Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2801 02/05/01
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2801
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 02/02/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 02/05/01
Daily Status Report as of 036/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8600 (Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy Snapshot Survey III)
The WF/PC-2 was used to extend our V and I snapshot survey of nearby dwarf elliptical {dE} galaxies to include a sample of 30 bright dE with significant globular cluster {GC} populations. There were no reported problems.
1.2 Completed Three 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.
1.3 Completed Six 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 Nine 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 Eight 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
1.6 Completed WF/PC-2 8632 (A UV Atlas of Nearby Galaxies)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a snapshot survey of local galaxies at UV wavelengths with the F300W filter. The aim of the project is to build a reference UV Atlas of normal galaxies, whose optical images are well known, with the highest possible degree of information, covering all the morphological types and luminosity classes. The proposal completed normally.
1.7 Completed STIS/CCD 8664 (Structural Measurement of Globular Clusters in M31 and NGC 5128: Stalking the Fundamental Plane)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe in the snapshot mode to image a wide selection of individual globular clusters in two other large galaxies {M31 and NGC 5128} for measurement of their structural parameters {r_c, c, central surface brightness}. We will use these to compute their binding energies and define the FP in these two galaxies. Comparison with the Milky Way will then give us powerful new information on just how “universal” the cluster formation process was in the early protogalaxies. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.8 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8636 (Metal Abundances In Very Hot DA White Dwarfs — A Test Of Diffusion Theory)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to measure the photospheric abundances of white dwarfs that are controlled by diffusion processes like gravitational settling and radiative
levitation. UV, EUV and X-ray observations have revealed a large metallicity spread from star to star, which cannot be explained by state-of-the-art stationary diffusion calculations. Additional processes, e.g. a weak stellar wind, have been invoked. A contrasting pair of extremely hot DA white dwarfs, recently discovered by the HS survey, has very similar temperature and gravity, but probably very different metal abundances. HS 0505+0112 is unique because it is the only H-rich hot white dwarf known to show optical C lines. The observations were completed nominally.
1.9 Completed Ten 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.
1.10 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.
1.11 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.
1.12 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8679 (Constraining the Age of the Oldest Stars from the White Dwarf Cooling Sequence in M4)
The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were used to search for the oldest and hence coolest white dwarfs {WDs} in M4, the nearest Galactic globular cluster to the Sun. New models for cooling hydrogen white dwarfs predict that their colors should become bluer, rather than redder, with increasing age. The goal is to test these models and at the same time constrain the age of M4. The proposal completed with no problems.
1.13 Completed STIS/CCD 8847 (Full-Field Sensitivity Monitor C9)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure a photometric standard star field in NGC5139-NE in 50CCD mode (which will be done every few months) to monitor CCD sensitivity over the whole field of view. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.14 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8846 (Imaging Flats C9)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to investigate flat-field stability over a monthly period. The proposal completed nominally.
1.15 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8225 (Absorption and Obscuration in Radio-Loud Quasars)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to make observations of the radio-loud quasar MRC0106-23. The role of associated absorption systems and dust obscuration close to the central engines of AGN is not understood. A wavelength calibration image was also taken. The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported.
1.16 Completed Two Sets of 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.
1.17 Completed WF/PC-2 8598 (Snapshot Survey of Extended OIIl Lambda 5007Angstrom Emission in Seyfert Galaxies)
The WF/PC-2 was used for a snapshot survey of narrow band OIII Lambda 5007Angstrom images for a well defined sample of 88 Seyfert galaxies {29 Seyfert 1s and 59 Seyfert 2s}, 18 of which already have data in the archive, selected from a mostly isotropic property, the 60Mum flux. These data will be used: 1} to determine the origin of the misalignment between the accretion disk axis and the host galaxy plane axis, which can be due to mergers with other galaxies, or by the self induced radiation warping; 2} to compare the size and shape of the Narrow Line Regions (NLR) of Seyfert 1s and Seyfert 2s, and to study the frequency of conically shaped NLR in Seyfert galaxies, which are usually unresolved from ground-based observations; and 3} estimate the importance of shocks to the ionization of the NLR. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.18 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8603 (Secular Changes In The Temperatures And Radii Of Extreme Helium Stars)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was to be used to make observations of 15 extreme helium stars (EHEs_ which, together with IUE data, will give a 20-year baseline of ultraviolet
spectrophotometry. As described in HSTAR 8071 and 2.1, the acquisition for this proposal failed , the take data flag remained down, and the observation was lost.
1.19 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.
1.20 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.
1.21 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8662 (A Snapshot Survey of the Hot Interstellar Medium)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD And MA1) was used to obtain snapshot STIS echelle observations of key tracers of hot interstellar gas {C IV, N IV, and Si IV} for selected FUSE Team O VI survey targets with known UV fluxes. By taking advantage of the snapshot observing mode we will efficiently obtain a large number of spectra suitable for the study of the highly ionized hot component of the interstellar medium {ISM}. Our goals are to explore the physical conditions in and distribution of such gas, as well as to explore the nature of the interfaces between the hot ISM and the other interstellar gas phases. The observations completed with no reported problems.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 19
Successful: 18
Per HSTAR 8071, the acquisition scheduled for 034/090426Z failed to RGA control when the search radius limit was exceeded on FGS-3. The subsequent acquisition was successful. The STIS proposal detailed in 1.18 was affected.
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 26
Successful: 26
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 46
Successful: 46
2.3 Operations Notes:
Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared seven times.
In conjunction with the acquisition failure described in 2.1, ROP DF-18A was used to reset the engineering status buffer at 034/0927Z and, at the same time, ROP NS-12 was utilized to reset the STIS flight software error counter.
The NSSC-1 status buffer was dumped and reset at 035/0118Z per ROP NS-3.
A TTR was written for a required re-transmit at 035/1711Z during a NSSC-1 uplink. Due to this problem, ROP NS-5 was used to reset SI C&DH errors at 035/1715Z.
SSA transmitter #1 was turned on at 036/0102Z and turned off at 036/0114Z as directed by ROP IC-2.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
