Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2766 12/11/00
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2766
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 12/08/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 12/11/00
Daily Status Report as of 346/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed Five Sets of STIS/CCD 8562 (Probing the Large Scale Structure: Cosmic Shear Observations)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to probe the distortion of light bundles from distant galaxies, looking at the statistical properties of the intervening inhomogeneous {dark} matter distribution. The proposal completed nominally.
1.2 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.
1.3 Completed WF/PC-2 8583 (Imaging Snapshots of Asteroids)
The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain images of the fifty largest main belt asteroids that have favorable apparitions during cycle 9. The images will be searched for companion bodies, as well as mineralogical variegation on the resolved main bodies. There were no reported problems.
1.4 Completed Six Sets of STIS/CCD 8837 (CCD Dark Monitor-Part 1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the darks. As described in HSTAR 7999 and 2.1 of this report, the acquisition for the fourth iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS, possibly affecting all observations in that iteration. Otherwise, the proposal completed with no further reported problems.
1.5 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8158 (FUV Diagnostic Of Saturn’s Stratosphere With STIS. Water Influx From The Ring And Polar Haze)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to address several outstanding issues concerning Saturn’s upper stratosphere by means of the UV long slit. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.6 Completed STIS/MA1 8843 (Cycle 9 MAMA Dark Measurements)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to perform the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise. The proposal completed nominally.
1.7 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8661 (UV Spectroscopy of the Giant Planet Atmospheres)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to observe the atmosphere of Uranus in the ~1600-3100 Angstrom spectral region. Later, the remaining giant planets, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune will be observed. Analyses of these observations will be used to determine the abundance and altitude profiles of gaseous absorbers and aerosols from the millibar region to hundreds of millibars. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.8 Completed STIC/CCD/MA1 8670 (The Role of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ultraviolet Extinction)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to search for structure in the ultraviolet interstellar extinction curve, with particular emphasis on a search for
absorption features produced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The existence of these molecules in the interstellar medium has been postulated to explain the infrared emission features seen in the 3-13 micron spectra of numerous sources. However, these features have stubbornly resisted satisfactory identification. There were no reported problems.
1.9 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8815 (Cycle 9 Earth Flats)
The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flatfield stability. This proposal obtains 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. As described in HSTAR 7999 and 2.1 of this report, the acquisition for the final iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS, possibly affecting all observations in that iteration. Otherwise, the proposal completed nominally.
1.10 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 Group. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.11 Completed Three 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.
1.12 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8389 (lluminating the Galactic Dark Matter)
The WF/PC-2 was used to re-image the HDF in F606W in order to confirm and better determine the proper motions of four MACHO candidates discovered from the comparison of the original December 1995 HDF frames with WFPC2 F814W frames exposed in December 1997. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.13 Completed Nine 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.
1.14 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8827 (Cycle 9 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 proposal completed nominally.
1.15 Completed WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8277 (The Kinematics of Knots along Herbig-Haro Jets at High Spatial Resolution)
The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were used to provide the kinematical information necessary for a clear confirmation of the identification of the knots along the HH 111 jet as internal working surfaces. As described in HSTAR 7999 and 2.1 of this report, the acquisition for this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS, possibly affecting all observations. Otherwise, there was no further anomalous activity.
1.16 Completed STIS/CCD 8132 (The Nature of T Tauri and Herbig Ae/Be Star Winds)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to answer the following questions: What is the origin of the low velocity component (LVC), which is much more compact than the jet? The LVC is often neglected in outflow models although it may be some form of poorly collimated disk wind. What is the velocity, temperature, ionization fraction and density of these flows on scales of 0.1”–2′? Can we find evidence for entrainment and velocity variations close to the source? Finally by spectroscopically imaging along the extended outflow {jet} direction, we should also be able to examine, for example, what the transverse velocity profile of a YSO jet looks like. Is there evidence for an extensive boundary layer? How do the fundamental parameters mentioned above, such as ionization fraction, change along the jet? The proposal completed as expected.
1.17 Completed WF/PC-2 8883 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII backup parallel archive proposal II)
The WF/PC-2 was used to complete a POMS test proposal designed to simulate scientific plans. There were no reported problems.
1.18 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8597 (The Fueling of Active Nuclei: Why are Active Galaxies Active?)
The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate the accretion onto massive black holes that are believed to be the energy source for AGN. However, evidence for black holes in quiescent galaxies has also been reported. Why are these galaxies inactive? One possibility is that active galaxies are better at providing fuel to the nuclear region than quiescent
galaxies. Other possible fueling mechanisms such as “bars-within-bars” or nuclear spirals cannot be investigated from the ground because they are relatively small features in the ISM. The observations were completed as planned.
1.19 Completed STIS/CCD 8648 (SINS: The Supernova Intensive Study– Cycle 9)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe supernovae which explode to create the chemical history of the Universe and energize the interstellar gas. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.20 Completed STIS/CCD 8849 (Faint Standard Extension)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe fainter standard stars that are needed for the flux calibration of COS, while re-observations are required to check for variability and to improve S/N. The observations completed nominally.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 19
Successful: 19
Per HSTAR 7999, the acquisition at 344/130631Z and the
re-acquisition at 344/144335Z defaulted to fine lock on FGS-3 only. The proposals detailed in 1.4, 1.9, and 1.15 were possibly affected. Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 29
Successful: 29
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 43
Successful: 43
2.3 Operations Notes:
Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared on nine occasions.
The flight operations team and EPS subsystem engineers closely monitored the Battery #5 temperature throughout the weekend.
The engineering status buffer limits were adjusted once per ROP DF-18A.
The high/low gyro bias update gyro triplet was performed at 343/2046Z.
A TTR was written for a required re-transmit at
342/132250Z. Later, another TTR was generated for a similar occurrence at 345/192748Z.
Using ROP NS-5, SI C&DH errors were reset at 343/1324Z and at 345/1930Z.
There was a STIS EMC retry at 344/010138Z. The STIS flight software error counter was reset, using ROP NS-12.
The SSR autonomous engineering record option was utilized beginning at 345/2313Z as directed by ROP SR-8A.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
