Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2643 06/13/00
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2643
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 06/12/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 06/13/00
Daily Status Report as of 165/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 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.
1.2 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.
1.3 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8461 (Cycle 8 Supplemental Darks pt3/3)
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 proposal completed nominally.
1.4 Completed WF/PC-2 7409 (Resolving sdB Binary Systems)
The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations to try to resolve the sdB class binary system Star-12560. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no anomalies were reported.
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/MA1 8311 (Moderate Redshift Analogs To Lyman-Break Galaxies?)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) 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.
1.7 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. As described in yesterday’s report and HSTAR 7656, the acquisition for the first iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only. Otherwise, the proposal completed with no further reported problems.
1.8 Completed WF/PC-2 8442 (Cycle 8 Standard Darks)
The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain dark calibration 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. As described in yesterday’s report and HSTAR 7656, the acquisition for this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only. Otherwise, the proposal completed with no further reported anomalies.
1.9 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8437 (Dark Monitor-Part 2 C8)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the darks. As described in yesterday’s report and HSTAR 7656, the acquisition for the first iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only. Otherwise, the proposal completed nominally.
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. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 7657, the acquisition for this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting three observations. Otherwise, the observations completed with no further reported problems.
1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 8332 (A Snapshot Survey of Symbiotic Stars)
The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the star RSOPH as part of a snapshot survey of symbiotic stars. A fuller understanding of the symbiotic star phenomenon is important to several branches of present day astrophysics including mass loss, accretion onto compact objects, and photoionization and radiative transfer in gaseous nebulae. The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported.
1.12 Completed S/C 5582 (FOC/48 Monthly Activation (Camera Section Only): Cycle 4)
This proposal was executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.13 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. The proposal completed nominally.
1.14 Completed 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.
1.15 Completed FOC/96 7923 (FOC F/96 Turn-on)
The Faint Object Camera (f/96) was used to take an internal flat and a dark to ensure that the 30-day limit for the FOC is not
exceeded. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.16 Completed WF/PC-2 8699 (The Origin of Short-Period Comets)
The WF/PC-2 was used to detect and characterize cometary nuclei in order to determine the basic physical properties of a large fraction of the population of short-period comets. By acquiring statistically significant data, we can study the origin of this family of comets and test the hypothesis that they are collisional fragments from the Kuiper Belt Objects. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.17 Completed STIS/CCD 8640 (A Public STIS Survey of the Host Galaxies of Gamma-Ray Bursts)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain high-resolution images of the fields containing gamma-ray burst with well-localized coordinates; i.e. the burst has been localized to within approximately one arcsecond. The goal of this survey is to obtain a uniform sample of images of the host galaxies of these bursts. There were no reported problems.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 9
Successful: 9
As documented in HSTAR 7657, the acquisition at 164/103144Z defaulted to fine lock backup on FGS-3 only when the scan step limit was exceeded on FGS-2. The proposal described in 1.10 may have been affected.
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 5
Successful: 5
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 22
Successful: 21
The roll delay update, scheduled for 165/033231Z, failed due to FHST #3. The subsequent acquisition was successful. HSTAR 7664 was written.
2.3 Operations Notes:
HST operations continue to be performed from the Building 23 backup facility while electrical work continues in the STOCC area. Operations transferred from the "B" string to the "C" string at 165/0359Z. A long-term power outage at the STScI resulted in one high/low gyro bias update not being performed. Also, due to this event, the ephemerides were not generated and uplinked as planned.
LOR playback requests were necessary when CCS string "B" problems arose. A TTR was written.
Using ROP IC-2, the SSA transmitter was turned on and off at 164/1634Z and at 164/1806Z.
An SI C&DH errors were reset at 164/2126Z and at 164/2127Z per ROP NS-5.
The 486 engineering status buffer counter limit was modified at 165/0332Z, using ROP DF-18A.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
/CAW
