Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2641 06/09/00
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2641
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 06/08/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 06/09/00
Daily Status Report as of 161/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8460 (Cycle 8 Supplemental Darks pt2/3)
The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain three dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.2 Completed WF/PC-2 8645 (A Survey of Mid-UV Morphology of Nearby Galaxies: Galaxy Structure and Faint Galaxy)
The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate the relation between star formation and the global physical characteristics of galaxies to interpret the morphologies of distant galaxies in terms of their evolutionary status. The observations completed nominally.
1.3 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8808 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS Non-Scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation III)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make non-scripted, parallel observations as part of a POMS test proposal. The observations completed with no anomalous activity.
1.4 Completed WF/PC-2 8669 (Merger-Driven Evolution Of Galactic Nuclei: Observations Of The Toomre Sequence)
The WF/PC-2 was used to observe galaxy mergers that are believed responsible for triggering starburst and AGN activity in galaxies, and even perhaps transforming spiral galaxies into ellipticals.
1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 8439 (Bias Monitor-Part 2 C8)
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. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.6 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8484 (Physical Properties of H I AND H II Regions)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to observe Interstellar absorption lines within the wavelength intervals 1170-1370A and 1630-1890A in the spectra of 10 early-type stars. The following objectives were achieved: {1} to measure the populations of the fine-structure levels of O I, C I and Si II within H I and H II regions, {2} to determine the ionization ratios Al I/Al III {the Al II line will probably be too saturated}, S I/S II/S III, and Si I/Si II/Si III, and {3} to measure the abundances of Mg, O, S, Ni and Si from unsaturated lines arising from their preferred ionization stages in H I regions. Objectives {1} and {2} should define local kinetic temperatures, densities of H atoms {both neutral and ionized}, and also the ratios of uv ionizing photons to electrons. The proposal completed nominally.
1.7 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8805 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a generic target version of the WFPC2 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. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.8 Completed WF/PC-2 8444 (WF/PC-2 CYCLE-8 Internal Monitor)
The WF/PC-2 was used to make a bias, and an internal flat, observation as part of a Cycle-8 monitoring program to monitor the health of the cameras. A variety of internal exposures are obtained in order to provide a monitor of the integrity of the CCD camera electronics in both bays {gain 7 and gain 15}, a test for quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup of contaminants on the CCD windows. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.9 Completed STIS/MA2 8275 (Ultraviolet Snapshots of 3CR Radio Source Counterparts at Low Z)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to make ultraviolet snapshot observations of the radio galaxy 3C29.0. Radio galaxies are an important class of extragalactic objects, representing one of the most energetic astrophysical phenomena, while extraordinarily useful as probes of their environments and of the early Universe. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no anomalies were reported.
1.10 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8265 (Reverberation Mapping of a Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to monitor the UV spectral variability of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 {NLS1} galaxy AKN 564 at 46 epochs in order to measure the size of the broad emission-line region via reverberation-mapping techniques. This measurement, and the virial mass estimate that follows from it, will provide a key test of NLS1 models and help determine the physical mechanism that underlies the principal component of AGN spectra, the Boroson–Green primary eigenvector. These observations will be undertaken in parallel with X-ray and ground-based optical observations that will allow us for the first time to explore the multiwavelength variability characteristics of this important subclass of active galactic nuclei. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.11 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8437 (Dark Monitor-Part 2 C8)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the darks. The proposal completed nominally.
1.12 Completed STIS/MA1/MA2 8311 (Moderate Redshift Analogs To Lyman-Break Galaxies?)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and MA2) was used to determine whether high luminosity galaxies selected using rest ultraviolet luminosity at low-to-moderate redshift {0.2<z<0.7, UV-selected Bright Galaxies are related to Lyman-Break galaxies at high redshift {3<z<5} selected by the drop-out technique. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.13 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8698 (Identification of the Galaxy’s Missing Mass)
The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the nature of dark matter which is one of the key astrophysical questions of the day. The existence of dark matter and its dynamical dominance in the outer parts of our Galaxy and spiral galaxies with flat rotation curves is well established. The MACHO project has identified ~half of the Milky Way’s dark matter with stellar objects of ~0.5 M_sun, probably white dwarfs. But the location of the microlensing in the halo is disputed. Several have detected two candidate halo white dwarfs of L/L_sun ~ 10^-5 in the Hubble Deep Field with 25 +/- 5 mas/year proper motions. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.14 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8260 (Searching for the Hydrogen Reionization Edge of the Universe at 5HST)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe one of 36 parallel orbits {4–5 fields of 5–8 orbits each} to constrain the H Lyman-edge in emission that marks the transition from a neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted zion~eq5–15. This edge is due to recombination from the H Lyman series and Lyman continuum, and can be used to constrain zion, one of the most important unknown quantities in large scale structure and cosmology. The proposal completed nominally.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 5
Successful: 5
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 10
Successful: 10
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 10
Successful: 10
2.3 Operations Notes:
The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared once per ROP SR-1A.
Using ROP NS-5, the SI C&DH errors were reset at 160/1314Z.
The ESTRs were reconditioned at 160/1739Z as directed by ROP RD-7A.
The STIS MCE-2 reset at 160/231045Z while the low voltage was on and while outside any SAA interval. The STIS flight software error counter was at 160/2341Z per ROP NS-12. MAMA-2 was recovered at 161/0432Z by regular SMS commands at the time of the next high voltage on event.
The SSRs were configured to autonomous engineering recording from 161/0034Z until 161/0108Z per ROP SR-8A.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
