Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2992 – 6 Nov 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2992

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 11/05/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 11/06/01

Daily Status Report as of 310/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 9119 (Io’s Prometheus Plume, and the
Composition and Spatial Distribution of Io’s Atmosphere)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to
obtain the most detailed view yet of Io’s dynamic SO_2 / S_2 atmosphere,
and the first spectroscopic observations of a Prometheus-type plume, to
test models of plume and atmospheric chemistry and dynamics. The proposal
completed a splanned.

1.2 Completed Four Sets of WF/PC-2 8936 (Cycle 10 Supplemental Darks Pt1/3)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a dark calibration program that
obtains three dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and
characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. The proposal completed with no
reported problems.

1.3 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the darks. There was no anomalous activity.

1.4 Completed STIS/CCD 8903 (Bias Monitor – Part 1)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the bias in the 1×1, 1×2, 2×1, and 2×2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1×1 at
gain = 4 to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot
columns. There were no problems.

1.5 Completed WF/PC-2 8939 (Cycle 10 Internal Monitor)

The WF/PC-2 was used to calibrate the internal monitor, to be run
weekly to monitor the health of the cameras. No problems were encountered.

1.6 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 7912 (STIS Parallel Archive
Proposal – Nearby Galaxies – Imaging and Spectroscopy)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make
parallel observations of nearby galaxies. This survey will be useful to
study the star formation histories, chemical evolution, and distances to
these galaxies. These data will be placed immediately into the Hubble Data
Archive. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no problems
were reported.

1.7 Completed WF/PC-2 9087 (Black Hole X-ray Transients and X-ray
Binaries in M31)

The WF/PC-2 was used to search for M31 for x-ray transients which
had previously been seen as part of the Chandra Guaranteed Time
Observations {GTO} program. The x-ray properties of these transient
sources {spectra, variability} allow us to determine whether the accreting
object is a black hole or a neutron star. It is proposed to determine the
nature of the mass-losing star. Massive stars will show little {<2 mag} change in their UV luminosities during outbursts, while low-mass stars will show large {>5 mag} changes in their UV luminosities. By determining the
nature of the primary {accreting} and secondary stars in these x-ray
transients, we will have the first dataset that will allow the evolution of
black hole and neutron star binaries to be studied in an external
galaxy. The proposal completed nominally.

1.8 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 8940 (Cycle 10 Earth Flats)

The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flatfield stability by obtaining
sequences of Earth streak flats to construct high quality flat fields for
the WF/PC-2 filter set. These flat fields will allow mapping of the OTA
illumination pattern and will be used in conjunction with previous internal
and external flats to generate new pipeline superflats. The proposal
completed without incident.

1.9 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8907 (Spectroscopic Flats C10)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain
CCD flats in the spectrographic mode. There were no reported problems.

1.10 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 9042 (An Archive To Detect The
Progenitors Of Massive, Core-Collapse Supernovae)

The WF/PC-2 was used to search for supernovae which have massive
star progenitors. The already extensive HST archive and high-resolution
ground-based images of galaxies within ~20 Mpc enables us to resolve and
quantify their individual bright stellar content. As massive, evolved
stars are the most luminous single objects in a galaxy, the progenitors of
core-collapse supernovae should be directly detectable on pre-explosion
images. One Type II progenitor has been observed this year, and the
investigators have proposed a short, companion WFPC2 proposal to confirm
this candidate and identify a second. The observations completed nominally.

1.11 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 9285 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS
Non-scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation III)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make low
galactic latitude, non-scripted parallel observations as part of a POMS
test proposal. The observations were completed as planned, and no
anomalies were reported.

1.12 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 8935 (Cycle 10 Standard Darks)

The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain dark frames every week in order to
provide data for the ongoing calibration of the CCD dark current rate, and
to monitor and characterize the evolution of hot pixels. Over an extended
period these data will also provide a monitor of radiation damage to the
CCDs. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.13 Completed STIS/CCD 9047 (The Densely Spotted Photospheres of
Active Cool Stars)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
rapidly rotating main-sequence stars that are so heavily mottled by star
spots that rotational modulation of their light may amount to 0.1 magnitude
or more. It is proposed to measure the packing fraction and size
distribution of small star spots on the inner face of the G2/3V primary of
the eclipsing binary SV Cam {= HD 44982}. There were no reported problems.

1.14 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 9244 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII
Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a generic target version of the
Archival Pure Parallel program. The program will be used to take parallel
images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the
Parallels Working Group. The observations completed with no anomalous
activity.

1.15 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 9040 (Baryons In Intermediate Redshift {Z >
1} OVI Absorbers)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to
search for intervening OVI absorption systems in two further extremely UV
bright intermediate redshift QSOs {HS 0747 + 4259, z = 1.9, V = 15.6; HS
0818+2554, z = 1.5, V = 15.4} using the STIS E230M Echelle mode. The
scientific aim is to measure the baryonic fraction in the warm-hot
intergalactic medium at redshifts 1 <=q z <=q 1.8. Present existing data on HE 0515-4414 taken also with STIS E230M seem to indicate that the baryonic fraction at z = 1.5 is lower by a factor of ~ 15 than the high value found by Tripp et al. {2000} for z < 0.3. Our results need to be confirmed by more lines of sight, and we plan to test hierarchical structure formation models which predict a rapid evolution between z = 1.5 and z = 0. The observations completed as planned with no reported anomalous activity.

1.16 Completed STIS/MA1 8920 (Cycle 10 MAMA Dark Measurements)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to perform
the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise, and is the primary
means of checking on health of the MAMA detectors systems through frequent
monitoring of the background count rate. The proposal completed with no
reported anomalous activity.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 7

Successful: 7

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 8

Successful: 8

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 13

Successful: 13

2.3 Operations Notes:

The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared twice per ROP SR-1A.

Using ROP DF-07A, the ephemeris table was uplinked at 310/0013Z.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.