Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2709 09/18/00
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2709
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 09/15/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 09/18/00
Daily Status Report as of 262/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed WF/PC-2 8701 (Multiplicity among Very-Low Mass Stars and Brown Dwarfs in Alpha Persei and the Pleiades)
The WF/PC-2 was used to observe open clusters which provide excellent hunting grounds for brown dwarf {BD} searches. The AlphaPer and Pleiades clusters are young, nearby and have low extinction. They are cosidered to be the best-suited places to study the Substellar Mass. A dozen of cool faint AlphaPer and Pleiades members have been confirmed as “bona-fide” BDs with the lithium test. By comparison with those, about 60 very good cluster BD candiates are currently known. The Pleiades SMF obtained using the most recent deep large CCD surveys indicates that BDs are quite numerous but do not make a significant contribution to the total cluster mass. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.2 Completed Twelve 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 Five Sets of STIS/CCD 8837 (CCD Dark Monitor-Part 1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the darks. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.4 Completed Thirteen Sets of WF/PC-2 8816 (Cycle 9 UV Earthflats)
The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain sequences of earth streak flats to improve the quality of pipeline flat fields for the WFPC2 UV filter set and in order to monitor flat field stability. There were no reported problems.
1.5 Completed WF/PC-2 8390 (Expansion Parallax Distances to Planetary Nebulae)
The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the planetary nebula IC2448 in order to study its parallax distance. The largest impediment to our understanding of planetary nebulae is the lack of reliable
distances. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.6 Completed Eight Sets of WF/PC-2 8826 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt 1)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a T dark calibration program that obtains three dark frames every day in order to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. There were no reported anomalies.
1.7 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8787 (Far-UV Spectroscopy of Young Solar Analogues)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used obtain E140M spectra of two young solar analogue HD166 which is also being observed with EUV.E. The proposal completed with no reported anomalies.
1.8 Completed Four 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.
1.9 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA1 8426 (Cycle 8 MAMA Dark Measurements)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to make a routine Cycle-8 MAMA dark noise calibration measurement. This proposal will provide the primary means of checking on the health of the MAMA detectors. This is done through frequent monitoring of the background count rate. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported.
1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 7266 (High-Resolution IR and Optical Imaging of the Fields Around a Large Sample of Z > 4.5 Quasars)
The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the quasar BR2237-060 in order to make high-resolution infrared and optical imaging of the fields around the quasars. This object appears to be very primitive and may represent early stages in the galaxy formation process. The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported.
1.11 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8838 (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. The proposal completed nominally.
1.12 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8836 (Performance Monitor {Cycle 9})
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure the baseline performance and commandability of the CCD subsystem. Only primary amplifier D was used. Bias and Flat Field
exposures were taken in order to measure read noise, CTE, and
gain. Numerous bias frames were taken to permit construction of "superbias" frames in which the effects of read noise have been rendered negligible. Full frame and binned observations were made, with binning factors of 2 x 1, 1 x 2, 2 x 2, 4 x 1, and 4 x 2. Dark images were taken in 2×2 binning mode; 1×1 binning darks are being taken in the nominal CCD Dark Monitor. The exercise completed nominally.
1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 8601 (A Snapshot Survey of Probable Nearby Galaxies)
The WF/PC-2 was used to continue the very successful snapshot survey in order to use the high spatial resolution of HST to determine whether selected galaxies are nearby on the basis of resolution into stars, and the magnitudes and colors of the brightest stars. There were no reported problems.
1.14 Completed STIS/CCD 8842 (Pointed and Coronagraphic PSF Library C9)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain high S/N observations of stars {both saturated and unsaturated} for a PSF library. This cycle’s observations will concentrate on deep PSFs for the F28X50LP of an A and F star, and for the WEDGEA1.0 and WEDGEA1.8 positions of a K star. The observations completed with no problems.
1.15 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8631 (Bright Quasar Close Lensing Search II)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to expand the Cycle 8 second generation HST snapshot survey of bright quasars, optimized to find lenses with component image separations < 1". The observations completed nominally.
1.16 Completed WF/PC-2 8134 (Is the IMF Universal at Low Stellar Masses?)
The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the cluster LH52. Only the HST can provide the resolution and limiting magnitude required to reach the low-mass end of the IMF at extragalactic
distances. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no problems were reported.
1.17 Completed STIS/CCD 7912 (STIS Parallel Archive Proposal – Nearby Galaxies – Imaging and Spectroscopy)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make parallel observations of nearby galaxies. This survey will be useful to study the star formation histories, chemical evolution, and distances to these galaxies. These data will be placed immediately into the Hubble Data Archive. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no problems were reported.
1.18 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8279 (Cataclysmic Variable Disk Winds: A High Time and Spectral Resolution Study of Flow Inhomogeneity)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to observe disks and disk winds that are found in many astrophysical settings. The proposal completed nominally.
1.19 Completed WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD/MA2 7334 (The Primordial Abundance of Deuterium From a Metal-Poor Damped Lyman Alpha System)
The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) were used to make observations of the quasar Q2206-1958 to study the primordial abundance of deuterium from a metal-poor damped Lyman-Alpha system. It should be possible to detect D absorption in many Lyman series lines and the chance of contamination by interloper H clouds is reduced by a factor of > 150. A wave length calibration image was also taken. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.20 Completed STIS/CCD 8631 (Bright Quasar Close Lensing Search II)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to expand the Cycle 8 second generation HST snapshot survey of bright quasars, optimized to find lenses with component image separations < 1". The observations completed nominally.
1.21 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8628 (High Density {~ 10^9 Cm^-3} Gas In The Jet Formation Region Of T Tauri Stars)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to investigate the ubiquitous outflow that occurs during star formation for which the driving mechanism is still unknown. The proposal intends to compare the kinematics of the UV line formation region with that of the optical forbidden lines and to determine the physical characteristics of the jet formation region. There were no reported problems.
1.22 Completed WF/PC-2 8698 (Identification of the Galaxy’s Missing Mass)
The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the nature of dark matter that 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.
1.23 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8870 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS Non-Scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation IV)
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.
1.24 Completed WF/PC-2 8581 (A Search For Low-Mass Companions To Ultracool Dwarfs)
The WF/PC-2 was used to search for very low-mass {VLM} companions to a complete sample of 120 late-M and L dwarfs, drawn mainly from the 2MASS and SDSS surveys. The primary goal is to determine the multiplicity of M < 0.1 M_odot dwarfs. In particular, we aim to identify binary systems suitable for long-term astrometric monitoring and mass measurement, and systems with cool, sub-1000K companions. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.25 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8857 (MAMA Sensitivity and Focus Monitor C9)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to monitor the sensitivity of each MAMA grating mode to detect any change due to contamination or other causes. There were no problems.
1.26 Completed Two Sets of 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.
1.27 Completed WF/PC -2 8177 (Investigating Type Ia Supernovae and an Accelerating Universe)
The WF/ P C-2 was used to obtain rest frame U and B photometry for four z~ 0.85 Supernova (SN) Ia. These observations will be coupled to ground-based rest frame V photometry and spectra. These data, combined with previous samples, will extend the D_L vs. z diagram for SN Ia to z~0.85, and allow us to discriminate the redshift dependence of supernova magnitudes in an accelerating Universe from that expected to result from systematic effects such as age of the stellar population, chemical evolution, a drift in the properties of dust, and weak gravitational lensing. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.28 Completed STIS/CCD 8663 (Survey of SMC Planetary Nebulae: Nebular and Stellar Evolution in a Low- Metallicity Environment)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to survey of SMC planetary nebulae {PNe} in order to study the co-evolution of the nebulae and their central stars, in an environment that is chemically very metal poor. We will obtain STIS imaging and medium-resolution slitless spectroscopy that will yield line fluxes and nebular morphologies in important emission lines, plus magnitudes of the central stars. From these data we will gather a harvest of information: the nebular size, morphology, ionization structure, density, and mass; and the central star temperature, luminosity, and mass. The proposal completed with no reported anomalies.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 28
Successful: 28
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 19
Successful: 19
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 54
Successful: 54
2.3 Operations Notes:
Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared six times.
Per HSTAR 7855, the coarse sun sensor #1 temperature monitor (GCSS1T) flagged out-of-limits low at 259/155135Z with a value of -45/0897. This occurred during a SAA level #1 contour. The parameter returned to normal after one telemetry sample.
Per ROP NS-5, SI C&DH errors were reset at 261/0258Z.
SSA transmitter #2 was turned on and off at 261/0702Z as directed by ROP IC-2.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
