checkboxes ........................................ 8.16.12 Scheduling Requirements ..................................................... 8.16.13 Verifying Schedule Constraints .............................................

68 68 70 70 70 70 70 71 71 71 71 71 71 72 72 72 72 73 73 73 74 74 74 74 75 75 76 76 76 76 76 77 77 77 77 77 77 78 80


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vii

Chapter 9: Preparation of the PDF Attachment....................................................................................
9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Scientific Justification ................................................................. Description of the Observations ............................................... Special Requirements ................................................................ Coordinated Observations ........................................................
Joint Joint Joint Joint Joint

81 82 83 84 85 85 86 86 87 87 88 88 89

HST-Chandra Observations ............................................. HST-Spitzer Observations................................................ HST/XMM-Newton Observations ..................................... HST-NOAO Observations ................................................ HST-NRAO Observations ................................................ 9.5 Justify Duplications ..................................................................... 9.6 Analysis Plan ................................................................................ 9.7 Management Plan .......................................................................

9.4.1 9.4.2 9.4.3 9.4.4 9.4.5

Chapter 10: Proposal Implementation and Execution ............................................................................
10.1 Notification .................................................................................. 10.2 Phase II Submission................................................................. 10.3 Program Coordinator and Contact Scientist Support ............................................................................................. 10.4 Duplication Checking ............................................................... 10.5 Technical Review ...................................................................... 10.6 Proposal Scheduling ................................................................

90 90 91

91 92 92 92 10.6.1 Unschedulable or Infeasible Programs ................................... 92 10.7 Access to Data Products ......................................................... 93 94 94 94 95 96

10.8 Archival Research Support ..................................................... 10.9 Visits to STScI............................................................................ 10.10 Failed Observations ............................................................... 10.11 Publication of HST Results................................................... 10.12 Dissemination of HST Results .............................................


Table of Contents

viii

Chapter 11: Grant Funding and Budget Submissions
11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6

................................................. 97

Overview ..................................................................................... 97 Availability of Funds ................................................................. 98 Budget Submissions................................................................. 98 Eligibility for STScI Grant Funds ........................................... 99 Personnel Changes .................................................................. 99 Preparatory Funding & Pre-award Expenditures ............ 100

11.6.1 Preparatory Funding ............................................................. 100 11.6.2 Pre-award Expenditures ....................................................... 100 11.7 Proposal Review and Award of Funds............................... 100

Appendix A: Contact Information

................................ 101

A.1 Space Telescope Science Institute ....................................... 101 A.2 Canadian Astronomy Data Centre ......................................... 102

Appendix B: Scientific Keywords

................................ 103

Appendix C: Glossary of Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................ Appendix D: Internet Links

106

................................................ 109


CHAPTER 1:

General Information
In this chapter . . .
1.1 About this Document / 1 1.2 New and Important Features of Cycle 24 / 2 1.3 General Guidelines for Proposal Preparation / 6 1.4 Resources, Documentation and Tools / 6 1.5 STScI Help Desk / 9 1.6 Organization of this Document / 9

1.1

About this Document
Two documents are of primary relevance for HST proposers: this Call for Proposals and the HST Primer. The Call for Proposals discusses policies and procedures, and explains how to submit a Phase I proposal. The HST Primer provides a basic introduction to the technical aspects of HST and its instruments, and explains how to calculate the appropriate number of orbits for your Phase I observing time requests. The Call for Proposals is available electronically only in HTML and PDF The HTML version is optimized for on-line browsing, and contains many related or more detailed information, both within the document itself and STScI documents. You are therefore encouraged to use the HTML electronically. Nonetheless, some people may prefer to read a hard copy, and in mind, the PDF version was optimized for printing. formats. links to in other version with this

In a hard copy printout of the PDF version any links to information on the internet will appear as underlined text. You can look up the internet address of the corresponding link in Appendix D.

1


New and Important Features of Cycle 24

2

1.2

New and Important Features of Cycle 24
Cycle 23 observations will end on September 30, 2016, and Cycle 24 will extend from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017. We will accept proposals for the following instruments: ACS, COS, FGS, STIS, and WFC3. Proposers to Cycle 24 should be aware that the instrument complement offered is subject to change. Please consult the Cycle 24 Announcement webpage for up-to-date information on the status of HST instrumentation.

What's New for Cycle 24 · JWST Preparatory proposals: STScI is encouraging the community to submit GO proposals for observations that complement and enhance the scientific impact of future JWST observations. Those proposals should be identified using the "JWST Preparatory Proposals" option in APT. Proposers should use the Special Requirements section for the PDF submission to describe the connection with specific JWST observations. The TAC will consider the potential impact of the overall program, including both the HST observations and future JWST observations. Following the recommendation of the Space Telescope Users Committee, JWST Preparatory proposals will have a default proprietary period of zero months. Proposers may request a proprietary period; that request will be reviewed by the TAC. More details are given in Section 6.4. · Very Large Treasury proposals: STScI encourages the community to submit proposals for very large Treasury programs (see Section 3.2.6), requesting at least 350 orbits in Cycle 24. Those proposals should be submitted as Treasury proposals. They will be reviewed by the TAC, with the aim of identifying at least one program for support. The orbit allocation for very large Treasury programs will be shared between the Cycle 24 and Cycle 25 GO Large/Treasury allocations, with a possible subsidy through Director 's Discretionary Time. · Mid-Cycle proposals: Up to 200 orbits per cycle will be available for Mid-Cycle GO programs (see Section 3.10). Mid-Cycle programs were initiated in Cycle 23 to provide the community with an opportunity to propose for in-cycle observations of recently-discovered, non-transient objects. Mid-Cycle proposals may be submitted anytime between August 15, 2016 and January 31, 2017. · E/PO Proposals: As you may be aware, NASA's Science Mission Directorate is restructuring its education program. As a result, we regret to inform the community that we are unable to issue a call for Cycle 24 E/PO proposals. We will keep the HST Cycle E/PO community informed of future opportunities should they become available.


New and Important Features of Cycle 24

3

· Past HST Usage information is no longer either requested or required in Phase I submissions. · Proposal format: Following the recommendation of the Space Telescope Users Committee, printed copies of proposals will list investigators alphabetically without identifying the Principal Investigator. The PI will be appropriately identified on accepted proposals. · Spectroscopic Legacy Archive: Cycle 24 proposers will be able to mine the new HST Spectroscopic Legacy Archive for high-level data products intended to accelerate the scientific use of existing spectroscopic data. This archive will contain "science grade" co-added spectra of all usable public data, combining exposures for each target from across visits, programs, and cycles. This data will be organized into "smart archives" by target type (such as "hot stars" and "white dwarfs") and by scientific purpose ("IGM absorption sources") so that samples can be readily constructed and downloaded without manual interaction with MAST. The first generation of these products for the FUV modes of COS will be available online via MAST in early 2016. We encourage the development and submission of Archival Programs based on these new products. · Archive changes credentials to Single Sign-On: As of April 2015, the Archive's account management system has been replaced by the STScI Single Sign-On (SSO) System. Most users will need to register for a new account. As an Archive user, the only difference you should see (apart from a different registration process) is that instead of a username, you will login with your email address. You can check whether or not you currently have an SSO account here (https://archive.stsci.edu/registration/index.html). It is not necessary to register for an account to search the Archive catalogs or retrieve public data. However, to retrieve proprietary data, such as recently archived HST data, an SSO account is required. When retrieving proprietary HST data, the Retrieval Options page will ask you to enter your SSO email and password. This will be used to verify that you are authorized to retrieve the data. (You can also use your SSO account to retrieve public HST data, instead of doing so anonymously, if you wish.) · Solar System and Exoplanet Proposals: Starting Cycle 24, the "Planets" mirror panels will review proposals covering exoplanet and debris disk science. Proposals for archival research/observations of Solar System targets will be reviewed by a separate panel. · Scientific Keywords: STScI has revised and updated the Scientific Keywords that are valid for use in the Phase I proposal templates. The revised list of keywords is given in Appendix B. · Medium Proposals (those requesting between 35 and 74 orbits) are continued as a separate proposal category (see Section 3.2.2). This cycle, Medium Proposals are reviewed by the panels and ranked together with the Small Proposals. Each panel is assigned a quota. The total orbit pool is nominally 650 orbits in size, although the TAC has the ability to decrease or increase this number in order to balance the pressure between Regular, Medium, and Large Proposals.


New and Important Features of Cycle 24

4

· New Supported Sample Sequence for WFC3/IR: The sample sequence SPARS5, intermediate between RAPID and SPARS10, is intended to allow the efficiency and uninterrupted time series of SPARS10 and yet be short enough in cadence to better isolate an exoplanet-host star from a nearby stellar companion in spatially-scanned observations using IR grism. See the article in WFC3 STAN Issue 20. · New Supported WFC3/UVIS Apertures: The apertures UVIS2-C512C-CTE and UVIS2-C1K1C-CTE enable observers to automatically place a small target near a readout amplifier to reduce CTE losses while still reading out all of the detector. See the article in WFC3 STAN Issue 20. · New Supported Coronagraphic Position for the STIS CCD: For Cycle 24 STIS/CCD imaging observations with the BAR5 coronagraphic position will be supported. This is intended to provide high contrast at inner working angles as small as 0.25 arcseconds. See the STIS coronagraphy webpage and the articles in the November 2015 and March 2014 STIS STAN for additional details, and what for additional updates on the performance of this new position in future STIS STAN articles. Important Features Carried Over From the Previous Cycle · The Ultraviolet (UV) Initiative will continue in Cycle 24. This initiative is designed to take full advantage of the unique UV capabilities of Hubble while they still exist. Small, Medium, Large, and Treasury GO Proposals are all eligible, but SNAP Proposals are not. The available UV instrument modes include ACS/SBC imaging, COS spectroscopy, STIS/MAMA imaging and spectroscopy, STIS/CCD spectroscopy (UV gratings only) and WFC3/UVIS imaging (UV filters only; this does not include F336W, the U-band filter). The UV Initiative also extends to Archival (AR) Proposals, in the Regular AR (Section 3.4.1), Legacy AR (Section 3.4.2), and Theory (Section 3.4.4) categories. STScI will ask the review panels and the TAC to give particular consideration to UV-specific AR Proposals in the review process. More details are given in Section 6.3. · COS Lifetime Position. In February 2015 COS FUV spectra were moved from the second COS Lifetime Position (LP2) to the third (LP3) in order to alleviate the continuing effects of gain sag. The typical spectral resolution (/) has declined by about 5% for observations with the primary science aperture (PSA). Changes in the COS extraction and calibration pipeline have improved the calibration of point-source observations. COS/FUV observations at LP3 targeting extended objects or using the Bright Object Aperture (BOA) are more complex. In these cases the standard pipeline calibration will not always produce the flux accuracy achieved for point sources observed with the PSA, and it will be the responsibility of the user to evaluate the adequacy of the spectral extraction and, if necessary, undertake any customized extractions. See Chapter 3 of the COS Data Handbook for more information.


New and Important Features of Cycle 24

5

· The Hubble Source Catalog (HSC) combines tens of thousands of single visit-based WFC3, ACS, and WFPC2 source lists from the Hubble Legacy Archive (HLA) into a single master catalog with roughly 100 million individual sources, hence providing entry into the field of database astronomy. Searches that would require months or years to perform in the past can, in many cases, be done in seconds with the HSC. This resource may be used to support a wide range of new archival proposals, a few potential examples are listed in Section 7.4 of the HST Primer (e.g., variability over more than a 20 year lifetime in many cases, astrometry with better than 10 milli-arcsecond accuracy, cross-matching with a wide variety of catalogs). · The budget categories for Regular Archival proposals (including Theory and Calibration) are no longer required, removing the Small and Medium categories used for planning purposes in previous cycles. See Section 3.4 for further details. Proposers should still provide a Management plan as described in Section 9.7. · Joint HST-NRAO Proposals will continue in Cycle 24, allowing proposers to request time on both HST and NRAO facilities in a single proposal. For a joint HST-NRAO proposal to be successful, the project must be fundamentally of a multi-wavelength nature and must require all proposed observations to meet the science goals. Proposers should take special care to justify both the scientific and technical reasons for all observations included in their joint proposal. Proposers must always check whether appropriate archival data exist, and provide clear scientific and technical justification for any new observations of previously observed targets. Further details are given in Section 3.9. · In addition to the joint HST-NRAO Proposals, it is possible to request time on Chandra (Section 3.5), Spitzer (Section 3.6), XMM-Newton (Section 3.7), and NOAO telescopes (Section 3.8) as part of a proposal for HST observations. · The MAST Data Discovery Portal (http://mast.stsci.edu/explore) is a one-stop Web interface to access data from all of MAST's supported missions, including HST, Kepler, GALEX, FUSE, IUE, EUVE, and Swift-UVOT. In addition to data at MAST, users can search for data available through the Virtual Observatory (VO), either by providing a resolvable target name or coordinate, or by using the "Search the VO" button for a given MAST data product. The VO gives Portal users access to data spanning the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio to high energy, including images, spectra, catalogs, and NASA ADS records. · We remind users that an extensive catalog of High-Level Science Products (HLSPs) is hosted on the MAST archive HLSP webpage, including imaging and spectroscopic atlases of many classes of astronomical object. HLSPs are community-contributed, fully-processed images and spectra that are ready for scientific analysis. The HLSP catalog is a useful resource for preparing new proposals. In addition, agreeing to provide new HLSPs back to MAST can increase a proposal's scientific value and hence its chance of success (this is a requirement for Treasury GO and Legacy AR Proposals).


General Guidelines for Proposal Preparation

6

1.3

General Guidelines for Proposal Preparation
Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when writing your proposal. · Stress why your science is critically important and why it requires HST. · Write for the appropriate audience. Review panels span a broad range of scientific expertise. It is therefore crucial that your proposal provides sufficient introductory material for the non-specialist, and explains the importance of the program to astronomy in general. · Explain clearly and coherently what you want to do and why. Make sure to get your point across to reviewers who have to judge on the order of 80 proposals in a few days. · If you have a project that requires a significant investment of HST observing time, do not hesitate to propose it. The classification system for GO Proposals (Small: 1-34 orbits; Medium: 35-74 orbits; Large: 75 orbits or above) is designed to ensure that proposals of all sizes are selected. · Make sure that what you propose is feasible. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposed observations are technically feasible. Proposals that are not technically feasible will be rejected, so familiarize yourself with the technical documentation provided by STScI. In particular, make sure that your observations do not exceed bright object safety limits Section 5.1 of the HST Primer). Contact the STScI Help Desk (see Section 1.5) if anything is not clear, or if you are unsure about the feasibility of a particular approach or observation.

1.4

Resources, Documentation and Tools
1.4.1 Cycle 24 Announcement Webpage
The Cycle 24 Announcement webpage provides links to information and documentation that will be useful to you while preparing your proposals. This page will also provide any late-breaking updates on the Phase I process, and answers to frequently asked questions.


Resources, Documentation and Tools

7

1.4.2 Phase I Roadmap
The Phase I Proposal Roadmap is a high level step-by-step guide to writing a Phase I Proposal. Links to the appropriate sections of various documents (Call for Proposals, Primer, etc.) are given for each step.

1.4.3 HST Primer
The HST Primer provides a basic introduction to the technical aspects of HST and its instruments, and explains how to request the appropriate number of orbits in a Phase I proposal.

1.4.4 Instrument Handbooks
The Instrument Handbooks are the primary source of information for the HST instruments. You should use current versions of the Instrument Handbooks when preparing a proposal. They are available for all instruments, including former instruments that may be of interest for Archival Research. The Handbooks are distributed electronically, and can be accessed from the HST Documents webpage. This page also provides links to more detailed technical information, such as that provided in Instrument Science Reports.

1.4.5 The Astronomer 's Proposal Tool (APT)
The Astronomer 's Proposal Tool (APT) is the interface for all Phase I and Phase II proposal submissions for HST. The current version of APT, along with minor bug fixes and enhancements, is essentially the same system as was used in the last cycle. See the "What's New" button in APT for details on the changes. The APT webpage contains information on the installation and use of APT. The Aladin Sky Atlas is available via APT. This interface can be used to display HST apertures on images of the sky. This tool brings a variety of benefits to users including access to a wide variety of images and catalogs. The GALEX catalog is available in Aladin to assist in checking for potentially dangerous objects for the UV detectors. Training documentation and videos can be found on the APT Training Materials page.

1.4.6 Exposure Time Calculators (ETCs)
STScI provides Exposure Time Calculators (ETCs) for each of the HST instruments. Please use those electronic tools to estimate how long you need to integrate to achieve the signal-to-noise ratio required for your project. The ETCs will also issue warnings about target count rates that exceed linearity and safety limits. The ETCs can be accessed from the HST ETC webpage.


Resources, Documentation and Tools

8

1.4.7 HST Data Archive
The HST Data Archive is part of the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST). The HST Data Archive contains all the data taken by HST. Completed HST observations from both GO and GTO Programs are available to the community upon the expiration of their proprietary periods. Observations taken under Large and Treasury Programs generally carry no proprietary period. The MAST HST main page provides an overview of the HST Data Archive, as well as the procedures for retrieving archival data (see also the introductory description in Section 7.2 of the HST Primer). The Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC) and the European Space Agency Centre (ESAC) maintain copies of the HST science data, and are the preferred sources for Canadian and European astronomers. The Hubble Legacy Archive (HLA) is a project to offer enhanced HST archive products. The HLA is a joint project of the Space Telescope Science Institute, the European Coordinating Facility, and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre. It offers access to high level HST products including composite images and interactive tools for previewing data products. Section 7.3 of the HST Primer contains more detailed information about the HLA. The HLA also produces source lists for tens of thousands of HST images. The Hubble Source Catalog (HSC) combines these visit-based WFC3, ACS, and WFPC2 source lists from the HLA in to a master catalog with roughly 100 million sources, hence providing entry into the field of database astronomy. Searches that would require months or years to perform in the past can, in may cases, be done in seconds. This resource may be used to support a wide range of new archival proposals, a few potential examples of which are listed in Section 7.4 of the HST Primer. Version 1 of the HSC was released in February 2015, and Version 2 is scheduled to be released in February 2016.

1.4.8 Duplication checking
The HST Data Archive provides access to several tools that allow you to check whether planned observations duplicate any previously executed or accepted HST observations. See Section 5.2.2 for details. See Section 5.1 of the HST Primer for more information on Bright Object Constraints.


STScI Help Desk

9

1.5

STScI Help Desk
If this Call for Proposals and the materials referenced above do not answer your questions, or if you have trouble accessing or printing Web Documents, then contact the STScI Help Desk by: · Sending an e-mail to help@stsci.edu. · Calling 1-800-544-8125, or from outside the United States and Canada, +1 410-338-1082.

1.6

Organization of this Document
1.6.1 Policies, Procedures and General Information
Chapter 2 summarizes the policies regarding proposal submission. Chapter 3 describes the types of proposals that can be submitted. Chapter 4 describes the types of observations that are possible with HST; it includes discussions of special requirements. Chapter 5 addresses policies regarding data rights and duplications. Chapter 6 describes procedures and criteria for proposal evaluation and selection.

1.6.2 Preparing and Submitting Your Proposal
Chapter 7 outlines the steps to follow when preparing and submitting a Phase I proposal. A proposal consists of a completed APT proposal form and an attached PDF file. Chapter 8 describes the items that must be filled out in the APT proposal form; this information is also available from the context-sensitive `Help' in APT. Chapter 9 describes the items that must be addressed in the attached PDF file.

1.6.3 Information Pertaining to Accepted Proposals
Chapter 10 provides information on the implementation and scheduling process for accepted proposals.

1.6.4 Appendices
The appendices provide a variety of additional information, including contact information (Appendix A), a list of scientific keywords (Appendix B) that can be used in proposals, a glossary of acronyms and abbreviations (Appendix C), and a list of internet links used in the document (Appendix D).


CHAPTER 2:

Proposal Submission Policies
In this chapter . . .
2.1 The Proposal Process: Phase I and Phase II / 10 2.2 Deadlines / 11 2.3 Who May Submit / 11 2.4 Institutional Endorsement / 12 2.5 Funding / 13 2.6 Proposal Confidentiality / 13

2.1

The Proposal Process: Phase I and Phase II
STScI manages the review of HST proposals in two phases. In Phase I, proposers submit a scientific justification and observation summary for peer review. The review panels and the Time Allocation Committee (TAC) recommend a list of proposals to the STScI Director for preliminary approval and implementation (see Chapter 6). This Call for Proposals focuses on Phase I policies and procedures. Separate documentation is available for Phase II. In Phase II, investigators with approved Phase I proposals must provide complete details of the observations in their proposed observing program. This allows STScI to conduct a technical feasibility review, and to schedule and obtain the actual observations. Programs are not approved fully until after submission of an acceptable Phase II program. In addition to this, Phase II investigators may do the following: · Eligible investigators who request funding must submit detailed budgets (see Chapter 12).
10


Deadlines

11

2.2

Deadlines
Cycle 24 has the following deadlines: · Phase I proposals: Friday, April 8, 2016, 8:00 pm EDT. · Phase II proposals: Thursday, July 21, 2016. · Budget proposals: Thursday, July 21, 2016.

Late proposals will not be considered.

2.3

Who May Submit
Scientists of any nationality or affiliation may submit an HST proposal. Endorsement signatures are not required for Phase I observing proposals (unless required by the regulations of the proposing institution).

2.3.1 Principal Investigator and Co-Investigators
Each proposal must have a Principal Investigator (PI), who is responsible for the scientific conduct of the project. A Co-PI option is also available, allowing two or more proposers to share the scientific responsibility of the project. Any other individuals who are actively involved in the proposal should be listed as Co-Investigators (Co-Is). The proposal itself may be submitted through APT by either the PI or a Co-I. Proposals by non-U.S. PIs that have one or more U.S. Co-Is must designate one of the U.S. Co-Is as the Administrative PI (Admin PI; see Section 8.13). This person will have overall oversight and responsibility for the budget submissions of the U.S. Co-Is in Phase II (see Chapter 12 for funding eligibility requirements). All proposals have the option of designating a Contact Co-I, who will serve as the contact person for that proposal. The PI remains responsible for oversight of the proposal. All proposals are reviewed without regard to the nationalities or affiliations of the investigators.


Institutional Endorsement

12

2.3.2 ESA Scientists
An agreement between NASA and ESA states that a minimum of 15% of HST observing time (on average over the lifetime of the HST project) will be allocated to scientists from ESA member states. It is anticipated that this requirement will continue to be satisfied via the normal selection process, as it has been in previous cycles. ESA scientists will be identified automatically by APT based on the institution selected; the ESA flag will only be visible in the PDF output.

2.3.3 Student PIs
Observing proposals from student PIs will be considered. These proposals should be accompanied by a letter from the student's faculty advisor certifying that: · The student is qualified to conduct the observing program and data analysis; · She or he is in good academic standing. This letter from the advisor should be e-mailed before the proposal deadline to student-pi@stsci.edu. The faculty advisor 's statement is not required in cases where a student is listed in the proposal as a Co-I.

2.4

Institutional Endorsement
STScI does not require the signature of an Authorizing Official (AO) on GO/AR Proposals in Phase I. However, some institutions do require AO approval of all submitted proposals. It is the responsibility of each PI to follow all applicable institutional policies concerning the submission of proposals.


Funding

13

2.5

Funding
Subject to availability of funds from NASA, STScI will provide financial support for U.S. PIs and Co-Is of approved Cycle 24 programs. Budgets are not due in Phase I, but are required by the Phase II deadline from successful proposers. Details of the STScI Funding Policies are outlined in Chapter 12. NASA's Science Mission Directorate is restructuring its education program, and as a result we are unable to issue a call for Cycle 24 Education/Public Outreach (E/PO) proposals. We will keep the HST Cycle E/PO community informed of future opportunities should they become available. ESA does not fund HST research programs. Therefore, successful ESA member-state proposers should seek any necessary resources from their respective home institutions or national funding agencies.

2.6

Proposal Confidentiality
Proposals submitted to STScI will be kept confidential to the extent allowed by the review process described in Chapter 6. For accepted proposals, the scientific justification section of the proposal remains confidential, but other sections become publicly accessible, including PI and Co-I names, project titles, abstracts, description of observations, special scheduling requirements, and details of all targets and exposures. Phase II programs submitted for approved proposals become publicly accessible in their entirety.


CHAPTER 3:

Proposal Categories
In this chapter. . .
3.1 Overview of Proposal Categories / 14 3.2 General Observer (GO) Proposals / 15 3.3 Snapshot (SNAP) Proposals / 21 3.4 Archival Research (AR) Proposals / 24 3.5 Joint HST-Chandra Observing Proposals / 29 3.6 Joint HST-Spitzer Observing Proposals / 30 3.7 Joint HST/XMM-Newton Observing Proposals / 31 3.8 Joint HST-NOAO Observing Proposals / 33 3.9 Joint HST-NRAO Observing Proposals / 34 3.10 Mid-Cycle GO Proposals / 36 3.11 Director 's Discretionary (DD) Time Proposals / 37

3.1

Overview of Proposal Categories
HST observations can be requested with a General Observer (GO; Section 3.2) or a Snapshot (SNAP; Section 3.3) Proposal. A GO Proposal can be Small (Section 3.2.1), Medium (Section 3.2.2), Large (Section 3.2.3), Calibration (Section 3.2.4), Long-Term (Section 3.2.5), or Treasury (Section 3.2.6). Funding for projects that do not require new HST observations can be requested with an Archival Research (AR; Section 3.4) Proposal. An AR Proposal can be either a Regular AR (Section 3.4.1), a Legacy AR (Section 3.4.2), or a Theory (Section 3.4.4) Proposal. Proposals can request observing time on Chandra (Section 3.5), Spitzer (Section 3.6), XMM-Newton (Section 3.7), NOAO telescopes (Section 3.8), and NRAO facilities (see Section 3.9) in conjunction with requests for HST observations. Mid-cycle proposals (see Section 3.10) may be submitted at any time between August 15, 2016 and January 31, 2017; proposals submitted after February 1, 2017 will be held over for the regular Cycle 25 TAC review. At any time scientists can request Director 's Discretionary (DD) time for unanticipated and scientifically compelling astronomical observations (Section 3.11).
14


General Observer (GO) Proposals

15

3.2

General Observer (GO) Proposals
A GO Proposal may be submitted for any amount of observing time, counted in terms of HST orbits. GO Proposals are classified as Small (1-34 orbits; Section 3.2.1), Medium (35-74 orbits; Section 3.2.2), or Large (75 or more orbits; Section 3.2.3). Chapter 6 of the HST Primer describes how the required number of orbits can be calculated for a particular set of observations. Proposals in each of these categories can request observing time in future cycles when this is scientifically justified (Section 3.2.5). The additional category of Treasury Proposals (Section 3.2.6) is designed to stimulate certain types of ambitious and innovative proposals that may not naturally fit into the Small, Medium, or Large Proposal categories.

Investigators are strongly encouraged to develop competitive Medium, Large, and Treasury Proposals.

Submitters of Medium, Large, and Treasury Proposals should note that all HST observations are accepted with the understanding that the timescale on which the observations will actually be obtained will depend on scheduling opportunities and demands on HST resources. Experience has shown that programs with scheduling constraints may require execution over an extended period. In general, proposals are either accepted or rejected in their entirety. Accordingly, you are urged to request the actual number of orbits required to achieve your science goals.

3.2.1 Small GO Proposals
Small GO Proposals are those that request between 1 and 34 orbits. It is anticipated that 1800 orbits will be available to the review panels for allocation to Small Proposals in Cycle 24.

3.2.2 Medium GO Proposals
Medium GO Proposals are those that request between 35 and 74 orbits. The Medium Proposal category was introduced to ensure that compelling science programs that demand a medium-size orbit request have a comparable chance of success as both smaller and larger observing programs. Medium Proposals are reviewed by the panels and ranked together scientifically with the Small Proposals,


General Observer (GO) Proposals

16

but the panels are not charged for them. Each panel will have a specific quota dependent on the Medium Proposal pressure in that panel. It is anticipated that up to 650 orbits in total will be available for the allocation to Medium Proposals in Cycle 24. This nominal allocation is consistent with Cycle 23, when 13 Medium Proposals totalling 593 orbits were selected. However, the TAC has the ability to increase or decrease the Medium allotment to balance the over-subscription between Regular, Medium, and Large Proposals.

3.2.3 Large GO Proposals
Large GO Proposals are those that request 75 orbits or more. Large Programs should lead to a clear advance in our understanding in an important area of astronomy. They must use the unique capabilities of HST to address scientific questions in a comprehensive approach that is not possible in smaller time allocations. Selection of a Large Proposal for implementation does not rule out acceptance of Small or Medium Proposals to do similar science, but target duplication and overall program balance will be considered. Approximately 1000 orbits are available to new Large and Treasury Proposals in Cycle 24. For comparison, in Cycle 23 a similar number of orbits were awarded to 12 Large and Treasury proposals for a total of 974 orbits, and in Cycle 22 there were 12 Large and Treasury Proposals were accepted for a total of 1146 primary orbits. Descriptions of these programs are available on the Treasury, Archival Legacy and Large (TALL) Programs webpage. Most Large Proposals accepted in previous cycles were allocated between 100 and 150 orbits, though larger orbit requests are welcome if scientifically justified. Data taken for all Large Programs have no proprietary period as a default. Proposers may request a proprietary period, and that request should be justified in the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal (see Section 9.3). Such a request will be subject to review by the TAC. Investigators submitting Large Proposals should consult the Large Program Scheduling User Information Report linked from the HST Documents page and the HST Orbital Viewing and Schedulability page. These documents contain necessary information for developing a Large Program that is feasible with respect to HST orbit scheduling. Investigators submitting Large Proposals will find that APT automatically sets the `Increase Scheduling Flexibility' flag in all observations. Proposers should include additional technical detail on the scheduling aspects of their program in the `Description of Observations' section. The shorter orbital visibility will be enforced in Phase II for each approved Large Program.


General Observer (GO) Proposals

17

3.2.4 Calibration GO Proposals
HST is a complex observatory, with many possible combinations of observing modes and spectral elements on each instrument. Calibrations and calibration software are maintained by STScI for the most important and most used configurations. However, STScI does not have the resources to calibrate fully all potential capabilities of all instruments. On the other hand, the astronomical community has expressed interest in receiving support to perform calibrations for certain uncalibrated or poorly calibrated modes, or to develop specialized software for certain HST calibration and data reduction tasks. In recognition of this, STScI is encouraging outside users to submit Calibration Proposals, which aim to fill in some of the gaps in our coverage of the calibration of HST and its instruments.

Calibration Proposals should not be linked explicitly to a specific science program, but should provide a calibration or calibration software that can be used by the community for existing or future programs.

Users submitting Calibration Proposals must contact the appropriate instrument group to discuss their program prior to submission. Successful proposers will be required to deliver documentation, data products and/or software to STScI to support future observing programs or archival research. Funding is available to support Calibration Proposals in the same manner as for normal science programs, with the following exception:

Scientists affiliated with STScI are not eligible for any funding to support their role (as PI or Co-I) in a Calibration Proposal.

Calibration Proposals will be reviewed internally at STScI by the Instruments Division. The internal review will provide the TAC with an assessment of the feasibility of the proposal, how the proposal complements/extends the existing calibration program, and the type of science impacted by the proposed calibrations. Proposers should summarize the relevance and overall scientific utility of the calibration techniques and products described in their proposal. A specific science program that has special calibration requirements is not a Calibration Proposal; such a proposal should be submitted as a normal GO Proposal and the necessary calibration observations should be added to the science program as described in Section 4.3.


General Observer (GO) Proposals

18

Investigators interested in the submission of a Calibration Proposal are encouraged to study the Instrument Handbooks to determine the level at which STScI provides calibration and characterization. Examples of the kinds of topics that have been addressed by Calibration Programs of the type discussed here are · Calibration of faint photometric standards for ACS and WFC3 · ACS photometric zero point verification · Calibration of the ACS emission line filters For a complete description of the instrument calibration plans/accuracies, and for other potential topics, please see the Scientific Instruments webpage. The data obtained for a GO Calibration Proposal will nominally be non-proprietary, as is the case for regular calibration observations. Proposers may request a proprietary period (which should be explained in the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal; see Section 9.3), but such a request will be subject to panel and TAC review and will be granted only in exceptional circumstances. Calibration Proposals can also be submitted as Snapshot Proposals (see Section 3.3.2) or Archival Proposals (see Section 3.4.3). AR Proposals are appropriate in cases where the necessary data have already been taken, or for programs that do not require specific data but aim to develop specialized software for certain HST calibration and data reduction tasks.

Calibration Proposals must be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10).

3.2.5 Long-Term GO Proposals
Small, Medium, Large, and Treasury GO Proposals may request HST observing time in more than one cycle if a clear scientific case is made.

Long-Term Proposals must be limited to cases where long-baseline, multi-epoch observations are clearly required to optimize the scientific return of the project.

Long-Term Proposals require a long time baseline, but not necessarily a large number of HST orbits, in order to achieve their science goals. Examples include astrometric observations or long-term monitoring of variable stars or active galactic nuclei.


General Observer (GO) Proposals

19

You may request time in up to three observing cycles (24, 25, and 26). Long-Term Proposals should describe the entire requested program and provide a cycle-by-cycle breakdown of the number of orbits requested. The Cycle 24 review panels and TAC will only be able to award a limited amount of time in future cycles, so a detailed scientific justification for allocating time beyond Cycle 24 must be presented. Scheduling concerns are not a sufficient justification. The sum of all orbits requested in Cycles 24, 25, and 26 determines whether a Long-Term Proposal is Small, Medium, or Large (or counted against the Cycle 24 orbit pool in the panels). Target-of-Opportunity Proposals are eligible to be Long-Term if certain conditions are met (see Section 4.1.2). GOs with approved Long-Term Proposals need not submit continuation proposals in the subsequent cycles (and hence, GOs who had Cycle 24 time approved in Cycles 22 or 23 do not have to submit a Phase I continuation proposal, although a new Phase II and budget submission will be required for each cycle). Budget requests submitted for the first cycle of a Long-Term Proposal should include costs only for the effort to reduce and analyze the data obtained in the first cycle. Separate budget proposals are required in each subsequent cycle (see Chapter 12)

3.2.6 Treasury GO Proposal
Treasury Proposals are those designed to create datasets of lasting value to the HST project that should be obtained before HST ceases operations. A Treasury Program is defined by the following characteristics: · The program should focus on the potential to solve multiple scientific problems with a single, coherent dataset. It should enable a variety of compelling scientific investigations. · Enhanced data products are desirable to add value to the data. Examples are reduced images, object catalogs, or collaborative observations on other facilities (for which funding can be provided). Funding for the proposed data products will depend on their timely availability, as negotiated with the STScI Director. They should be delivered to STScI in suitable digital formats for further dissemination via the HST Data Archive or related channels. · Data taken under a Treasury Program will usually have no proprietary period (see Section 5.1), although brief proprietary periods may be requested if that will enhance the public data value. Such requests are subject to TAC approval. The following additional characteristics are particularly encouraged: · Development of new techniques for observing or data reduction. · Creation and dissemination of tools (software, Web interfaces, models, etc.) for the scientific community to work with the data products.


General Observer (GO) Proposals

20

· In Cycle 24, STScI encourages the submission of very large Treasury proposals, requesting at least 350 orbits. Those proposals will be reviewed by the TAC with standard Treasury proposals, with the aim of selecting at least one program for implementation. Proposers must request orbits only in Cycle 24. However, the orbit allocation will be shared between the Cycle 24 and Cycle 25 GO Large/Treasury allocations, with a possible subsidy through Director 's Discretionary Time. The scientific justification for very large Treasury proposals must include a discussion of the impact on the science goals should it be necessary to terminate the program when either 50% complete or 75% complete. The emphasis in Cycle 24 remains on observations whose value is maximal if taken soon. However, Treasury Proposals may request observing time to be distributed in future cycles if scientifically required (similar to the situation for Small, Medium, and Large Long-Term GO Proposals; see Section 3.2.5). In this cycle approximately 1000 orbits of HST time will be available for new Large and Treasury Proposals. Descriptions of previous Treasury Programs are available on the HST Treasury, Archival Legacy and Large Programs webpage. Treasury Programs will be selected by the TAC as part of the normal peer review process (see Section 6.1.2). Successful proposals will be reviewed by STScI to ensure observing efficiency. STScI resources may be made available to approved Treasury Programs by decision of the STScI Director. In particular, some programs require substantial pipeline processing of their data to generate the final products. Examples are large mosaics for surveys, or co-additions of many exposures in deep fields. Investigators submitting Treasury Proposals must select the Treasury Program flag on the APT cover page, use an orbital visibility that enhances schedulability, and include additional technical details on the scheduling aspects of their program in the "Description of the Observations" section. Note that a proposal can be both Large and Treasury. Submitters of Large Treasury Proposals should consult the Large Program User Information Report, which can be found on the HST Documents webpage (linked from the Cycle 24 Announcement webpage.) This document contains a discussion of the issues surrounding Large Program scheduling.

Treasury Proposals should be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10).

The `Scientific Justification' section of the proposal (see Section 9.1) should include a description of the scientific investigations that will be enabled by the final data products, and their importance. The `Description of the Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.2) should not only describe the proposed observations and plans for data analysis, but should also describe the data products that will be made available to STScI and the community, the method of dissemination, and a realistic time line.


Snapshot (SNAP) Proposals

21

3.3

Snapshot (SNAP) Proposals
Snapshot (SNAP) Programs consist of separate, relatively short observations with typical durations of 45 minutes or less (including all overheads and the final data dump). During the process of optimizing the HST observing schedule, the scheduling algorithm occasionally finds short time intervals where it is impossible to schedule any exposures from the pool of accepted GO Programs. In order to make the HST schedule more efficient, STScI has developed the capability to insert Snapshot exposures of objects selected from a large list of available candidates. In Cycle 24, up to 1000 SNAP observations may be accepted to provide a sufficiently large pool of candidates.

3.3.1 Characteristics of SNAPs
Accepted SNAP Programs are allocated a specific number of targets. However, there is no guarantee that any individual target will be observed, because SNAPs are placed on the schedule only after the observing sequence has been determined for the higher-priority GO targets. The number of observations actually executed depends on the availability of appropriate schedule gaps. In general, only a fraction of the allocated targets will be observed. Unlike GO Programs (see Section 3.2.5), SNAP Programs cannot request observing time in future cycles. However, un-executed SNAPs remain active at decreased priority for a second cycle. There is no commitment on the part of STScI to obtain any specific completion factor for SNAP Programs. The average expected completion rate for SNAP Programs is ~33%. However, the actual completion rates for individual programs vary, depending on several factors including the number of targets and the average duration and sky distribution of the observations. In general, shorter-duration and well-distributed SNAP observations have a higher number of scheduling opportunities and a higher chance of being executed than longer duration and/or spatially clustered SNAP observations. Investigators interested in proposing for SNAPs are encouraged to consult the SNAP User Information Report, which contains details on how SNAPs are scheduled, the rules pertaining to them, and other useful information. Budget proposals for SNAPs should be submitted, and will be reviewed, based on the average completion rate.


Snapshot (SNAP) Proposals

22

3.3.2 Calibration SNAP Proposals
Calibration Proposals (see Section 3.2.4) may also be submitted as SNAP Proposals. As with GO Calibration Programs, all data obtained will be non-proprietary unless proposers specifically request a proprietary period. Successful proposers will be required to deliver documentation, and data products and/or software to STScI to support future observing or archival programs. Users submitting Calibration Proposals are required to contact the appropriate instrument group to discuss their program prior to submission.

Calibration Proposals must be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10).

3.3.3 Guidelines for SNAP Proposals
Please consider the following when developing your SNAP Proposal: · Your willingness to waive part or all of the proprietary data-rights period. This willingness is included in the selection criteria (see Section 6.1). · You need not give a complete list of all targets and their coordinates in your Phase I proposal. However, you must specify the number of targets, and unambiguously identify the targets (e.g., reference to target lists in papers, or give a detailed description of the target characteristics). SNAP exposures may not be used for targets of opportunity (see also Section 4.1.2). · In the `Observation Summary' section of the proposal (see Section 8.16) you should provide a typical example of a SNAP exposure. · SNAP Programs cannot request observation times longer than 45 minutes, including guide star acquisition and target acquisition. In general, shorter duration SNAP observations have more scheduling opportunities than longer ones. · SNAP observations should not be proposed with any special scheduling constraints (e.g., CVZ or telescope orientation requirements). However, the special requirement BETWEEN may be used in the Phase II Program in some circumstances; for details see the SNAP User Information Report. · A SNAP observation must not have any links to other SNAPs (e.g., relative timing or orientation constraints), even if the SNAPs are of the same source. · SNAP Programs may not contain identical observations of the same source in different visits, unless there is a scientific motivation for obtaining observations of the same source at different times (e.g., monitoring or follow-up observations). In the latter case, multiple identical visits of the same source may be requested; they


Snapshot (SNAP) Proposals

23

should be counted as multiple targets (e.g., 10 different SNAP visits of the same galaxy count as 10 targets). Due to the nature of SNAPs, repeated observations are not guaranteed. · Moving-target SNAP Programs are acceptable only if the timing requirements are of at least one month duration. Solar system targets interior to the orbit of Jupiter are not permitted. Timing constraints will reduce the chance of a target being scheduled. Due to the amount of effort required in implementing moving target SNAP Programs, these observations ordinarily cannot be revised during the observing cycle, once the initial processing has been completed. · SNAP Programs with the ACS/SBC are not allowed. · The number of spectroscopic COS and STIS/MAMA SNAPs (other than those using the NUV-PRISM) is limited to 150, due to the target and field bright-object checking requirements. For the same reason, imaging and moving target SNAPs with COS or STIS/MAMA modes are not allowed. Variable STIS/MAMA and COS SNAP targets must have well-defined MAXIMUM UV fluxes, which will be used for the bright-object checking. There are no restrictions on the numbers or variability of proposed STIS/CCD SNAP targets, which do not require bright-object checking and have a higher expected completion rate since they are not restricted to SAA-free orbits. Thus, use of the CCD NUV configurations should be considered instead of the MAMA NUV when possible. · STIS/CCD SNAPs are allowed for both imaging and spectroscopic modes. · STIS/MAMA SNAP Proposals should be limited to one or a few straightforward configurations. Specifically, use of the NDQ filters is not allowed. Use of the 0.2x0.2 echelle aperture is recommended for first-order programs without a scientific long-slit requirement, in order to expedite the field-screening process. Excessively complex STIS/MAMA SNAP targets, fields, or instrumental configurations may not be implemented in Phase II because of the limited resources available for bright-object checking, combined with the relatively low expected completion rate; if you are in doubt on this issue, contact the STScI Help Desk (see Section 1.5). · Programs that require both GO orbits and SNAP targets should be submitted as two separate proposals. The proposals should refer to each other so the reviewers will be aware the proposals are part of the same project. This allows you to ensure that some essential targets are observed (the GO Program) with the rest of the targets being sampled statistically (the SNAP Program). · Because SNAP targets are added to the observing schedule at schedule building process, moving-target SNAP Programs may tor that requires bright object screening (e.g. STIS/MAMA or not practical to screen the field for any background objects bright-object screening limits. a late stage of the not use any detecCOS). It is simply that might violate


Archival Research (AR) Proposals

24

3.4

Archival Research (AR) Proposals
Observations that are no longer proprietary (see Section 1.4.7) are available for analysis by interested scientists through direct retrieval from the HST Data Archive or from the Hubble Legacy Archive (HLA). The retrieval is free and does not involve financial support. The HST Archival Research (AR) Program can, however, provide financial support for the analysis of such data sets. AR Phase I proposals must outline a management plan for analyzing the data (see Section 9.7). Detailed budgets are due in Phase II only (as is the case for GO and SNAP Proposals; see Chapter 12 for details). Proposals for AR funding are considered at the same time, and by the same reviewers, as proposals for observing time, on the basis of scientific merit. Two

Only U.S. Investigators (as defined in Section 12.4) are eligible for funding of Archival Research.

categories of archival proposals are available, Regular AR and Legacy AR, depending on the size of the funding request. An AR Proposal may be submitted by a non-U.S. PI if there are one or more U.S. Co-Is who request funding (see Section 12.4). This cycle, we particularly encourage AR Proposals aimed at exploiting the data obtained as part of the Frontier Fields Program, and those designed to exploit UV data under the UV Initiative (see Section 6.3). We also encourage the submission of proposals that combine HST archival data with data from other astronomical missions, such as the datasets maintained at the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST). Please also note that the Hubble Source Catalog (HSC) provides a resource for visit-based WFC3, ACS, and WFPC2 source lists in a single master catalog with roughly 100 million sources. This may be of particular interest to developing Legacy and Calibration AR proposals. A few potential examples of value-added projects that might utilize the HSC are listed in Section 7.4 of the HST Primer.

3.4.1 Regular AR Proposals
The general goal of a Regular AR Proposal is to analyze a subset of data from the HST Archive to address a specific scientific issue. The analysis must improve on the previous use(s) of the data, or the scientific questions addressed must differ from those tackled by the original programs that obtained the data. There is no limit to the amount of funding that may be requested in a Regular AR Proposal. The majority of the awards in recent cycles have been under $120,000, with a median around $50,000. However, STScI actively encourages the submission of more ambitious AR Programs for which larger amounts of funding may be justified.


Archival Research (AR) Proposals

25

Budget details are not required in the Phase I submission, however the effort detailed in the Management Plan of the PDF attachment (see Section 9.7) should be commensurate with the level of funding to be requested in the Phase II submission. For reference, 19 Regular AR Proposals were approved in Cycle 22, and 35 were approved in Cycle 21. An AR Proposal will be considered to be a Regular AR Proposal, unless it is identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10) as a Legacy AR or Theory Proposal.

3.4.2 Legacy AR Proposals
A Legacy AR Proposal is defined by the following characteristics: · The project should perform a homogeneous analysis of a well-defined subset of data in the HST Archive. · The main goal should be to provide a homogeneous set of calibrated data and/or ancillary data products (catalogs, software tools, Web interfaces etc.) to the scientific community. · The results of the project should enable a variety of new and important types of scientific investigations. The main difference between a Regular and a Legacy AR Proposal is that the former aims at performing a specific scientific investigation, while the latter will also create data products and/or tools for the benefit of the community. While Legacy AR Proposals will be judged primarily on the basis of scientific merit, the importance and broad applicability of the products produced by the Legacy Proposal will be key features in judging the overall scientific merit of the proposal. It is a strict requirement for Legacy AR Proposals that the proposed data products be created and distributed to the community in a timely manner. Data products should also be delivered to STScI in suitable digital formats, to allow dissemination via the HST Data Archive or related channels. It is anticipated that Legacy AR Proposals will be larger in scope and requested funds than most Regular AR Proposals. While there is no lower limit on the requested amount of funding, it is expected that most Legacy AR Proposals will require at least $120,000, and possibly up to a few times this amount, to accomplish their goals. Commensurate with the expected scope, Legacy AR Proposals are allowed to be multi-year projects, although this is not a requirement. Multi-year projects will be funded on a yearly basis, with continued funding beyond the first year subject to a performance review. Legacy AR Proposals will be evaluated by the TAC (see Section 6.1.2) in conjunction with Large and Treasury GO Proposals (see Section 3.2.3 and Section 3.2.6). Budget details are not required in the Phase I submission, however the effort detailed in the Management Plan of the PDF attachment (see Section 9.7)


Archival Research (AR) Proposals

26

should be commensurate with the level of funding to be requested in the Phase II submission. Descriptions of past programs are available on the HST Treasury, Archival Legacy and Large Programs webpage.

Legacy AR Proposals must be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10).

The `Scientific Justification' section of the proposal (see Section 9.1) should include a description of the scientific investigations that will be enabled by the final data products, and their importance. The `Analysis Plan' section (see Section 9.6) should describe the plans for data analysis, the data products that will be made available to STScI and the community, the method of dissemination, and a realistic time line.

3.4.3 Calibration AR Proposals
Calibration Proposals (see Section 3.2.4) may also be submitted as AR Proposals. AR Proposals are appropriate in cases where the necessary data have already been taken, or for programs that do not require specific data but aim to develop specialized software for certain HST calibration and data reduction tasks. Examples of topics that have been addressed by Calibration Programs of the type discussed here are: · Calibration of Lyman-alpha flat fields · Creation of a coronagraphic PSF library for STIS/CCD · Characterization of the spectroscopic PSF for STIS/CCD For a complete description of the instrument calibration plans/accuracies, and for other potential topics, please see the Scientific Instruments webpage. Users submitting Calibration Proposals must contact the appropriate instrument group (accessible via the STScI Helpdesk; see Section 1.5) to discuss their program prior to submission.

Calibration Proposals must be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10).

3.4.4 Theory Proposals
The opportunity exists under the HST Archival Research Program to obtain financial support for theoretical research. Research that is primarily theoretical can have a


Archival Research (AR) Proposals

27

lasting benefit for current or future observational programs with HST, and it is appropriate to propose theory programs relevant to the HST mission. We particularly encourage submission of Theory Proposals that aim to support analysis of data taken as part of the Frontier Fields Program. In recent cycles, approximately 5% of the total HST proposal funding has been used to support Theory Proposals. A Theory Proposal should address a topic that is of direct relevance to HST observational programs, and this relevance should be explained in the proposal. Funding of mission-specific research under the HST Theory Program will be favored over research that is appropriate for a general theory program (e.g., the NASA Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics Theory Program; ATP). The primary criterion for a Theory Proposal is that the results should enhance the value of HST observational programs through their broad interpretation (in the context of new models or theories) or by refining the knowledge needed to interpret specific observational results (a calculation of atomic cross sections may fall under the latter category). The results of the theoretical investigation should be made available to the community in a timely fashion. As with the other AR Proposals, there is no limit to the funding that may be requested in Theory Proposals. The majority of awards in recent cycles has been under $120,000 with a median around $50,000. Budget details are not required in the Phase I submission, however the effort detailed in the Management Plan of the PDF attachment (see Section 9.7) should be commensurate with the level of funding to be requested in the Phase II submission. Theoretical research should be the primary or sole emphasis of a Theory Proposal. Analysis of archival data may be included, but should not be the main aim of the project. GO or AR Proposals which include a minor component of theoretical research will be funded under the appropriate GO or AR Program. Only U.S. Investigators (as defined in Section 12.4) are eligible for funding under the HST Theory Program.

A Theory Proposal may be submitted by a non-U.S. PI if there are one or more U.S. Co-Is who request funding (see Section 12.4). Award amounts for Theory Proposals are anticipated to be similar to those made for Regular AR Proposals (see Section 3.4.1), for which the majority in recent cycles have been under $120,000, with a median around $50,000. STScI also allows the submission of more ambitious proposals for which larger amounts of funding may be justified. For reference, 27 Theory Proposals were approved in Cycle 22, and 11 were approved in Cycle 21.


Archival Research (AR) Proposals

28

Theory Proposals should be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10).

The `Scientific Justification' section of the proposal (see Section 9.1) should describe the proposed theoretical investigation and also its impact on observational investigations with HST. Review panels will consist of observational and theoretical astronomers with a broad range of scientific expertise (see Section 6.1). They will not necessarily have specialists in all areas of astrophysics, particularly theory, so the proposals must be written for general audiences of scientists. The `Analysis Plan' section of the proposal (see Section 9.6) should discuss the types of HST data that will benefit from the proposed investigation, and references to specific data sets in the HST Data Archive should be given where possible. This section should also describe how the results of the theoretical investigation will be made available to the astronomical community, and on what time-scale the results are expected.

3.4.5 Guidelines for AR Proposals
Please consider the following when developing your AR Proposal: · In general, any HST data that you wish to analyze must reside (or be expected to reside) in the Archive, and be released from proprietary rights by the start of Cycle 24 (October 1, 2016). All data taken for the Multi-Cycle Treasury Programs and for the Frontier Fields Program are eligible for AR Programs. · Users should consult the Large Searches and Requests webpage for information on searching for and downloading large datasets. · Programs that require funding for Archival Research and also new observations should be submitted as two separate proposals: one requesting funding for the Archival Research, and the other proposing the new observations. The proposals should refer to each other so that the reviewers will be aware that the proposals are part of the same project. · Investigators are allowed to submit an AR Proposal to analyze data that was obtained in a previous GO Program on which they were themselves PI or Co-I, but only if the goals of the AR Proposal differ significantly from those for which GO funding was awarded previously. · STScI encourages the submission of AR Proposals that combine HST data with data from other space-missions or ground-based observatories, especially those data contained in the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST). STScI is an active partner of the Virtual Observatory (VO), and MAST is implementing VO technology to make its data holdings available. In particular, the MAST Data Discovery Portal is available at http://mast.stsci.edu/explore. The Discovery Portal is a


Joint HST-Chandra Observing Proposals

29

one-stop Web interface to access data from all of the MAST supported missions, including HST (in particular the Hubble Legacy Archive- HLA, and Hubble Source Catalog- HSC), Kepler, GALEX, FUSE, IUE, EUVE, and Swift-UVOT.

3.4.6 Suggestions for AR Proposals
STScI would like to point out the following sources for Archival Research: · The data being obtained for the Frontier Fields Program. · The data obtained by the HST Pure Parallel Program (see Section 4.2.2). · The data obtained for the Hubble Deep Field (HDF), the Hubble Deep Field-South (HDF-S) and the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (UDF). · The data obtained by the HST Treasury Programs, which are described on the HST Treasury, Archival Legacy and Large Programs webpage. Community-contributed high-level science products from imaging and spectroscopic surveys (including GOODS, GRAPES, and GEMS) are available from the MAST High Level Science Product webpage. · Projects that utilize the Hubble Source Catalog. A few potential examples are listed in Section 7.4 of the HST Primer.

3.5

Joint HST-Chandra Observing Proposals
If your science project requires observations from both HST and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, you can submit a single proposal to request time on both observatories to either the HST Cycle 24 or the Chandra Cycle 18 review. This avoids the "double jeopardy" of having to submit proposals to two separate reviews. By agreement with the Chandra X-ray Center (CXC), STScI will be able to award up to 400 kiloseconds of Chandra observing time. Similarly the CXC will be able to award up to 100 orbits of HST time to highly rated proposals awarded Chandra time in its TAC process. The only criterion above and beyond the usual review criteria is that the project must be fundamentally of a multi-wavelength nature, and that both sets of data are required to meet the science goals. It is not essential that the project requires simultaneous Chandra and HST observations. Chandra time will only be awarded in conjunction with new HST observations (and should not be proposed for in conjunction with an AR or Theory Proposal). Of the 400 kiloseconds of Chandra observing time that can be awarded in the HST review, only approximately 15% of the observations may be time-constrained. In addition, only one rapid ToO can be awarded (less than 20 days turn-around time). A Chandra ToO is defined as an interruption of a command load, which may include several predictable observations within that one-week load. HST Cycle 24 proposers should keep their Chandra requests within these limits.


Joint HST-Spitzer Observing Proposals

30

Proposals for combined HST and Chandra observations should be submitted to the observatory that represents the prime science (not to both observatories). STScI reserves the right to disallow HST observations that duplicate those in joint HST-Spitzer or HST-XMM unless the duplications are justified in the original proposals. The Chandra Cycle 18 deadline is 15 March 2016 at 6 pm EDT. While there is multi-wavelength expertise in the review panels for both observatories, typically the HST panels will be stronger in IR/optical/UV science and the Chandra panels in X-ray science. Establishing the technical feasibility of the Chandra observations is the responsibility of the PI, who should review the Chandra documentation or consult with the CXC. A description of the technical information that should be included in the proposal is given in Section 9.4.1. For proposals that are approved, the CXC will perform detailed feasibility checks in Chandra Cycle 18. The CXC reserves the right to reject any previously approved observation that proves infeasible, impossible to schedule, and/or dangerous to the Chandra instruments. Any Chandra observations that prove infeasible or impossible could jeopardize the overall science program and may cause revocation of the corresponding HST observations. Duplicate Chandra observations may also be rejected by the CXC.

Joint HST-Chandra Proposals must be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10). Also, you must include technical information about the Chandra observations in the `Coordinated Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.4.1).

3.6

Joint HST-Spitzer Observing Proposals
If your science project requires observations from both HST and Spitzer, then you can submit a single proposal to request time on both observatories to either the HST Cycle 24 or the Spitzer Cycle 13 review. This avoids the "double jeopardy" of having to submit proposals to two separate reviews. Technical information about Spitzer instrumentation and observations is available from the Spitzer Science Center (SSC) website and specific questions can be addressed to the SSC Helpdesk (help@spitzer.caltech.edu). Spitzer Cycle 13 operations are contingent on the results of the NASA 2016 Senior Review. By agreement with the SSC, STScI will be able to award up to 60 hours of Spitzer observing time. Similarly, the SSC will be able to award up to 60 orbits of HST time to highly rated proposals awarded Spitzer time in its TAC process. The only criterion above and beyond the usual review criteria is that the project is fundamentally of a multi-wavelength nature, and that both sets of data are required to meet the science


Joint HST/XMM-Newton Observing Proposals

31

goals. Spitzer time will only be awarded in conjunction with HST observations (and should not be proposed for in conjunction with an AR or Theory Proposal). Proposers may request up to 20 hours of Spitzer time in any one HST Cycle 24 Proposal. Any program requiring more than 20 hours of Spitzer time should be submitted as a Spitzer Cycle 13 Proposal. Spitzer observations of approved joint HST-Spitzer Cycle 24 Proposals will nominally be scheduled in 2017. Highly constrained Spitzer Programs are discouraged as joint HST-Spitzer Proposals. Proposers may not request target-of-opportunity Spitzer observations that require execution sooner than eight weeks after the Astronomical Observation Requests (AORs) are defined. Please direct any questions you have about Spitzer ToO or constrained observations to the SSC Helpdesk at help@spitzer.caltech.edu). Proposals for combined HST and Spitzer observations should be submitted to the observatory that represents the prime science (not to both observatories). STScI reserves the right to disallow HST observations that duplicate those in joint HST-Chandra or HST-XMM unless the duplications are justified in the original proposals. While there is multi-wavelength expertise in the review panels for both observatories, typically the HST panels will be stronger in optical/UV science and the Spitzer panels in infrared science. Evaluation of the technical feasibility is the responsibility of the observer, who should review the Spitzer documentation or consult with the SSC. For proposals that are approved, the SSC will perform detailed feasibility checks. The SSC reserves the right to reject any previously approved observation that proves to be non-feasible or impossible to schedule. Any Spitzer observations that prove infeasible or impossible could jeopardize the overall science program and may cause revocation of the corresponding HST observations. Duplicate Spitzer observations may also be rejected by the SSC.

Joint HST-Spitzer Proposals must be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10). Also, you must include technical information about the Spitzer observations in the `Coordinated Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.4.2).

3.7

Joint HST/XMM-Newton Observing Proposals
If your science project requires observations from both HST and the XMM-Newton Observatory, you can submit a single proposal to request time on both observatories to either the HST Cycle 24 or the XMM-Newton Cycle AO-16 review. Joint HST/XMM-Newton Proposals should be submitted to the observatory that represents the prime science facility (not to both observatories).


Joint HST/XMM-Newton Observing Proposals

32

By agreement with the XMM-Newton Observatory, the HST TACs will be able to award up to 150 kiloseconds of XMM-Newton observing time. Similarly the XMM-Newton TACs will be able to award up to 30 orbits of HST time. The only criterion above and beyond the usual review criteria is that the project must be fundamentally of a multi-wavelength nature, and that both sets of data are required to meet the science goals. XMM-Newton time will only be awarded in conjunction with new HST observations (and should not be proposed for in conjunction with an AR or Theory Proposal). Proposers should take special care in justifying both the scientific and technical reasons for requesting time on both missions. It is not essential that the project requires simultaneous XMM-Newton and HST observations. No XMM-Newton observations with a reaction time of less than five working days from the trigger date will be considered. Target of Opportunity (ToO) Proposals must state explicitly whether the HST observations require a disruptive ToO. No more than one disruptive ToO will be allocated per proposal. It is the responsibility of the PI to inform both observatories immediately if the trigger criterion is fulfilled. Proposals for combined HST and XMM observations should be submitted to the observatory that represents the prime science (not to both observatories). STScI reserves the right to disallow HST observations that duplicate those in joint HST-Chandra or HST-Spitzer unless the duplications are justified in the original proposals. While there is multi-wavelength expertise in the review panels for both observatories, typically the HST panels will be stronger in IR/optical/UV science and the XMM panels in X-ray science. Establishing the technical feasibility of the XMM-Newton observations is the responsibility of the PI, who should review the XMM-Newton Instrument Handbooks. A description of the technical information that should be included in the proposal is given in Section 9.4.3. All standard observing restrictions for both observatories apply to joint proposals. For proposals that are approved, both projects will perform detailed feasibility checks. Both projects reserve the right to reject any approved observation that is in conflict with safety or schedule constraints, or is otherwise deemed to be non-feasible.

Joint HST/XMM-Newton Proposals must be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10). Also, you must include technical information about the XMM-Newton observations in the `Coordinated Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.4.3).


Joint HST-NOAO Observing Proposals

33

3.8

Joint HST-NOAO Observing Proposals
By agreement with the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), STScI will be able to award time on NOAO facilities to highly ranked proposals that request time on both HST and NOAO telescopes. The award of time on NOAO facilities will be subject to approval by the NOAO Director, after nominal review by the NOAO TAC to avoid duplication of programs. The important additional criterion for the award of NOAO time is that both the HST and the ground-based data are required to meet the science goals of the project. It is not essential that the project requires simultaneous NOAO and HST observations. Under this agreement, NOAO time will only be awarded in conjunction with new HST observations (and should not be proposed for in conjunction with an AR or Theory Proposal). Major results from these programs would be credited to NOAO and HST. NOAO has offered up to 5% of its available time to proposals meeting the stated criteria. NOAO observing time will be implemented during the two 2017 NOAO observing semesters (2017A for February to July 2017 observations, and 2017B for August 2017 to January 2018 observations). Time cannot be requested for the preceding semester, 2016B. Time may be requested only for those facilities listed on the NOAO/NASA Collaboration webpage. Under this agreement approximately 15-20 nights per telescope per year will be available on most (but not all) NOAO telescopes. Only a fraction of the time is available on some facilities - the WIYN and SMARTS telescopes - and so the 5% cap applies only to this fraction. In addition, time on heavily-subscribed resources may be limited by the NOAO Director. Establishing the technical feasibility of the proposed NOAO observations is the responsibility of the PI, who should review the NOAO documentation or consult with NOAO directly. A description of the technical information that should be included in the proposal is given in Section 9.4.4. If approved for NOAO time, the PI must submit, by September 30, 2016, an NOAO Phase II form giving detailed observing information appropriate to the particular NOAO telescope and instrument. In addition, for NOAO time on Gemini, successful PIs will be required to submit a complete NOAO proposal by September 30, 2016 on the standard NOAO proposal form. This will be reviewed by the regular NOAO TAC to determine the Gemini queue in which the observations will be placed. NOAO will perform feasibility checks, and reserves the right to reject any approved observation determined to be infeasible, impossible to schedule, and/or dangerous to the telescopes or instruments. Any NOAO observations that prove infeasible or


Joint HST-NRAO Observing Proposals

34

impossible could jeopardize the overall science program and may cause revocation of the corresponding HST time allocation.

Joint HST-NOAO Proposals must be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10). Also, you must include technical information about the NOAO observations in the `Coordinated Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.4.4).

3.9

Joint HST-NRAO Observing Proposals
By agreement with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), STScI will be able to award time on NRAO facilities to highly ranked proposals that request time on both HST and NRAO telescopes. NRAO has offered up to 3% of the available time on its North American facilities, namely the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), the Very Large Array (VLA), and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), for allocation by the HST TAC, subject to a maximum of 5% of the available time in any given array configuration. In return, STScI has offered 30 orbits of HST time for allocation by the NRAO TAC to proposals submitted on or before either of the two NRAO semester deadlines. These are 1 February 2016 for semester 2016B, and 1 August 2016 for semester 2017A. Joint HST/NRAO Proposals should be submitted to the observatory that represents the prime science facility (not to both observatories). NRAO observing time awarded through the HST Cycle 24 review will be implemented during the 2016B and 2017A observing semesters. The award of time on NRAO facilities will be subject to approval by the NRAO Director, after nominal review by the NRAO TAC to avoid duplication of programs. The important additional criterion for the award of NRAO time is that both the HST and the radio data are required to meet the science goals of the project. It is not essential that the project requires simultaneous NRAO and HST observations. Under this agreement, NRAO time will only be awarded in conjunction with new HST observations (and should not be proposed for in conjunction with an AR or Theory Proposal). Major results from these programs would be credited to NRAO and HST. Establishing the technical feasibility of the proposed radio observations is the responsibility of the PI, who should review the NRAO documentation or consult with NRAO directly. If approved for NRAO time, the PI must submit detailed observing information appropriate to the relevant NRAO facility. A description of the technical information that should be included in the proposal is given in Section 9.4.5. NRAO will perform a technical review of proposals approved by the HST TAC, and reserves the right to reject any approved observation determined to be infeasible, impossible to schedule, and/or dangerous to the telescopes or instruments. Any NRAO observations that prove infeasible or impossible could jeopardize the overall


Joint HST-NRAO Observing Proposals

35

science program and may cause revocation of the corresponding HST time allocation. We therefore urge proposers to discuss technical concerns with appropriate staff at both observatories. Discussions with NRAO staff should occur via the NRAO helpdesk.

Joint HST-NRAO Proposals must be identified in the `Special Proposal Types' section of the proposal (see Section 8.10). Also, you must include technical information about the NRAO observations in the `Coordinated Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.4.5).

Proposers must always check whether appropriate archival data exist, and provide clear scientific and technical justification for any new observations of previously observed targets. Observations awarded time that duplicate observations already approved by HST or NRAO for the same time period may be canceled, or data sharing and cooperation among different groups may be necessary, as determined by the two observatories. This includes ToOs with similar trigger criteria, with or without previously known coordinates. Be aware that some HST targets might not require new NRAO observations because the joint science goals can be met using non-proprietary archival data from the VLA, VLBA, or GBT that are available at http://science.nrao.edu/facilities/vla/archive. Also note that VLA continuum images from sky surveys at a wavelength of 20cm and at a FWHM resolution of 45 arc seconds (see http://www.cv.nrao.edu/nvss/) or 5 arc seconds (see http://sundog.stsci.edu/top.html) are available. All scientific data from NRAO telescopes have a proprietary period where the data are reserved for the exclusive use of the observing team. The data archive policy and proprietary periods are given at https://science.nrao.edu/observing/proposal-types/datapolicies This policy applies to NRAO data taken through the joint HST-NRAO program.


Mid-Cycle GO Proposals

36

3.10

Mid-Cycle GO Proposals
Up to 200 orbits per cycle will be available for Mid-Cycle GO programs. Mid-Cycle programs were initiated in Cycle 23 to provide the community with an opportunity to propose for in-cycle observations of recently-discovered, non-transient objects. As such, they complement Director 's Discretionary programs, which target unexpected transient phenomena and time-critical observations. Mid-Cycle GO Proposals must meet the following prime criteria:
1.

Proposers must provide an well-justified explanation of why the proposal could not have been submitted in response to the standard annual Call for Proposals: for example, the target source may have been identified subsequent to the most recent proposal deadline. Proposers must provide a clear description of the scientific urgency of these observations and why they should be executed in the present cycle.

2.

Proposals should be submitted via the Astronomer 's Proposal Tool (APT) as type GO, using the Mid-Cycle template for the pdf attachment. Upon completion of your Mid-Cycle submission, your program will be transferred to the STScI for processing. If you run into problems submitting an Mid-Cycle Request, send mail to help@stsci.edu for investigation/resolution Mid-Cycle proposals may be submitted at any time between August 15, 2016 and January 31, 2017; proposals submitted after February 1, 2017 will be held over for the Cycle 25 TAC review. Proposals for Mid-Cycle time must be sufficiently detailed for adequate evaluation, comparable with proposals submitted for the regular observing cycles as described in the current Call for Proposals. Among other things, · Both the proposed observations and the use of Mid-Cycle time must be justified explicitly, · There must be an adequate description of how the proposed observations relate to the current state of knowledge, · And the proposed observations must be described in sufficient detail to allow technical evaluation. Mid-Cycle GO proposals will have the following characteristics: · Proposals are limited to requesting no more than 5 orbits; · Observations should have minimal constraints to maximize scheduling flexibility; · Observations taken for accepted programs will have a proprietary period of no more than 3 months;


Director's Discretionary (DD) Time Proposals

37

· Proposals may request only HST time - joint proposals are not permitted; · Proposers may apply for all available instruments. Proposals must be compliant with the technical restrictions described in the most recent Call for Proposals. Members of the STScI Science Policies Group will undertake an initial review of GO Mid-Cycle proposals to determine whether the proposals meet prime criterion #1. Proposals that do not meet that criterion will not be distributed for further review; the Principal Investigator will be informed of that decision, and is free to submit the proposal at the next standard cycle deadline. Re-submissions of rejected past cycle proposals will be rejected automatically. Mid-Cycle proposals will receive scientific review by members of the community who have contributed to recent HST TAC reviews.

3.11

Director's Discretionary (DD) Time Proposals
Up to 10% of the available HST observing time may be reserved for Director 's Discretionary (DD) allocation. Scientists wishing to request DD time can do so at any time during the year, by using APT. Instructions and up-to-date information can be found on the DD Submission webpage. Observations obtained as part of a DD Program generally do not have a proprietary period, and are made available immediately to the astronomical community. However, DD proposers may request and justify proprietary periods in their proposals. Upon receipt of a DD Proposal, the STScI Director will usually seek advice on the scientific merit and technical feasibility of the proposal from STScI staff and external specialists. A proposal for DD time might be appropriate in cases where an unexpected transient phenomenon occurs or when developments since the last proposal cycle make a time-critical observation necessary. Recognizing the limited lifetimes for major space facilities such as HST and Chandra, DD Proposals for timely follow-up of new discoveries will also be considered even if the astrophysics of the phenomena do not require such rapid follow-up. In such cases, the proposers must demonstrate that the observations will provide a critical link in the understanding of the phenomena and that carrying them out quickly is particularly important for planning future observations with major facilities. They should then also indicate their plans for quickly making the scientific community aware of their discoveries, to enable subsequent wider community follow-up. DD observations should not generally be requested if any of the following is true:


Director's Discretionary (DD) Time Proposals

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· The observations could plausibly have been proposed in the most recent regular proposal cycle, possibly as a Target-of-Opportunity Proposal (see Section 4.1.2). · The observations were proposed in a recent regular proposal cycle, and were rejected. · The proposed observations could wait until the next proposal cycle with no significant reduction in the expected scientific return. The primary criteria for acceptance of DD Proposals are high scientific merit and a strong demonstration of the timeliness of the observations. Weekly HST Command Loads are uplinked to the telescope on Sunday evenings; for nominal operations, the observing schedule is determined eleven days in advance of the uplink date. Although it is technically feasible to interrupt the schedule and initiate observations of a new target, short-notice interruptions place severe demands on the planning and scheduling process, decreasing overall observing efficiency and delaying other programs. Hence, requests for DD time must be submitted at least two months before the date of the requested observations, if possible. Requests for shorter turn-around times must be exceedingly well justified. In the case that a DD Program with a turn-around time of less than one month is accepted, the PI or his/her designee is required to be reachable by STScI personnel on a 24 hour basis between the submission and the implementation of the program, for Phase II preparation. Subject to availability of funds from NASA, STScI will provide financial support for U.S. PIs and Co-Is of approved DD Programs (see Chapter 12).


CHAPTER 4:

Observation Types and Special Requirements
In this chapter. . .
4.1 Primary Observations / 39 4.2 Parallel Observations / 47 4.3 Special Calibration Observations / 50

4.1

Primary Observations
Primary observations are those observations that determine the telescope pointing and orientation. GO and SNAP Programs with external targets are normally scheduled as primary. Primary observations can use a variety of special requirements and observation types, as described in the following subsections. There is also the opportunity for parallel observations, described in Section 4.2, which are simultaneous observations with instruments other than the primary instrument.

4.1.1 Continuous Viewing Zone (CVZ) Observations
Most targets are occulted by the Earth during a portion of the HST orbit. However, this is not true for targets that lie close to the orbital poles. This gives rise to so-called Continuous Viewing Zones (CVZ) in two declination bands near +/­ 61.5 degrees. Targets in those bands may be viewed without occultations at some time during the 56-day precessional cycle of the HST orbit. The number and duration of CVZ passages depend on the telescope orbit and target position, and may differ significantly from previous cycles. Please refer to the HST Orbital Viewing and Schedulability webpage for information on determining the number of CVZ opportunities in Cycle 24 and their approximate duration for a given target location. Passages of HST through the South Atlantic Anomaly generally restrict the length of uninterrupted observations to 5 to 6 orbits per day. See Section 2.2.1 of the HST Primer for technical details about the CVZ.
39


Primary Observations

40

CVZ orbits are a limited resource whose use can lead to scheduling conflicts. If CVZ orbits are scientifically necessary for your program, check that sufficient opportunities exist that your orbit request can likely be accommodated. (It is not possible, at present, to determine the exact number of CVZ orbits available during a particular opportunity.) In the Description of the Observations section (see Section 9.2), you must include the number of CVZ opportunities available for each target in your proposal for which you are requesting CVZ time. STScI will make every effort to schedule the observations in this optimal way. However, because the number of CVZ opportunities are limited, and unpredictable conflicts may occur between the proposed CVZ observations and other observations, a particular target's CVZ times may be oversubscribed. Therefore, it may be necessary to schedule the requested CVZ observations using standard orbital visibilities (i.e., using a larger number of total orbits). This will be done at no penalty to the observer.

Continuous Viewing Zone observations must be marked in the `Observation Summary' section of the proposal (see Section 8.16).

Restrictions on Using the CVZ Observations that require special timing requirements (including telescope orientation constraints; see Section 4.1.6) should not be proposed for execution in the CVZ, and orbit estimates in the Phase I proposal should be based on standard orbital visibilities (see Table 6.1 of the HST Primer). Because of the extra scattered earthshine that enters the telescope on the day side of the orbit, sky-background limited observations through broadband optical or infrared filters do not gain significant observing efficiency from CVZ observations. If it is determined during the Phase II proposal implementation that an observation is unschedulable because of conflicts between the CVZ requirement and any other Special Requirements (e.g., SHD, LOW, timing, etc.), then the observing time may be revoked unless the Special Requirement will be relaxed. Proposers who are in doubt about whether or not to request CVZ observations should contact the STScI Help Desk (see Section 1.5).

4.1.2 Target-of-Opportunity (ToO) Observations
A target for HST observations is called a `Target-of-Opportunity' (ToO) if the observations are linked to an event that may occur at an unknown time. ToO targets include objects that can be identified in advance but which undergo unpredictable changes (e.g., specific dwarf novae), as well as objects that can only be identified in advance as a class (e.g., novae, supernovae, gamma ray bursts, newly discovered comets, etc.). ToO Proposals must present a detailed plan for the observations to be performed if the triggering event occurs.


Primary Observations

41

Target-of-Opportunity observations must be marked in the `Observation Summary' section of the proposal (see Section 8.16). In the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal (see Section 9.3) you must provide an estimate of the probability of occurrence of the ToO during the observing cycle, and describe the required turn-around time.

Turn-Around Time and ToO Limits in Cycle 24 The turn-around time for a ToO observation is defined as the time between STScI receiving a ToO activation and the execution of the observations. The HST observing schedule is updated weekly, and construction of each weekly calendar starts approximately eleven days in advance of the first observations on that calendar. Thus, in the normal course of events, almost three weeks can elapse between Phase II submission of a ToO and execution of the observations. Any short-notice interruptions to the schedule place extra demands on the scheduling system, and may lead to a decrease in overall efficiency of the observatory. ToOs are therefore classified into two categories: disruptive ToOs that require observations on a rapid timescale and therefore revisions of HST observing schedules that are either active or in preparation; and non-disruptive ToOs that can be incorporated within the standard scheduling process. Disruptive ToOs are defined as those having turn-around times of less than three weeks. Non-disruptive ToOs have turn-around times longer than three weeks. Disruptive ToOs: The minimum turn-around time for ToO activation is normally 2-5 days; this can be achieved only if all details of the proposal (except possibly the precise target position) are available in advance. Any required bright object screening (COS, STIS/MAMA, or ACS/SBC) must be completed before a ToO can be placed on the schedule. The ability to perform any bright-object check will depend on the quality of the flux information provided by the observer, the complexity of the field, and the availability of suitable expertise at STScI to evaluate that information on a short time scale. Under exceptional circumstances, it may be possible to achieve shorter turn-around times, but only at the expense of significant loss of observing efficiency. Ultra-rapid (<2 day turn-around) ToOs therefore require an extremely strong scientific justification, and may only be requested for instruments that do not require bright object checking (ACS/WFC, WFC3, STIS/CCD, FGS). Because of the significant effect disruptive ToO observations have on the HST schedule, the number of activations will be limited to eight in Cycle 24; this allocation will include no more than one Ultra-rapid ToO. Non-disruptive ToOs: Observations of transient phenomena that require turn-around times longer than three weeks can be accommodated in the normal HST scheduling process. Non-disruptive ToOs will be incorporated in the HST observing schedule at the earliest opportunity consistent with normal scheduling process. Consequently,


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there is no limit on non-disruptive ToOs in Cycle 24. However, programs that have been allocated a specific number of non-disruptive ToOs may not subsequently request activation on shorter timescales. Proposers are encouraged to check the ToO webpage for further information and examples on defining and activating ToO observations. Activation of a ToO A Phase II proposal must be submitted before the ToO event occurs. If the observing strategy depends on the nature of the event, then the Phase II proposal should include several contingencies from which the observer will make a selection. The PI is responsible for informing STScI of the occurrence of the event and must provide an accurate target position. Implementation of a ToO observation after notification of the event requires approval by the STScI Director and is not guaranteed (e.g., high-priority GO observations, critical calibrations, and engineering tests may take precedence over ToO Programs). If approval is granted, then the HST observing schedule is replanned to include the new observations. Disruptive ToOs require the PI or his/her designee to be reachable by STScI personnel on a 24 hour basis between the ToO activation and the scheduling of the program. Long-Term ToOs Proposers may apply for Long-Term status for ToO Programs only if the target phenomena have a low probability of occurrence during one cycle. The request must be justified in the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal (see Section 9.3) and will be subject to review by the TAC. Long-Term ToO Programs will be extended into the following cycle.

If the triggering event for a standard ToO Program does not occur during Cycle 24, the program will be deactivated at the end of the cycle. Unused ToO time carries over to the following cycle only for Long-Term ToO Programs.

ToO Programs with COS, STIS/MAMA or ACS/SBC ToO Programs that use COS, the STIS/MAMA detectors, or ACS/SBC must pass bright-object checking before they can be scheduled. Ultra-rapid turn-around programs are not allowed with these instruments. For rapid turn-around programs, where the target may be varying in intensity, a strategy must be outlined to ensure that the ToO will be safe to observe. A description of how you plan to deal with this issue should be provided in the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal (see Section 9.3).


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STIS/MAMA and ACS/SBC observations cannot be scheduled in orbits affected by passages of HST through the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), which limits the duration of a MAMA visit to five orbits (see Section 2.2.2 of the HST Primer).

4.1.3 Special Restrictions on Observations with COS, STIS/MAMA and ACS/SBC
The COS, STIS/MAMA, and ACS/SBC instruments employ photon counting detectors and are vulnerable to damage through exposure to bright sources. Consequently, there are a number of restrictions on the use of these configurations. All targets and field objects within the appropriate field of view must pass bright-object safety reviews (see Section 5.1 of the Primer). All Phase I proposals must include a discussion of the safety of the proposed targets and fields in the Description of the Observations (see Section 9.2), based on the relevant Instrument Handbook sections and calculations with the appropriate APT and ETC tools. Observations of variable sources Proposals to observe variable objects with the COS, STIS/MAMA, or ACS/SBC detectors must pass bright-object checking before they can be scheduled (see Section 5.1 of the Primer). Proposers should assume the maximum flux values for targets unless there are specific reasons for adopting other values (for example, time constrained observations of periodic variables at flux minima); the justification for adopting alternative flux values should be given in the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal (see Section 9.3). In the case of aperiodic variables that are either known to undergo unpredictable outbursts, or belong to classes of objects that are subject to outbursts, the proposer must determine whether the target will violate the bright object limits during outburst. If a violation is possible, the proposer must outline a strategy that will ensure that the target is safe to observe with COS, STIS/MAMA, or ACS/SBC.

A description of how you plan to deal with bright object checking for variable sources must be included in the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal (see Section 9.3).

The observing strategy might include additional observations, obtained over a timescale appropriate to the particular type of variable object, with either HST or ground-based telescopes. Proposers should be aware that this type of observation requires extra resources. STScI reserves the right to limit the number of visits requiring quiescence-verification observations within 20 days or less of an HST observation to no more than 12 such visits per Cycle. If you are planning such observations, please contact the Help Desk at help@stsci.edu for more information on the options and requirements for confirming quiescence.


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Additional restrictions · STIS/MAMA and ACS/SBC observations cannot be scheduled in orbits affected by passages of HST through the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), which limits the duration of a MAMA visit to five orbits (see Section 2.2.2 of the HST Primer). · Pure Parallel observations with COS, STIS/MAMA, or the ACS/SBC detectors are not permitted. · SNAP Programs using the ACS/SBC are not permitted. · SNAP Programs using STIS/MAMA imaging modes or the STIS/NUV-MAMA PRISM modes are not allowed. SNAP Programs are allowed to use all other STIS/MAMA spectroscopic modes and all STIS/CCD modes. · The total number of targets accepted from all SNAP Programs for COS and STIS/MAMA will be limited to 150. · In order to preserve SAA-free orbits for MAMA observations, STIS programs that contain both CCD and MAMA science observations (excluding target acquisitions) must normally be split into separate CCD and MAMA visits. Exceptions are allowed if at least one of the following conditions apply: A) There is less than 30 minutes of science observing time (including overheads) using the CCD; B) The target is observed for only one orbit; C) There is a well-justified scientific need for interspersed MAMA and CCD observations. · By default, STIS spectroscopic exposures are accompanied by separate AUTO-WAVECAL exposures. The observer can insert additional GO-WAVECAL exposures adjacent to any external exposure and, although not recommended without adding an equivalent GO-WAVECAL exposure, can turn off the AUTO-WAVECAL exposures. For additional information see Section 4.5 of the Primer. · To optimize the science return of COS the following is recommended: the use of TIME-TAG mode and the use of the default wavelength calibration procedures. To minimize the effects of gain sag on the FUV detector it is required that all four FP-POS positions be used for each CENWAVE setting. This is done using the FP-POS=ALL parameter in APT for each CENWAVE, by spreading out the four FP-POS positions over multiple orbits within a visit for each CENWAVE, or over multiple visits of the same target. Observers who wish to employ non-optimal observing techniques must strongly justify their observing strategy in the Description of the Observations section of the PDF attachment. Non-optimal observing techniques should not normally be adopted solely for the purpose of producing a modest reduction of the observational overheads; in such cases the observer should normally just request adequate time to use the recommended optimal strategy. For more details, please see Section 4.4 of the Primer.


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4.1.4 Solar System Targets
HST can observe most targets within our Solar System, although there are a few exceptions. Mercury is always well within the 50-degree Solar pointing exclusion, and cannot be observed. Venus is always within the 50-degree Solar pointing exclusion, but at maximum elongation can be over 45 degrees from the Sun. STScI and the HST Project at GSFC have developed (and used) procedures that support observations of Venus when it is slightly within the 50 degree limit. Those procedures require extra planning and implementation steps. Venus observations may be proposed, but execution of these observations is subject to the availability of resources to carry out the extra work. Observations of comets can be made while they are farther than 50 degrees from the Sun. The HST pointing control system and the HST scheduling systems were not designed to support observations of objects as close as the Moon. However, lunar observations are possible under gyro control in three-gyro mode. GO proposals to observe the Moon can be submitted for consideration by the Cycle 24 TAC. These programs must use observing strategies that have been used in previous HST lunar observing programs. The execution of lunar observations will be subject to the availability of resources to carry out the extra work required. Investigators interested in proposing for lunar observations are encouraged to consult the Lunar Observations User Information Report, which contains details on how such observations will be scheduled, the rules pertaining to them, and other useful information. Pointing constraints are discussed further in Section 2.3 of the HST Primer.

4.1.5 Observations of Targets That Have Not Yet Been Discovered or Identified
There are a variety of plausible scenarios in which investigators may wish to propose for HST observations of targets that have not yet been discovered or identified (i.e., targets with unknown coordinates, such as the next supernova in our own Galaxy, or the next gamma-ray burst in the southern hemisphere). In general, such proposals are allowed only if there is a certain time-criticality to the observations; i.e., proposing for the same observations in the next regular review cycle (after the target has been discovered) would be impossible or would make the observations more difficult (e.g., the object fades rapidly, or its temporal behavior is important), or would lead to diminished scientific returns. These criteria are generally satisfied for GO observations of ToO targets, and there may also be other circumstances in which proposals for such targets are justified. However, in the absence of demonstrated time-criticality, observations will generally not be approved for targets that have not yet been discovered or identified.


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4.1.6 Time-Critical Observations
Proposals may request that HST observations be taken at a specific date and time, or within a range of specific dates, when scientifically justified. Some examples of such cases are: · astrometric observations, · observing specific phases of variable stars, · monitoring programs, · imaging surface features on solar-system bodies, · observations requiring a particular telescope orientation (since the orientation is fixed by the date of the observations; see Section 2.4 of the HST Primer), · observations coordinated with observations by another observatory.

Any requests for time-critical observations must be listed in the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal (see Section 9.3).

Time-critical observations impose constraints on the HST scheduling system and should therefore be accompanied by an adequate scientific justification in the proposal. Limitations Related to Time-Critical Observations Time-critical events that occur over short time intervals compared to the orbital period of HST (such as eclipses of very short-period binary stars) introduce a complication because it will not be known to sufficient accuracy, until a few weeks in advance, where HST will be in its orbit at the time of the event, and hence whether the event will occur above or below the spacecraft's horizon (see Section 2.2.3 of the HST Primer). Proposals to observe such events can therefore be accepted only conditionally.

4.1.7 Dithering strategies with ACS and WFC3
Experience has shown that ACS and WFC3 imaging observations are best taken as dithered exposures (see Section 5.4 of the HST Primer). Proposers who do not intend to use dithering for primary observations must provide a justification for their choice of strategy in the `Description of Observations' section of the PDF attachment (Section 9.2). In general, undithered observations with ACS or WFC3 detectors will not be approved without strong justification that such an approach is required for the scientific objectives. Otherwise, hot pixels and other detector artifacts may compromise the archival value of the data.


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4.2

Parallel Observations
Since the scientific instruments are located at fixed positions in the telescope focal plane, it is possible to increase the productivity of HST by observing simultaneously with one or more instruments in addition to the primary instrument. Those additional observations are called parallel observations. Since each instrument samples a different portion of the HST focal plane (see Figure 2.2 of the HST Primer), an instrument used in parallel mode will normally be pointing at a "random" area of sky several minutes of arc away from the primary target. Thus parallel observations are usually of a survey nature. However, many HST targets lie within extended objects such as star clusters or galaxies, making it possible to conduct parallel observations of nearby portions of, or even specific targets within, these objects. Depending on whether a parallel observation is related to any specific primary observation, it is defined either as a Coordinated Parallel or Pure Parallel. Coordinated Parallel observations are related to a particular primary observation in the same proposal. Pure Parallel observations are unrelated to any particular primary observation (i.e., the primary observation is in another program). Investigators interested in proposing for parallels must consult the Parallel Observations User Information Report, which provides further details on how coordinated and pure parallels are defined, implemented and scheduled. Parallel observations are rarely permitted to interfere significantly with primary observations; this restriction applies both to concurrent and subsequent observations. Specifically, · A parallel observation cannot dictate how the primary observation will be structured (e.g. it cannot cause the adjustment of primary exposures). This is particularly directed toward pure parallels where the definition of the observations is independent of and subordinate to a primary observation. · Parallel observations will not be made if the stored command capacity or data volume limits would be exceeded. · Pure Parallel observations may not explicitly constrain the scheduling of the primary observations, that is, they may not specify orientation or timing constraints. · Coordinated Parallel observations may include orientation or timing constraints as requested and justified in the accepted HST Phase I proposal. · Pure Parallel observations are subject to the availability of parallel observing opportunities as identified by STScI (see Section 4.2.2).


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4.2.1 Coordinated Parallel Observations
Coordinated Parallel observations must be marked in the `Observation Summary' section of the proposal (see Section 8.16).

Coordinated Parallels use one or more instruments, in addition to and simultaneously with the primary instrument in the same proposal, e.g., to observe several adjacent targets or regions within an extended object. Proposals that include Coordinated Parallel observations should provide a scientific justification for and description of the parallel observations. It should be clearly indicated whether the parallel observations are essential to the interpretation of the primary observations or the science program as a whole, or whether they address partly or completely unrelated issues. The parallel observations are subject to scientific review, and can be rejected even if the primary observations are approved. Proposers are generally not allowed to add Coordinated Parallel observations in Phase II that were not explicitly included and approved in Phase I. Any such requests will be adjudicated by the Telescope Time Review Board (TTRB). Coordinated Parallel Observations will ordinarily be given the same proprietary period as their associated primary observations.

4.2.2 Pure Parallel Observations
The Pure Parallel observing process is designed to take advantage of the full complement of instruments installed in SM4. Similar to primary science planning, the parallels process provides a reliable estimate, in advance of observations, of the number of orbits that will be executed on accepted parallel programs during the cycle. The Parallel Observing User Information Report provides a complete description of this observing mode and is required reading if you are considering submitting a Pure Parallel Proposal. It is anticipated that up to 500 Pure Parallel observations will be available in Cycle 24. Restrictions Pure Parallel observations are currently restricted to orbits where COS and STIS are the primary instruments. Consequently, parallel opportunities will be limited by the actual number of orbits allocated to these instruments and to the corresponding regions of sky being observed. Past experience shows that the final allocation of Pure Parallel orbits also depends on the science goals of the parallel programs (e.g. desired targets may not be available and multiple Pure Parallel Programs can compete for the same primary opportunities.) STScI continues to investigate ways to expand the number of Pure Parallel observing opportunities.


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For the purpose of Pure Parallel orbit allocation, an orbit is defined as having visibility of at least 2500 seconds. The number and types of parallel observing opportunities will vary depending on the mix of primary GO Programs each cycle. Additionally, the total number of Pure Parallel orbits actually executed could be less than planned due to changes to the Primary Programs or on-board execution failures. PIs with accepted Pure Parallel Programs will be given a list of parallel science opportunities that STScI has identified as being suitable for their program. The PI then selects and submits a final list of opportunity matches to STScI in the Phase II Pure Parallel Program submission. The process of matching Pure Parallel observations to Primary Programs will occur during the planning and implementation phase (Phase II) so that it can be known in advance when and how the parallel observations can be executed. Proposals for Pure Parallel observations may specify either particular or generic targets, although the latter are more common and provide more flexibility for matching parallel observations to actual opportunities. Review and Execution The review panels and the TAC will select the programs based on the proposed science. The TAC will consider all accepted programs and produce a ranked list as an aid for resolving potential conflicts. The proprietary period for a GO Pure Parallel Program will depend on the number of orbits requested, as is the case for Primary GO Programs. Small (1-34 orbits) and Medium (35-74 orbits) Pure Parallel Programs will have a default proprietary period of 12 months; Large (75 orbits or more) Pure Parallel Programs will have no proprietary period by default. Pure Parallel observations are assigned to specific primary observations, and the parallel observations will be carried over to subsequent cycles if the primary observations are not executed in Cycle 24.

4.2.3 Restrictions and Limitations on Parallel Observations
Parallel Observations with ACS The ACS/SBC may not be used for either Pure or Coordinated Parallel observations in any mode. The ACS/WFC detector may be used for Coordinated Parallel observations with any other instrument as primary. The ACS/WFC may be used for Pure Parallel observations with the COS and STIS instruments as primary (see Section 4.2.2). Parallel Observations with COS The COS/FUV MCP detector may be used for Coordinated Parallel observations with any other instrument as primary, provided that the telescope orientation is specified exactly and the parallel field passes bright-object checking.


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The COS/NUV MAMA detector may be used for Coordinated Parallel observations with any other instrument as primary, provided that the telescope orientation is specified exactly and the parallel field passes bright-object checking. COS may not be used for Pure Parallel observations in any detector mode. Parallel Observations with FGS The FGS cannot be used for either Pure or Coordinated Parallel observations. Parallel Observations with STIS The STIS/CCD detector may be used for Coordinated Parallel observations with any other instrument as primary. Neither the STIS/NUV-MAMA PRISM mode nor any STIS/MAMA imaging mode can be used for Coordinated Parallel observations. STIS/MAMA spectroscopic modes (other than the NUV/PRISM) may be used for Coordinated Parallel observations, but only if an exact ORIENT is specified. STIS may not be used for Pure Parallel observations in any detector mode. When STIS is the primary instrument and another instrument is used for a Coordinated Parallel, STIS auto-wavecals will never be done during an occultation. Instead these calibration exposures have to be scheduled when the external target is visible, leading to a slight reduction in the observing efficiency. Parallel Observations with WFC3 WFC3 may be used for Coordinated Parallel observations with any other instrument as primary. WFC3 may only be used for Pure Parallel observations with COS or STIS as primary (see Section 4.2.2). Pointing Accuracy for Parallel Observations The spacecraft computers automatically correct the telescope pointing of the primary observing aperture for the effect of differential velocity aberration. This means that image shifts at the parallel aperture of 10 to 20 mas can occur during parallel exposures.

4.3

Special Calibration Observations
Data from HST observations are normally provided to the GO after application of full calibrations. Details of the standard calibrations are provided in the Instrument Handbooks (see Section 1.4.4). In order to obtain quality calibrations for a broad range of observing modes, yet not exceed the time available on HST for calibration observations, only a restricted set,


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the so-called `Supported' modes, may be calibrated. Other modes may be available but are not supported. Use of these `Available-but-Unsupported' modes is allowed to enable potentially unique and important science observations, but is discouraged except when driven by scientific need. Observations taken using Available-but-Unsupported modes that fail due to the use of the unsupported mode will not be repeated. Use of these modes must be justified prior to the Phase II submission. For details consult the Instrument Handbooks (see Section 1.4.4). Projects may need to include special calibration observations if either: · a Supported mode is used, but the calibration requirements of the project are not addressed by the standard STScI calibration program, or · an Available-but-Unsupported mode is used. Any special calibration observations required in these cases must be included in the total request for observing time and in the Observation Summary of the proposal, and must be justified explicitly. During the Phase II process, proposals to calibrate Available-but-Unsupported modes must be pre-approved by the appropriate instrument team. For details please consult the relevant Instrument Handbook. Proposers can estimate the time required for any special calibration observations from the information provided in the Instrument Handbooks (see Section 1.4.4). Also, the STScI Help Desk (see Section 1.5) can assist you on this estimate, but such requests must be made at least 14 days before the submission deadline. The data reduction of special calibration observations is the responsibility of the observer. Data flagged as having been obtained for calibration purposes will normally be made non-proprietary.


CHAPTER 5:

Data Rights and Duplications
In this chapter . . .
5.1 Data Rights / 52 5.2 Policies and Procedures Regarding Duplications / 53

5.1

Data Rights
Depending on the category, observers may have exclusive access to their science data during a proprietary period. For Small and Medium GO Proposals, this period is normally 12 months following the date on which the data are archived. At the end of the proprietary period, the data become available for analysis by any interested scientist through the HST Archive. Submitters of Small and Medium GO Proposals who wish to request a proprietary period shorter than one year (3 or 6 months), or who are willing to waive their proprietary rights altogether, should specify this in the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal (see Section 9.3). Because of the potential benefit to the community at large, particularly (but not exclusively) in the case of Snapshot Programs, proposers should give this possibility serious consideration (it is one of the selection criteria for Snapshot Programs; see Section 6.2). Data taken under the Treasury (see Section 3.2.6), Calibration (see Section 3.2.4), and Large (see Section 3.2.3) Program categories will by default have no proprietary period. Any request for non-zero proprietary periods for programs in these categories must be justified in the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal (see Section 9.3) and will be subject to review by the TAC.

52


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5.2

Policies and Procedures Regarding Duplications
Special policies apply to cases in which a proposed HST observation would duplicate another observation either already obtained or scheduled to be obtained.

5.2.1 Duplication Policies
An observation is a duplication of another observation if it is on the same astronomical target or field, with the same or a similar instrument, with a similar instrument mode, similar sensitivity, similar spectral resolution and similar spectral range. It is the responsibility of the proposers to check the proposed observations against the catalog of previously executed or accepted programs.

If any duplications exist, they must be identified in the `Observation Summary' section of the proposal (see Section 8.16), and justified strongly in the `Justify Duplications' section of the proposal (see Section 9.5) as meeting significantly different and compelling scientific objectives.

Any unjustified duplications of previously executed or accepted observations that come to the attention of the peer reviewers and/or STScI could lead to rejection during or after the Phase I deliberations. Without an explicit Review Panel or TAC recommendation to retain duplicating exposures, they can be disallowed in Phase II. In such cases, no compensatory observing time will be allowed and the associated observing time will be removed from the allocation. ACS and WFC3 Duplications of WFPC2, NICMOS or STIS imaging ACS and WFC3 have imaging capabilities superior to WFPC2, NICMOS and STIS for many purposes (see Section 4.7 of the HST Primer). Nonetheless, proposers should note any duplications of previously approved or executed WFPC2, NICMOS, or STIS imaging exposures that lie in their fields, and justify why the new observations are required to achieve the scientific goals of the project. Proposers for WFC3 observations should note and justify any duplications of previous ACS observations.


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Snapshot Targets The following policies apply to Snapshot targets, in addition to the duplication policies already mentioned: · Snapshot targets may not duplicate approved GO Programs in the same cycle. · Snapshot observations may be proposed that duplicate approved but unexecuted Cycle 23 Snapshot observations by the same Principal Investigator. If the Cycle 24 program is accepted, the Cycle 23 program will not be carried forward into Cycle 24.

5.2.2 How to Check for Duplications
To check for duplications among the observations that you wish to propose, please use the tools and links on the HST Proposal Support webpage at MAST. The following two options are available: · The HST Duplication Checking Web Form. · The Planned and Archived Exposures Catalog (PAEC), which is available from the HST Catalogs webpage at MAST. This catalog contains summary information about exposures in ASCII format and can be browsed with any text editor. It is normally updated monthly, but will be kept fixed between the release of this Call for Proposals and the Phase I deadline. Please make sure that you are either searching in the HST duplication table (automatic if you use the Duplication Checking Web Form) or the PAEC. Other archive tables, such as the science table or the ASCII format Archived Exposures Catalog (AEC) do not include exposures that have been approved but have not yet executed, and are therefore not suitable for a complete duplication check.


CHAPTER 6:

Proposal Selection Procedures
In this chapter . . .
6.1 How STScI Conducts the Proposal Review / 55 6.2 Selection Criteria / 56 6.3 Ultraviolet Initiative / 58 6.4 JWST Preparatory Observations / 59

6.1

How STScI Conducts the Proposal Review
HST programs are selected through competitive peer review. A broad range of scientists from the international astronomical community evaluates and ranks all submitted proposals, using a well-defined set of criteria (see Section 6.2) and paying special attention to any potential conflicts of interest. The review panels and the Telescope Allocation Committee (TAC) offer their recommendations to the STScI Director. Based on these recommendations, the STScI Director makes the final allocation of observing time.

6.1.1 The Review Panels
The review panels will consider Small GO (1-34 orbits; Section 3.2.1), Medium GO (35-74 orbits; Section 3.2.2), Calibration GO (Section 3.2.4), Snapshot (Section 3.3), Regular AR (Section 3.4.1), Calibration AR (Section 3.4.3) and Theory (Section 3.4.4) Proposals. Each review panel has an allocation of a specific number of orbits, and the panel can recommend Small GO Proposals up to its orbit allocation. Medium GO Proposals will be ranked side-by-side with the Small Proposals, but the panels will not be charged for them; instead, each panel will be allocated a fixed number of medium proposals, depending on the overall medium proposal pressure within that
55


Selection Criteria

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panel. The panel recommendations generally do not require further approval of the TAC (Section 6.1.2), and scientific balance will be determined within each panel rather than by the TAC. The panels do not adjudicate Large GO (Section 3.2.3), Treasury GO (Section 3.2.6), or AR Legacy Proposals (Section 3.4.2), but they will send comments on these proposals to the TAC for their consideration. Panelists are chosen based on their expertise in one or more of the areas under review by the panel. Each panel spans several scientific categories (as defined in Section 8.8). In Cycle 24, we anticipate having a panel dealing with Solar System, two panels dealing with Planets (including exoplanets, planet formation, and debris disks); three panels dealing with Stars (of any temperature and evolutionary state, and including nearby star formation and Galactic ISM); two panels dealing with Stellar Populations (resolved); three panels dealing with Galaxies (including unresolved stellar populations and ISM in external galaxies); two panels dealing with Massive Black Holes and Hosts (including AGN and Quasars); and two panels dealing with IGM and Cosmology (including large-scale structure, gravitational lensing, and galaxy groups and clusters). Within a panel, proposals are assigned to individual expert reviewers based on the keywords given in the proposal (see Section 8.9). These keywords should therefore be chosen with care.

Given the breadth of the panels, proposers should frame their scientific justification in terms appropriate for a panel with a broad range of astronomical expertise.

6.1.2 The Telescope Allocation Committee (TAC)
The TAC will include the TAC chair, the fourteen panel chairs, and three at-large members to ensure broad expertise across the full range of scientific categories. The primary responsibility of the TAC is to review Large GO (Section 3.2.3), Treasury GO (Section 3.2.6), and AR Legacy Proposals (Section 3.4.2), and any other particularly large requests of resources (GO Calibration, SNAP, Theory, or Pure Parallel Proposals). The TAC will also consider the panel recommendations concerning the Medium Proposals (35-74 orbits, see Section 3.2.2), will rank accepted Pure Parallel Proposals, and will be the arbiter of any extraordinary or cross-panel issues.

6.2

Selection Criteria
Evaluations of HST proposals are based on the following criteria. Criteria for all Proposals · The scientific merit of the program and its potential contribution to the advancement of scientific knowledge.


Selection Criteria

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· The program's importance to astronomy in general. This should be stated explicitly in the `Scientific Justification' section of the proposal (see Section 9.1). · The extent to which the proposal demonstrates sufficient understanding to assure a thorough analysis of the data. · A demonstration that the unique capabilities of HST are required to achieve the science goals of the program. · The evidence for a coordinated effort to maximize the scientific return from the program. Additional Criteria for all GO and SNAP Proposals · What is the rationale for selecting the type and number of targets? Reviewers will be instructed to recommend or reject proposals as they are and to refrain from orbit- or object trimming. Therefore, it is very important to justify strongly both the selection and the number of targets in your proposal, as well as the number of orbits requested. · Is there evidence that the project has already been pursued to the limits of ground-based and/or other space-based techniques? · What are the demands made on HST and STScI resources, including the requested number of orbits or targets, and the efficiency with which telescope time will be used? · Is the project technically feasible and what is the likelihood of success? Quantitative estimates of the expected results and the needed accuracy of the data must be provided. Additional Criteria for Large GO, Treasury GO, and Legacy AR Proposals · Is there a plan to assemble a coherent database that will be adequate for addressing all of the purposes of the program? · Will the work of the proposers be coordinated effectively, even though a large team may be required for proper analysis of the data? · Is there evidence that the observational database will be obtained in such a way that it will be useful also for purposes other than the immediate goals of the project? Additional Criterion for SNAP Proposals · Willingness to waive part or all of the proprietary period. While this is not the primary criterion for acceptance or rejection, it can provide additional benefit to any proposal and will be weighed by the reviewers as such. Additional Criterion for Calibration Proposals · What is the long-term potential for enabling new types of scientific investigation with HST and what is the importance of these investigations?


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Additional Criteria for all Archival Research Proposals · What will be the improvement or addition of scientific knowledge with respect to the previous original use of the data? In particular, a strong justification must be given to reanalyze data if the new project has the same science goals as the original proposal. · What are the demands on STScI resources (including funding, technical assistance, feasibility of data requests, archiving and dissemination of products)? · Is there a well-developed analysis plan describing how the scientific objectives will be realized? · Does the proposal provide a justification for the requested funds? · Will the project result in the addition of new information that can be linked to the Hubble Source Catalog (HSC)? Additional Criteria for Treasury GO and Legacy AR Proposals · What scientific investigations will be enabled by the data products, and what is their importance? · What plans are there for timely dissemination of the data products to the community? High-level science products should be made available through the HST data archive or related channels. Additional Criteria for Theory Proposals · What new types of investigations with HST or with data in the HST Data Archive will be enabled by the theoretical investigation, and what is their importance? · What plans are there for timely dissemination of theoretical results, and possibly software or tools, to the community?

6.3

Ultraviolet Initiative
Ultraviolet GO Proposals In recognition of the unique UV capabilities of Hubble and the finite lifetime of the mission, the UV Initiative introduced in Cycle 21 will continue in Cycle 24. The initiative uses orbit allocations to increase the share of primary GO observing time dedicated to UV observations. Both the review panels and the TAC will have UV orbit allocations, which are advisory, not quotas, and UV proposals recommended for acceptance must meet the usual requirement of high scientific quality set for all successful Hubble proposals (see Section 6.2). Small (Section 3.2.1), Medium (Section 3.2.2), Large (Section 3.2.3), and Treasury (Section 3.2.6) GO Proposals can benefit from the UV Initiative, as can Archival and Theory Proposals (see below). SNAP Proposals are not eligible to benefit. Two conditions must be met for a GO Proposal to be eligible.


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· The proposal must use the UV capabilities of Hubble. The eligible instrument modes (with central wavelength <3200 Angstroms) are ACS/SBC imaging (all filters), COS spectroscopy (all modes), STIS/MAMA spectroscopy and imaging (all gratings and filters), STIS/CCD spectroscopy (UV gratings only), and WFC3/UVIS imaging (UV filters F200LP, F300X, F218W, F225W, F275W, FQ232N, FQ243N, and F280N), and WFC3/UVIS G280 grism spectroscopy. · The UV observations must be essential to the proposed science investigation. This condition will automatically be met for proposals requesting UV observations only. For proposals requesting both UV and optical/IR observations, the scientific necessity for the UV observations must be carefully justified in the Special Requirements section of the proposal. Proposers must check the UV Initiative box in APT to identify whether their proposal qualifies for the benefit based on the above criteria. Ultraviolet Archival Proposals The UV Initiative also extends to Archival Proposals, in the Regular AR (Section 3.4.1), Legacy AR (Section 3.4.2) and Theory (Section 3.4.4) categories. STScI will ask the review panels and the TAC to give particular consideration to UV-specific archival proposals in the review process, provided they lead to UV high level data products and tools for the Hubble archive, and enable broader use of those datasets by the community, or (in the case of Theory Proposals) provide new models or theories to aid in the interpretation of UV HST data. For Archival Programs that propose the joint analysis of UV and optical/IR datasets, the UV datasets must be essential to the scientific investigation for the UV Initiative benefit to apply. In this case, the proposers should carefully justify the importance of the UV component of their program in the Special Requirements section of the proposal. AR proposers should check the UV Initiative box in APT to identify their proposal as eligible for the benefit.

6.4

JWST Preparatory Observations
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be launched in October 2018. JWST will offer extensive photometric and spectroscopic capabilities spanning the wavelength range 0.7 to 28 microns. Some science programs undertaken with JWST can be enhanced by, and may even require, additional observations. The JWST Initiative is designed to provide an opportunity to obtain observations with Hubble that complement and enhance the scientific impact of JWST observations. In some cases, Hubble observations are essential to achieving critical science goals for future JWST programs. Small (Section 3.2.1), Medium (Section 3.2.2), Large (Section 3.2.3)


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and Treasury (Section 3.2.6) GO Proposals can be identified as supporting the JWST Initiative. SNAP, Archival and Theory proposals do not qualify for this initiative. Proposers should use the Special Requirements section to describe the connection with specific JWST observations. If the Hubble observations are critical to the success of the future JWST program, the science goals of the full program should be described in the Scientific Justification, including an explanation as to why Hubble observations are deemed essential to achieve those goals. The panels and the TAC will consider the connection between the proposed Hubble and JWST observations as part of the review process. The proposal will be assessed based on the science expectations for the full program including both the HST and JWST observations. Following the recommendations of the Space Telescope Users Committee, JWST Preparatory proposal data will, by default, not have a proprietary period (a default of zero months). A proprietary period can may be requested, which will be additionally reviewed by the TAC. If the Hubble observations are deemed essential to achieving the overall science goals, the proposal will be assessed based on the science expectations for the full program including both Hubble and JWST observations. Proposers must check the "JWST Preparatory Science" box in APT to identify whether their proposal qualifies for this initiative.


CHAPTER 7:

Guidelines and Checklist for Phase I Proposal Preparation
In this chapter . . .
7.1 General Guidelines / 62 7.2 Proposal Preparation Checklist / 64

This chapter provides general guidelines and a checklist for Phase I proposal preparation. Specific instructions for construction of a Phase I proposal are presented in Chapter 8 and Chapter 9.

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General Guidelines

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7.1

General Guidelines
7.1.1 Deadline
The deadline for proposal submission is Friday, April 8, 2016, 8:00 pm EDT. We strongly recommend that proposers start preparing their proposals early in order to give themselves enough time to learn APT. The Cycle 24 APT will be made available in February 2016. If you need a version prior to the formal release, please send a request to the STScI Help Desk, help@stsci.edu.

Please submit well before the deadline whenever possible, to avoid possible last-minute hardware or overloading problems, or network delays/outages. Late proposals will not be considered. Questions about policies and technical issues should be addressed to the STScI Help Desk (see Section 1.5) well before the deadline. While we attempt to answer all questions as rapidly as possible, we cannot guarantee a speedy response in the last week before the deadline.

7.1.2 Phase I Proposal Format
Cycle 24 Proposals must be submitted electronically. A Java-based software tool, APT (the Astronomer 's Proposal Tool; see Section 1.4.5) is the interface for all Phase I and Phase II proposal submissions for HST. A Phase I proposal consists of two parts: · a completed APT proposal form (see Chapter 8); and · an attached PDF file (see Chapter 9). Both are submitted to STScI directly from within APT. Student Principal Investigators should also arrange for a certification letter to be sent by their faculty advisor (see Section 2.3.3). Please study Chapter 7, Chapter 8, and Chapter 9 carefully. We recommend doing so well before the submission deadline, to give the STScI Help Desk (see Section 1.5) ample time to answer any questions you may have.


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7.1.3 Page Limits for PDF Attachment
There are page limits on the size of your PDF attachment. Table 7.1 outlines these limits for different proposal categories.
Table 7.1: PDF Attachment Page Limits
Proposal Category1 Small GO Medium GO Large GO Treasury GO Snapshot Theory Regular AR Legacy AR
2

Reference Section in CP 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 3.2.6 3.3 3.4.4 3.4.1 3.4.2

Total Page Limit for PDF Attachment 8 9 11 11 8 8 8 11

Page Limit for the text of the Scientific Justification (Section 9.1) 3 4 6 6 3 3 3 6

1. For Calibration GO (Section 3.2.4), Joint HST-Chandra (Section 3.5), Joint HST-Spitzer (Section 3.6), Joint XMM-Newton (Section 3.7), and Joint HST-NOAO (Section 3.8),and Joint HST-NRAO (Section 3.9) Proposals, users should determine whether their proposal is Small, Medium, or Large based on the HST orbit request, and use the appropriate page limits. 2. Regular AR Proposals include Calibration AR Proposals (Section 3.4.3).

In relation to these page limits, note the following: · Proposals that exceed the page limits will be penalized in the review process; pages beyond the specified limits will be removed and will not be available to reviewers. · There are no limits on the numbers of figures and tables in the PDF attachment, and they may be interspersed in the text. However, the total page limit must be obeyed. · References should be listed at the end of the proposal and do not count against the page limits. · Your PDF attachment must be prepared with a font size of 12pt. Do not change the format of any of the templates provided by STScI.


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7.2

Proposal Preparation Checklist
Table 7.2: Proposal Preparation Checklist
Step 1) Review the Phase I Roadmap Procedure The roadmap (http://apst.stsci.edu/apt/external/help/roadmap1.html) is a high level step-by-step guide to writing a Phase I proposal. It includes links to various documents and training videos. Go to the APT webpage. Follow the instructions there to download and install the latest version of APT onto your machine. You can also ask your system administrator to do an institution-wide installation. Use APT to fill out the Phase I form. Information on the use of APT, including movie tutorials, is available on the APT webpage. A description of which items are requested as well as guidelines for answers are presented in Chapter 8. Proposers can save work in progress, so APT submission can be completed over several sessions. Go to the Cycle 24 Announcement webpage. Download one of the templates to create your PDF attachment. There are separate template files for GO/SNAP and for AR/Theory Proposals. Template files are available in several popular word-processing applications, including LaTeX and Microsoft Word. Edit the template using your favorite word-processing application. A description of which issues need to be discussed, and guidelines for how to discuss them, are presented in Chapter 9. Transform your edited template into a PDF file. Any figures in your proposal must be included into this PDF file. Go to the Cycle 24 Announcement webpage for instructions on how to create a PDF file from your edited template, and for instructions on how to include figures. We will provide the reviewers with the electronic PDF files so that figures can be viewed in color. However there is no guarantee that the reviewers will view the files electronically, so please make sure your figures are useful when printed using grey scales. In your APT form, list in the appropriate box the path that points to the PDF attachment file on your local disk (see Section 8.11). In APT, click on `PDF Preview' to get a preview of all the final information in your proposal. What you see is exactly what the reviewers who judge your proposal will see. If you are not satisfied, make any necessary changes. STScI does not require institutional endorsement of GO/AR Proposals in Phase I. However, some institutions do require such endorsement of all submitted proposals. It is the responsibility of each PI to follow all applicable institutional policies concerning the submission of proposals. In APT, use the Submission tool to submit your proposal to STScI. All parts are sent together (i.e., both the APT form information and the PDF attachment).

2) Install APT

3) Fill out the APT Phase I form

4) Download a template file for the creation of your PDF attachment

5) Edit the template

6) Create the PDF attachment.

7) Add the PDF filename path to the APT form 8) Review your proposal

9) Institutional Endorsement

10) Submit your proposal


Proposal Preparation Checklist
Step Procedure Verification of a successful submission will appear in the Submission Log on the Submission Screen in APT within about a minute. Also, the PI and all Co-Is will receive an automatic email acknowledgment that the merged PDF submission was received successfully. After the Phase I deadline has passed, and all submissions are in their final form, you will receive final notification that your submission has been successfully processed; this email will mark the completion of the submission. If you do not receive the final notification email within 48 hours of the deadline, please contact the STScI Help Desk and provide the submission ID from the APT Submission Log window. If there are any problems associated with your PDF attachment, you will be contacted by email.

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11) Receive an STScI acknowledgment of your submission


CHAPTER 8:

Filling Out the APT Proposal Form
In this chapter . . .
8.1 Title / 67 8.2 Abstract / 67 8.3 Proposal Phase / 67 8.4 Category / 67 8.5 Cycle / 67 8.6 Requested Resources / 68 8.7 Proprietary Period / 68 8.8 Scientific Category / 68 8.9 Keywords / 70 8.10 Special Proposal Types / 70 8.11 Proposal PDF Attachment / 72 8.12 Principal Investigator / 72 8.13 Co-Investigators / 73 8.14 Datasets / 73 8.15 Targets / 73 8.16 Observation Summary (OS) / 75

As described in Chapter 7, a Phase I proposal consists of a completed APT proposal form and an attached PDF file. The present chapter describes the items that must be filled out in the APT proposal form; this information is also available from the context-sensitive help in APT. Not every item described here needs to be filled out for every proposal. For example, some items are only relevant for observing proposals, while others are only relevant for archival proposals. APT will automatically let you know which items need to be filled out, depending on which proposal type you choose. Chapter 9 describes the items that must be addressed in the attached PDF file.

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Title

67

8.1

Title
The title of your proposal should be informative, and must not exceed two printed lines. Please use mixed case instead of all upper case.

8.2

Abstract
Write a concise abstract describing the proposed investigation, including the main science goals and the justification for requesting observations or funding from HST. The abstract must be written in standard ASCII and should be no longer than 20 lines of 85 characters of text. This limit is enforced by APT.

8.3

Proposal Phase
No action is required by the proposer at this time. For Cycle 24 the Phase will automatically be set to `PHASE I'. See Section 2.1 for a description of the different phases in the HST proposal process.

8.4

Category
Select one of the following categories: · GO--General Observer Proposal · SNAP--Snapshot Proposal · AR--Archival Research Proposal (this category includes the Theory Proposals described in Section 3.4.4) Proposals for Director 's Discretionary Time (see Section 3.11) submitted outside of the normal review cycles should select: · GO/DD--Director 's Discretionary Time Proposal

8.5

Cycle
For a Cycle 24 Proposal, enter `24' (this is the default).


Requested Resources

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8.6

Requested Resources
8.6.1 Primary and Parallel Orbits

(This item appears in the APT form only for GO Proposals) Enter the total number of orbits requested for Primary observations and the total number of orbits requested for Coordinated Parallel observations OR enter the total number of orbits requested for Pure Parallel observations. Only whole orbits can be requested, and only whole orbits will be allocated. In general, only the boxes for `This Cycle' need to be filled out. However, Long-Term Proposals (see Section 3.2.5) should provide a year-by-year breakdown of the orbits requested by also filling out the boxes for `Next Cycle' (Cycle 24) and `After Next' (Cycle 25).

8.6.2

Total Targets

(This item appears in the APT form only for SNAP Proposals) Specify the total number of targets requested. Multiple visits to the same source should be counted as multiple targets (see Section 3.3).

8.7

Proprietary Period
(This item appears in the APT form only for GO and SNAP Proposals) Enter the requested proprietary period, either 0, 3, 6, or 12 (months), that will apply to all observations in the program. The default proprietary period is 0 for Large, Treasury, and Calibration GO Programs, and 12 for Regular GO, Medium GO, and Snapshot Programs. See Section 5.1 on Data Rights for more information. The benefits of or need for a non-default proprietary period must be discussed in the `Special Requirements' section of the proposal (see Section 9.3).

8.8

Scientific Category
Specify one Scientific Category from the list below. Please adhere to our definitions of these categories. If you find that your proposal fits into several categories, then select the one that you consider most appropriate. If you are submitting a Calibration Proposal, then choose the Scientific Category for which your proposed calibration will be most important.


Scientific Category

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· SOLAR SYSTEM: This includes all objects belonging to the solar system (except the Sun and Mercury), such as planets, minor planets, comets, asteroids, planetary satellites, and Kuiper-belt objects. · EXTRASOLAR PLANETS AND PLANET FORMATION: This includes all objects belonging to known extrasolar planetary systems, and observations of their host stars, as well as all studies of circumstellar and proto-planetary disks. · STELLAR PHYSICS: This includes stars of all temperatures and evolutionary phases, including pre-main sequence stars, supernovae, pulsars, X-ray binaries, CVs, and planetary nebulae. It also applies to ISM and circumstellar matter in the Milky Way. · STELLAR POPULATIONS: This includes resolved stellar populations in globular clusters, open clusters or associations, and the general field of the Milky Way and other nearby galaxies. Studies of color-magnitude diagrams, luminosity functions, initial-mass functions, internal dynamics and proper motions are in this category. · GALAXIES: This includes studies of the initial mass function, stellar content and globular clusters in distant galaxies, galaxy morphology and the Hubble sequence, and low surface-brightness galaxies. Starbursts, IR-bright galaxies, dwarf galaxies, galaxy mergers and interactions may fall under this heading. This category also includes studies of gas distribution and dynamics in distant galaxies. Starbursts, IR-bright galaxies, dwarf galaxies, galaxy mergers, and interactions may also fall under this heading if the emphasis is on the ISM. · MASSIVE BLACK HOLES AND THEIR HOSTS: This encompasses active galaxies and quasars, including both studies of the active phenomena themselves, and of the properties of the host galaxies that harbor AGNs and quasars. The definition of AGN is to be interpreted broadly; it includes Seyfert galaxies, BL Lac objects, radio galaxies, blazars, and LINERs. · INTERGALACTIC MEDIUM AND COSMOLOGY: This includes the physical properties and evolution of absorption-line systems detected along the line of sight to quasars, and other observations of the diffuse IGM. It includes spectroscopy and imaging of damped Ly-alpha systems. This includes studies of the structure and properties of clusters and groups of galaxies, strong and weak gravitational lensing, galaxy evolution through observations of galaxies at intermediate and high redshifts (including for example, the Hubble Deep Fields), cosmology in general, the structure of the universe as a whole, cosmological parameters and the extra-galactic distance scale. Proposals in these Scientific Categories will be reviewed by panels of the same names.


Keywords

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8.9

Keywords
From the list of Scientific Keywords (see Appendix B), please select those that best describe the science goals of the proposal. Your choice here is important. Based on the keywords that you specify, your proposal will be assigned to specific reviewers during the proposal review (see Section 6.1). Please give as many keywords as possible, but not more than five. You must give at least three.

8.10

Special Proposal Types
8.10.1 Chandra ksec
(This item appears in the APT form only for GO Proposals) If you are asking for both HST and Chandra observing time (see Section 3.5) then list the requested number of Chandra kiloseconds. You should then also provide detailed information on the Chandra observations in the `Coordinated Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.4.1). If you are not requesting any new Chandra observations (or if you have Chandra time that has already been awarded), then enter `0'.

8.10.2 Spitzer hours
(This item appears in the APT form only for GO Proposals) If you are asking for both HST and Spitzer observing time (see Section 3.6) then list the requested number of Spitzer observing hours. You should then also provide detailed information on the Spitzer observations in the `Coordinated Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.4.2). If you are not requesting any new Spitzer observations (or if you have Spitzer time that has already been awarded), then enter `0'.

8.10.3 XMM-Newton ksec
(This item appears in the APT form only for GO Proposals) If you are asking for both HST and XMM-Newton observing time (see Section 3.7) then list the requested number of XMM-Newton kiloseconds. You should then also provide detailed information on the XMM-Newton observations in the `Coordinated Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.4.3). If you are not requesting any new XMM-Newton observations (or if you have XMM-Newton time that has already been awarded), then enter `0'.


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8.10.4 NOAO Nights
(This item appears in the APT form only for GO Proposals) If you are asking for both HST and NOAO observing time (see Section 3.8) then list the requested number of nights on NOAO telescopes. You should then also provide detailed information on the NOAO observations in the `Coordinated Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.4.4). If you are not requesting any new NOAO observations (or if you have NOAO time that has already been awarded), then enter `0'.

8.10.5 NRAO Hours
(This item appears in the APT form only for GO Proposals) If you are asking for both HST and NRAO observing time (see Section 3.9) then list the requested number of NRAO hours. You should also provide detailed information on the NRAO observations in the `Coordinated Observations' section of the proposal (see Section 9.4.5). If you are not requesting any new NRAO observations, then enter `0'.

8.10.6 Theory
(This item appears in the APT form only for AR Proposals) Mark this keyword if you are submitting a Theory Proposal (see Section 3.4.4).

8.10.7 Legacy
(This item appears in the APT form only for AR Proposals) Mark this keyword if you are submitting an AR Legacy Proposal (see Section 3.4.2).

8.10.8 Calibration
Mark this keyword if you are submitting a Calibration Proposal (see Section 3.2.4)

8.10.9 Treasury
(This item appears in the APT form only for GO Proposals) Mark this keyword if you are submitting a GO Treasury Proposal (see Section 3.2.6).


Proposal PDF Attachment

72

8.10.10 UV Initiative
Mark this keyword if your proposal is eligible for the UV Initiative (see Section 6.3). This keyword can be set for both GO and AR Proposals.

8.10.11 JWST Preparatory Science
(This item appears in the APT form only for GO Proposals) Mark this keyword if your proposal is eligible for the JWST Initiative (see Section 6.4).

8.11

Proposal PDF Attachment
List the location on your computer of the PDF file to be attached to your Phase I submission. This file should contain the items described in Chapter 9.

8.12

Principal Investigator
Enter the first and/or last name of the PI. Please use standard ASCII. Entering the first few letters (at least two) and pressing enter or tab will bring up a window containing a list of matches from our proposer database. Clicking on your entry will supply APT with the address information. For U.S PIs (see Section 12.4), the institutional affiliation is defined as the institution that will receive funding if the proposal is approved. If you are not in the database, click on "New Entry". If you are in the database, but the address information is incorrect, click on "Update This Address." Both clicks will take you to the ProPer tool so you can be added to, or update information in, the database. Once you have entered your information into ProPer, you will be able to immediately redo the database search and supply APT with the information. Contact For Large and Treasury Programs, we will contact the proposer within 1-2 weeks of the submission deadline if we need to verify our understanding of the appropriate scheduling constraints. If a Co-Investigator is to serve as the contact for this verification, then the Phase I Contact box should be set accordingly. Any person may be designated as the Contact.


Co-Investigators

73

8.13

Co-Investigators
Co-investigators (Co-Is) can be added in APT as necessary in Phase I; once a program is approved (Phase II), a Co-I can only be added with prior approval (see Section 10.2). By default, APT will provide one blank Co-I template. Please add other Co-Is or delete as necessary. There is a limit of 99 Co-Is on any proposal. For each Co-I, enter the name and select the correct person from the list of database matches. As for PIs, new investigators or address updates should be submitted via ProPer. For U.S. Co-Is the institutional affiliation is defined as the institution that will receive funding if the proposal is approved. If a proposal has a non-U.S. PI and one or more U.S. Co-Is, then you must select one of the U.S. Co-Is to be the Admin PI, who will oversee the grant funding for U.S. investigators (see Chapter 12).

8.14

Datasets
(This item appears in the APT form only for AR Proposals. It does not need to be completed for Theory Proposals.) Please fill in the keywords in the table in the APT form, specifying the approximate number of datasets (where a dataset is a set of associated exposures) requested for each instrument, the retrieval method (ftp, CD, DVD, or disk), and the planned schedule for data retrieval (e.g. over one weekend, 100 datasets per week). Information on large data requests and guidelines for delivering High-Level Science Products to MAST are available online.

8.15

Targets
Your proposal can include observations of fixed targets (i.e., all targets outside the solar system whose positions can be defined by specific celestial coordinates), generic targets (i.e., targets defined by certain general properties, rather than by specific coordinates), and solar-system targets (i.e., moving targets). Targets that have not yet been discovered or identified may generally be included only under special circumstances (see Section 4.1.5), and should be given generic target names. GO Proposals must include a list of all targets. Snapshot Proposals need only include a representative subset of targets in the Phase I submission (see Section 3.3.3). For proposals with a large number of fixed targets, there is a capability to ingest a comma-separated text file with the appropriate target information. See the APT Phase I Roadmap ("Fill in the Target Information") for details.


Targets

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8.15.1 Target Number
Each target in your proposal will be assigned a unique number by APT. A different target must be defined when different coordinates or a different target description are required. Separate targets should be defined and listed if observations are planned at several points within an extended object. For example, acquiring spectra at three different locations within the Crab nebula requires each point to have its own target number, name and co-ordinates, such as CRAB1, CRAB2 and CRAB3. However, if you are proposing a large field mosaic with the same exposures at each point, you may define one target for the object. You should specify in the Description of Observations the exact number of fields you plan to observe.

8.15.2 Target Name
The target naming conventions for HST are defined in detail in Section 3.2 of the HST Phase II Proposal Instructions. Please adhere to these naming conventions throughout your proposal. For generic targets use a short text description either of the target location (e.g., RANDOM-FIELD) or of the target itself (e.g., NEXT-SUPERNOVA).

8.15.3 Provisional Coordinates
Supply the coordinates for fixed targets only. In Phase I, target positions with accuracies of ~1 arc minute are sufficient for the TAC and panel review (except in crowded fields where the identity of the target may be in question). However, in Phase II significantly more accurate coordinates will be required, and it is the responsibility of the proposers to provide these. See the STScI Phase II documentation for details.

8.15.4 V-Magnitude
A magnitude or flux should be specified for every target. Supply the V-magnitude for the entire target (galaxy, planet, etc.), if known. In the case of observations with ACS/SBC, STIS/MAMA, or COS, specify the V-magnitude of the brightest object in the field of view (this may not be the primary target). For variable targets, give the brightest V-magnitude expected during the observations. The configurations mentioned above have detectors with bright-object safety limits, and observations that violate those limits are infeasible. See Section 5.1 of the HST Primer, or the respective Instrument Handbook (see Section 1.4.4) for details. With the exception of the safety checks, this information is used only for scientific review, not for exposure-time calculations. It is not required to specify the V-magnitude or flux for generic targets.


Observation Summary (OS)

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8.15.5 Other Fluxes
For each target you should specify either a V-magnitude or another magnitude or flux. Supply the apparent total magnitude or flux in the relevant passband for the entire target (galaxy, planet, etc.), if known. For variable targets, give the brightest magnitude expected during the observations. This information is used only for scientific review, not for exposure-time calculations. The format is free text.

8.16

Observation Summary (OS)
(This item appears in the APT form only for GO and SNAP Proposals) The OS lists the main characteristics of the observations that you propose to obtain. In general you must include in the OS all the configurations, modes, and spectral elements that you propose to use, and (except for SNAPs) all the targets that you propose to observe. Configurations or targets that are not specified in the Phase I proposal, but are included in Phase II, may delay the program implementation, and may be disallowed. Note the following: · For SNAP Proposals the OS should describe a typical observation for one or a few of the targets. A complete and unique description of the target list should be provided in the `Scientific Justification' section of the proposal (see Section 9.1). · For Long-Term Proposals, the OS should include information for all the proposed observations, not just those requested in Cycle 24. · Parallel observations must be included in the OS, and marked as such using the relevant special requirement flags (see Section 8.16.11 and Table 8.1). · Target acquisition observations (see Section 5.2 of the HST Primer) need not be included in the OS, unless they are themselves used for scientific analysis. · Normal calibration observations that are often or routinely taken (e.g, fringe flats) need not be included in the OS. However, the OS should include any special calibration exposures of internal sources or external targets (see Section 4.3). Special internal calibrations should be listed separately from external calibration exposures. When these special calibrations require additional orbits, that should be specified and the orbits included in the total allocation. The need for these calibrations should be justified in the `Description of the Observations' (see Section 9.2). The OS consists of individual `observation blocks', each containing several separate pieces of information.


Observation Summary (OS)

76

All exposures of a given target made with a particular instrument may be summarized in a single observation block; observations of the same target with a second instrument (e.g. coordinated parallels) must be specified in a separate observation block.

Observation blocks are numbered sequentially in the APT Phase I proposal form. Each observation block should include the items that are listed and discussed below in separate sub-sections.

8.16.1 Target
Select the target from the pull-down menu. The menu will contain all the targets you have entered on the "Targets" page.

8.16.2 Instrument
Select an instrument from the pull-down menu. The menu will contain all the available instruments. Only one instrument can be selected in each observation block.

8.16.3 Instrument Setup(s)
Under "Instrument Setups" click on "Add". This will bring up a pop-up menu which will allow you to select the parameters for the observation (e.g., config, science mode, spectral elements).

8.16.4 Config
Enter the Scientific Instrument configuration. A pull-down menu shows the available and allowed options for the instrument you have selected.

8.16.5 Science Mode
Enter the science mode. A pull-down menu shows the available and allowed options (which depend on the choice of Configuration).


Observation Summary (OS)

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8.16.6 Coronagraphy
If you are proposing coronagraphic observations with STIS, then set this keyword to `yes'. Coronagraphic observations with the ACS/SBC are not permitted (see Section 3.3.2 of the ACS Instrument Handbook).

8.16.7 Polarizer
If you are proposing polarimetric observations with ACS, then set this keyword to `yes'. There is no polarimetry keyword in the proposal PDF file, but this sets the appropriate flag in the Phase I submission.

8.16.8 Spectral Element
Enter the desired spectral elements (i.e., filters and gratings) using the `Spectral Element' pull-down menus which show the available and allowed options (which depend on the choice of Configuration and Science Mode). Each Instrument Setup denotes a set of exposures with the same spectral elements. For example if you are taking four exposures with the B filter and two with the V filter, one instrument setup would give the B filter as the Spectral Element, and a separate instrument setup would give the V filter as the Spectral Element. Central Wavelength If a COS or STIS grating is used, then first select the grating and subsequently give the central wavelengths in Angstroms for the exposures.

8.16.9 Orbits
Enter the number of orbits requested (i.e., the sum of the orbits required for all the instrument setups in the observation block). Consult Chapter 6 of the HST Primer for instructions on how to calculate the appropriate number of orbits for your observations.

8.16.10 Number of Iterations
If you require multiple sets of observations, enter the number of iterations (for example, if you will reobserve at a different time or if you have a large mosaic). This will automatically update the total number of orbits requested for the target.

8.16.11 Special Requirement Checkboxes
Mark one or more of the special requirement checkboxes, if applicable. The meanings of the checkboxes are indicated in the table below. For Snapshot observations, only the `duplication' and `coordinated parallel' checkboxes are allowed.


Observation Summary (OS) Table 8.1: Special Requirement Flags for the Observation Summary
Flag Coordinated Parallel Pure Parallel CVZ Duplication Target of Opportunity - Disruptive Target of Opportunity - Non-disruptive Use this flag for All of the exposures specified in this observation block are to be done in Coordinated Parallel mode (see Section 4.2.1). All of the exposures specified in this observation block are to be done in Coordinated Parallel mode (see Section 4.2.2). Continuous Viewing Zone observations (see

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Section 4.1.1).

Observations which duplicate or might be perceived to duplicate previous or upcoming exposures (see Section 5.2.1). Target-of-Opportunity observations with turn-around time shorter than 3 weeks (see Section 4.1.2). Target-of-Opportunity observations with turn-around time longer than 3 weeks (see Section 4.1.2).

8.16.12 Scheduling Requirements
For all proposals, we request that you provide additional scheduling information for your observations; this request does not apply to observations of solar system or generic targets. The additional information will help STScI understand and assess the scheduling implications of your program. Be sure to read Section 9.2, `Description of the Observations', as that is the primary place for describing your observing strategy. Note that these requirements do not appear in the PDF file, although they are used when running the Visit Planner (see Section 8.16.13). For each Observation Block, please provide the following when appropriate: NO SCHEDULING CONSTRAINTS Setting this requirement means there are no scheduling constraints on the Observation Block. SHADOW Set this requirement when all exposures defined in the Observation Block are affected adversely by geocoronal Lyman-alpha background emission, and therefore need to be obtained when HST is in Earth shadow. This requirement complicates scheduling and reduces HST observing efficiency, and must therefore have adequate scientific justification in the Phase I proposal. SHADOW is generally incompatible with CVZ. This requirement should not be used if low continuum background is required: in that case use LOW SKY instead.


Observation Summary (OS)

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LOW SKY Set this requirement when all exposures defined in the Observation Block are affected adversely by scattered light (e.g zodiacal light and earthshine), and therefore need to be obtained with minimal sky background. The continuum background for HST observations is a function of when and how a given target is observed. Observations can be scheduled when the sky background is within 30% of its yearly minimum for the given target, which is done by restricting the observations to times that minimize both zodiacal light and earthshine scattered by the Optical Telescope Assembly (OTA). To minimize the zodiacal light, the scheduling algorithm places seasonal restrictions on the observations; to reduce the earthshine, the amount of time data is taken within an orbit is reduced by approximately 15%. The former complicates scheduling, while the latter reduces the observing efficiency of HST. Therefore, using the LOW SKY restriction must have adequate scientific justification included in the Phase I proposal. With this restriction, the zodiacal background light for low-ecliptic latitude targets can be reduced by as much as a factor of 4. Avoiding the earthshine at the standard earth-limb avoidance angle (see Section 2.3 of the HST Primer) can make a similar difference. LOW SKY is generally incompatible with CVZ. SAME ORIENT Setting this requirement means that all exposures defined in the Observation Block MUST be observed at the exact same ORIENT. This requirement is only meaningful if the observations are to occur in multiple visits (e.g. Number of Iterations is greater than 1, or if the Total Orbits is greater than 5). ORIENT Enter the ORIENT range that all the exposures defined in the Observation Block must be observed within. If multiple ORIENT ranges are acceptable, then enter all values. BETWEEN Enter the range of dates that all exposures defined in the Observation Block must be observed within. If multiple BETWEENs are acceptable, then enter all values. AFTER OBSERVATION BY Enter any timing requirements between Observation Blocks. Timing requirements between observations WITHIN an Observation Block do not need to be specified. This is intended to capture repeated visits with spacings of multiple days or greater, not timing requirements of less than 1-2 days. PERIOD