Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #3018 – 14 Dec 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #3018

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 12/13/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 12/14/01

Daily Status Report as of 348/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 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.

1.2 Completed WF/PC-2 9060 (Photometry of a Statistically Significant
Sample of Kuiper Belt Objects)

The WF/PC-2 was used to propel the physical study of KBOs forward
by performing accurate photometry at V, R, and I on a sample of up to 150
KBOs. The sample is made up of objects that will be observed at thermal
infrared wavelengths by SIRTF and will be used with those data to derive
the first accurate diameters and albedos for a large sample of KBOs. The
observations completed nominally.

1.3 Completed Four Sets of WF/PC-2 8937 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt2/3)

The WF/PC-2 was used obtain three dark frames every day to provide
data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. No
problems were encountered.

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 Two Sets of STIS/CCD 9110 (A Search for Kuiper Belt
Object Satellites)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to
investigate whether the large number of collisions thought to have taken
place in the primordial Kuiper belt suggest that many Kuiper belt objects
{KBOs} could have suffered binary-forming collisions similar to that which
formed the Pluto — Charon binary. Detection of such KBO satellites would
allow measurement of KBO masses, would help to understand the past
collisional environment of the Kuiper belt, and would give a context to the
otherwise unique-seeming formation of the Pluto — Charon binary. The
proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.6 Completed FGS/1 9089 (Parallaxes of Cataclysmic Variables:
Understanding Their Peculiar Secondary Stars)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to measure precise parallaxes for
three additional CVs {WZ Sge, RU Peg, and YZ Cnc}, whose orbital periods
span a much larger range than explored in previous observations, allowing
examination of how the accretion luminosity and secondary star change with
orbital period. There were no problems.

1.7 Completed Three 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.

1.8 Completed 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.

1.9 Completed STIS/CCD 8607 (Completing the Local AGN Inventory: The
AGN Content of Composite Nuclei)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to increase
the knowledge of the local space density of AGNs which is of fundamental
importance to a number of astrophysical problems. A significant fraction
of nearby galaxies have nuclei whose spectra are intermediate between those
of LINERs and nuclear starbursts. These “transition objects” may be
composite systems that contain both a central AGN and circumnuclear star
formation. We will test this hypothesis by obtaining spatially-resolved
optical spectra of a well-defined sample of 15 nearby transition nuclei
selected from the extensive ground-based survey of Ho, Filippenko, and
Sargent. The observations completed with no reported problems.

1.10 Completed STIS/CCD 9066 (Closing in on the Hydrogen Reionization
Edge of the Universe)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used in parallel
constrain the Hydrogen reionization edge in emission that marks the
transition from a neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted
redshifts. The proposal completed uneventfully.

1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 9134 (Giant H II Regions and the Connection with
Starbursts and Diffuse Ionized Gas)

The WF/PC-2 was used to study the connection between massive star
formation regions, ionized supershells, and the diffuse ionized gas that
pervades many star-forming galaxies. The proposal completed with no
reported problems.

1.12 Completed STIS/CCD 9088 (Next Generation Spectral Library of Stars)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to produce
a “Next Generation” Spectral Library of 600 stars for use in modeling the
integrated light of galaxies and clusters by using the low dispersion UV
and optical gratings of STIS. The library will be roughly equally divided
among four metallicities, very low {Fe/H < -1.5}, low {-1.5 < Fe/H < -0.5}, near-solar {-0.5 < Fe/H < 0.1}, and super-solar {Fe/H > 0.1}, well-sampling
the entire HR-diagram in each bin. Such a library will surpass all extant
compilations and have lasting archival value, well into the Next Generation
Space Telescope era. No problems occurred.

1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 8942 (Cycle 10 Intflat Sweeps and Linearity Test)

The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor the pixel-to-pixel flatfield
response and provide a linearity check. These intflat sequences are done
once during the year and the images will provide a backup database in the
event of complete failure of the visflat lamp as well as allow monitoring
of the gain ratios. There were no reported problems.

1.14 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 9119 (Io’s Prometheus Plume, and the
Composition and Spatial Distribution of Io’s Atmosphere)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) 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 as planned.

1.15 Completed 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.

1.16 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA1/MA2 8920 (Cycle 10 MAMA Dark
Measurements)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and MA2) 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.

1.17 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 9067 (UV Detectability of Bright Quasars in
the Sloan Fields)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
take MAMA spectra of approximately 30 new, bright, high-redshift quasars in
each of the next three cycles. The observations completed with no reported
problems.

1.18 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9114 (SINS: The Supernova Intensive
Study– Cycle 10)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was
used to perform observations of supernova SN2002, a target-of-opportunity
observation. No problems were encountered.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 8

Successful: 8

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 7

Successful: 7

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 21

Successful: 21

2.3 Operations Notes:

Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR-1 EDAC errors were cleared four times.

There were numerous telemetry format changes (to PN and HN formats)
as directed by ROP DF-09A.

There was A STIS EMC re-try at 347/170437Z. Per ROP NS-12, the
STIS flight software error counter was reset at 347/1711Z.

ROP IC-2 was used to turn SSA-2 transmitter on and off for the
interval 348/0113Z to 348/0142Z. The same ROP was utilized to turn SSA-1
transmitter on and off for the interval 348/0346Z to 348/0417Z.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.