Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report 19 Jun 2002

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT # 3141

PERIOD COVERED: DOY 170

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED (see HSTARS below for possible observation
problems)

STIS 8672

Establishing the Gaseous Phases of Galaxies Following the Epoch of
Star
Formation

We propose an ambitious program designed to: {1} establish if high
ionization,
metal-rich halos/coronae were in place as early as z~1, which would imply
that
extended, early-epoch, galactic halos result from reprocessed galactic
gas and
that the kinematics are mechanically driven; {2} obtain the first
comparison of
the relative kinematics of low and high ionization species in z~1
galaxies,
covering a wide range of N{HI} environments and MgII kinematic spreads up
to
~400 km/s; {3} discriminate between single-phase and multi-phase
ionization, and
therefore spatial, absorbing structures {eg. MgII clouds embedded in
diffuse
high ionization halos}; and {4} place constraints on the gas-phase
metallicites
in early-epoch galaxies. We propose to obtain STIS R=30, 000 {Delta v =
10 km/s}
spectra of five bright quasars, for which the FOS/HST data are fully
analyzed.
Our observational goal is to resolve the absorption profiles of several
low,
intermediate, and high ionization species, including OVI, OI, NV, NIII,
CIV,
CIII, CII, SiIV, SiIII, and SiII, in 18 MgII absorption systems
covering
0.5<=z<=1.3. We incorporate our high signal-to-noise HIRES/Keck
{Delta v=6.6
km/s} profiles of MgII, MgI, and FeII of the low ionization absorbing
gas, and
our database of the absorbing galaxy luminosities, colors, and
impact
parameters.

NICMOS 8790

NICMOS Post-SAA calibration – CR Persistence Part 1.

A new procedure proposed to alleviate the CR-persistence problem of
NICMOS. Dark
frames will be obtained immediately upon exiting the SAA contour 23, and
every
time a NICMOS exposure is scheduled within 50 minutes of coming out of
the SAA.
The darks will be obtained in parallel in all three NICMOS Cameras. The
POST-SAA
darks will be non-standard reference files available to users with a
USEAFTER
date/time mark.

STIS/CCD 8902

Dark Monitor-Part 2.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the
darks.

STIS/CCD 8904

Bias Monitor-Part 2.

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 in
order
to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns.

WFPC2 8938

WFPC2 CYCLE 9 SUPPLEMENTAL DARKS pt3/3.

This dark calibration program obtains 3 dark frames every day to provide
data
for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels.

WF/PC-2 9043

Cepheid Distances to Early-type Galaxies.

The WF/PC-2 was used to continue observations in the HST Key Project on
the
Extragalactic Distance Scale and the HST project on the "Calibration
of Nearby
Type Ia Supernovae” that have greatly improved our knowledge of the
Hubble
Constant by providing a solid zero point for the Tully- Fisher {TF}
relation and
Type Ia Supernovae {SNIa}. However, severe inconsistencies remain for
distance
estimators to early-type galaxies such as surface brightness fluctuations
{SBF},
the planetary nebula luminosity function {PNLF}, the fundamental plane
{FP}, and
the globular cluster luminosity function {GCLF}. As a result, the
distance to
the Virgo cluster core remains uncertain by as much as 20 determination
is
directly affected by a lingering 0.1 mag {5 uncertainty in the
photometric
calibration of the WFPC2. Resolving these issues is essential not only to
firm
up the extragalactic distance scale, but also to understand the mass
and
velocity structure of the local universe. SBF in particular is emerging
as the
method of choice for mapping local velocity fields to 10, 000 kms because
it
offers an order of magnitude less Malmquist bias than TF, and SNIa are
too rare
to study large scale flows effectively. This project will tighten
the
photometric calibration of the WFPC2, and provide a solid Cepheid
calibration
for SBF and PNLF.

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.

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.

STIS/CCD 9114

SINS: The Supernova Intensive Study– Cycle 10.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
closer
observations of supernovae that will create the chemical history of
the
Universe, energize the interstellar gas, stiffen the spine of the
extragalactic
distance scale and provide the only evidence for an accelerating
universe. A
violent encounter is underway between the fast-moving debris and the
stationary
inner ring. Monitoring this interaction will help solve the riddles of
stellar
evolution posed by the enigmatic three-ring system of SN 1987A. Our
UV
observations of Ly- Alpha emission reveal the present location and
velocity of a
remarkable reverse shock that provides a unique laboratory for studying
fast
shocks and a powerful tool for dissecting the structure of the vanished
star.

STIS/CCD 9148

Light Echos and the Nature of Type Ia Supernovae.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to take STIS
snapshot
images of a subset of 43 well observed Type Ia supernovae {SNIa}, most of
which
have been discovered in late type galaxies over the last 40 years to make
a
systematic search for light echos around SN Ia. STIS will also observe a
sample
of 10 SN II and SN Ib/c, which are believed to be the result of massive
star
core collapse and, therefore, to be thin-disk population objects, in
order to
make an empirical calibration of the accuracy of our method for
determining
scale heights. The SN Ia sample will provide a direct as well as
accurate
estimate of the scale height of SN Ia which is an important clue to
the
progenitors of these events.

NICMOS 9269

NICMOS Parallel Thermal Background

NICMOS Camera 3 pure parallel exposures in the F222M filter will be
obtained for
the entire duration of SMOV to establish the stability of the
HST+NCS+Instrument
thermal emission.

STIS/CCD 9317

Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 10.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform the
default
archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 10.

WF/PC-2 9318

POMS Test Proposal: WFII Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation.

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform the generic target version of the WFPC2
Archival
Pure Parallel program. The program was used to take parallel images of
random
areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the Parallels Working
Group.

ACS/CAL 9558

ACS weekly Test

for any source of noise in ACS CCD detectors. This programme will be
executed
once a day for the entire lifetime of ACS.

ACS/WFC/HRC 9566

CCD Hot Pixel Annealing.

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC and HRC) was used to perform hot
pixel
annealing that will be performed once per month. The CCD TECs will be
turned off
and heaters will be activated to bring the WFC detector temperature to
about
+10C. The HRC temperature will reach about 30C. This state will be held
for
approximately 24 hours, after which the heaters are turned off, the TECs
turned
on, and the CCDs returned to normal operating condition.

ACS/WFC 9584

ACS Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program II.

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC) was used to test ACS pure
parallels.

POMS 9677

POMS Test Proposal: WFII backup parallel archive proposal

This is a POMS test proposal designed to simulate scientific plans.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

HSTARS: (For details see
http://hst-sers.hst.nasa.gov/SERS/HST/HSTAR.nsf)

8706 – NICMOS Suspended at 170/09:34:38 due to a status buffer
          message NICMOS 104
with a parameter of 2. (INTEL EXCEPTION) While in boot
          mode a control
section reset was detected. SI SE and Institute SE were
          notified of the
situation. An Exec 402 was also received due to the same
          problem. Under
investigation.

       ****** NICMOS
observation 97 was occurring at this time 170/09:33:26.

8707 – C string BBDS software appears to be down @170/2230z. The C
string BBDS
          has gone down.
Data Migration was in progress and we were informed that
          the BBDS performed
an auto restart while the data migration was
          running. The auto
restart happened at 2128z. Under investigation.

COMPLETED OPS REQs: 16791-0 – Recover NICMOS from Suspend @170/2005z

OPS NOTES EXECUTED: 1018-0 Post FSW 2.1B Cleanup @170/2314z

                        
SCHEDULED     SUCCESSFUL    FAILURE
TIMES
FGS
GSacq                
6                    
6
FGS
REacq                
10                  
10
FHST
Update              
14                  
14
LOSS of
LOCK            
None

Operations Notes: None

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: None