Hubble Space Telecope Daily Report #3048 – 4 Feb 2002

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #3048

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 02/01/02 – 0000Z (UTC) 02/04/02

Daily Status Report as of 035/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Nine 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.

1.2 Completed Seven Sets of STIS/MA1/MA2 9120 (Planetary Nebulae In The
LMC: A Study On Stellar Evolution And Populations)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and MA2) was used to
investigate the final phase of the evolution of low- and intermediate-mass
stars, the Planetary Nebula {PN} ejection that is thought to provide the
main source of carbon and nitrogen enrichment in galaxies. The
observations completed nominally with no reported problems.

1.3 Completed Eight Sets of WF/PC-2 8059 (POMS Test Proposal: Targeted
Parallel Archive Proposal)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the parallel opportunities
available in the neighborhood of bright galaxies are treated in a slightly
different way from the normal pure parallels. Local Group galaxies offer
the opportunity for a closer look at young stellar
populations. Narrow-band images in F656N can be used both to identify
young stars via their emission lines, and to map the gas distribution in
star-forming regions. As described in HSTAR 8489 and 2.1, the acquisition
for the final iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on
one FGS only, possibly affecting the observations in that
iteration. Otherwise, the observations completed nominally.

1.4 Completed Three Sets of STIS/MA2 9573 (NUV-MAMA Daily Dark Monitor)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to perform
daily monitoring of the NUV MAMA detector dark noise in order to monitor
the effects of thermal changes on the NUV dark rate. No problems occurred.

1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 9187 (A Lyman Limit Snapshot Survey: The Search
for Candidate D/H Absorbers)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
D/H in gas clouds seen against background QSOs. This provides a unique and
fundamental cosmological probe of the baryonic density parameter. To date,
most of the QSO absorption line D/H constraints have been derived at high
redshift. In this proposal the proposers investigate a lower redshift
range, because there are two potentially crucial advantages to be gained by
carrying out D/H measurements at intermediate redshift. First, the
background of HI forest lines is lower and contamination of the DI feature
is significantly reduced. Second, a far larger sample of very bright QSOs
exists. There were no reported problems.

1.6 Completed Six 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.

1.7 Completed STIS/CCD 8929 (First-order LSFs for Pseudo-Aperture
Locations)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
the LSFs for the CCD spectroscopic modes at the new pseudo-aperture
locations. The proposal completed as planned.

1.8 Completed STIS/CCD 9239 (Absolute Proper Motions of Nearby Dwarf
Spheroidal Galaxies-Cycle 10)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
precise absolute proper motions for four dwarf spheroidal satellites of the
Milky Way using spectroscopically-confirmed background QSOs to define a
zero- velocity reference frame. The proposal completed with no reported
problems.

1.9 Completed Eleven Sets of 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. As described in HSTAR 8489 and 2.1, the
acquisition for the final iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock
backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting the observations in that
iteration. Otherwise, there were no further reported problems.

1.10 Completed Four Sets of 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.

1.11 Completed 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.

1.12 Completed Three Sets of 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.

1.13 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9114 (SINS: The
Supernova Intensive Study– Cycle 10)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) and the
WF/PC-2 were used to perform closer observations of supernovae (in this
case, target-of- opportunity SN2002AP – STIS for the first iteration and
WF/PC-2 for the second iteration) 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. No
problems were encountered.

1.14 Completed FGS/1 9034 (The Masses and Luminosities of Population II
Stars)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to observe the mass-luminosity
relation {MLR} of Population II stars of which very little is currently
known. With the advent of the Hipparcos Catalogue, improved distances to
many spectroscopic binaries known to be Pop II systems are now
available. After surveying the literature and making reasonable estimates
of the secondary masses, we find 13 systems whose minimum separation should
be larger than the resolution limit of FGS #1. The observations completed
nominally.

1.15 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.

1.16 Completed STIS/CCD 9278 (The Next Geminga: A Neutron Star
Identification for the Egret Source 3EG J1835+5918)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
3EG J1835+5918 which is the brightest of the so-called unidentified EGRET
sources at intermediate Galactic latitude {l, b}={89, 25}. The proposers
have previously obtained complete radio, optical, and X-ray coverage of its
error box, discovering a faint ultrasoft X-ray source that can only be a
nearby neutron star. 3EG J1835+5918 may thus become the prototype of an
hypothesized population of older pulsars, born in the Gould belt, that can
account for as many as 40 local EGRET sources. It is proposed to prove
that it is a neutron star and assess its point of origin by obtaining
precise coordinates with Chandra and deep HST images to measure its color
and proper motion. X-ray spectral information will address its temperature,
age, distance, and thus its gamma-ray efficiency. All observations
completed without incident.

1.17 Completed WF/PC-2 9319 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Backup Parallel
Archive Proposal II)

The WF/PC-2 was used to execute a POMS test proposal, designed to
simulate future scientific plans. The proposal completed without incident.

1.18 Completed Four Sets of 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. There
were no reported problems.

1.19 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 9077 (Survey of the LMC Planetary
Nebulae)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
a snapshot survey of all known LMC planetary nebulae {PNe} in order to
study the co-evolution of the nebulae and their central stars, and to probe
the chemical enrichment history of the LMC. As described in HSTAR 8489 and
2.1, the acquisition for the final iteration of this proposal defaulted to
fine lock backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting the observations in
that iteration. Otherwise, there were no further reported problems.

1.20 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 9137 (Quasar Absorbers and Large Scale
Structure)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
perform spectroscopy of 15 bright quasars in a 22 square degree region that
has well-sampled galaxy redshifts. No problems were encountered.

1.21 Completed WF/PC-2 9258 (Observatory Focus Monitor)

The WF/PC-2 was used to more accurately define the HST focus. The
HST focus drifts slowly and shows evidence of undergoing slips of a few
microns at random times. The rate of the WF/PC-2 monitoring program is
insufficient to track and/or understand OTA behavior in order to request
timely and appropriate Secondary Mirror corrections. There were no
reported problems.

1.22 Completed STIS/CCD 8155 (Highly Collimated Strings in the Nebula
Around Eta Carinae – A New Phenomenon)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
a set of highly collimated strings in the nebula around Eta Car in order to
determine their physical nature and their relation to phenomenologically
similar structures in nebulae around evolved low mass stars. The
observations completed with no reported anomalies.

1.23 Completed Two 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.

1.24 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9116 (Understanding High-Redshift and
Starburst Galaxies: A UV Spectroscopic Survey of B- Stars in the SMC)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was
used to construct a high quality spectral library at low metallicity in
order to synthesize the UV spectra of high redshift star-forming galaxies
and nearby starbursts. No problems were reported.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 28

Successful: 28

Per HSTAR 8489, the acquisition at 034/221551z defaulted to fine
lock backup on FGS-3 only due to problems with FGS-1. The proposals
detailed in 1.3, 1.9 and 1.19 may have been affected.

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 19

Successful: 19

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 47

Successful: 47

2.3 Operations Notes:

The target-of opportunity (TOO) observation, mentioned in the
previous report and the reason for a re-running of the science plan on
Thursday, began its first iteration at 032/185742Z and continued that
iteration for approximately four hours. A later iteration started at
034/045715Z and ran for another four hours. The TOO proposal is described
in 1.13.

Using ROP SR-9A, the SSR-1 EDAC error counter was cleared five times.

The SSR-3 EDAC error counter was cleared at 032/1314Z per ROP SR-1A.

MCE-1 reset at 032/172139Z while the low voltage was on and while
inside an SAA interval. The STIS flight software error counter was reset
at 032/1721Z as directed by ROP NS-12. MAMA-1 was recovered via normal SMS
commanding at 032/1846Z.

A TTR was written for a required re-transmit at 033/1302Z during a
NSSC-1 load. SI C&DH errors were reset at 033/1311Z, using ROP NS-5.

Another TTR was generated when data was lost due to a mode 1
tracking re-acquisition failure at 034.0313Z.

ROP DF-18A was utilized at 035/0902Z to reset the engineering
status buffer limit for the HGA torque.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.