Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2807 13 Feb 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2807

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 02/12/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 02/13/01

Daily Status Report as of 044/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8681 (Snapshot Survey of Variability of
Narrow and Broad Associated Absorption Lines in Quasars)

The Space telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to
investigate the variability in the strength of absorption lines in quasar
spectra which is definitive proof that we are observing material that is
physically associated with the quasars. This proposal will conduct a STIS
snapshot survey to provide second epoch observations of 37 quasars with
narrow associated or broad absorption lines {NALs and BALs}, previously
observed with the FOS. At high redshift several intrinsic NALs and about
two thirds of BALs are known to vary, often in accord with continuum
variability. The amplitudes increase and the timescales decrease with
decreasing quasar luminosity. The proposal completed nominally.

1.2 Completed Two 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.

1.3 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8665 (The Starburst – AGN Connection: The
Nature of the UV-bright Core in NGC 4303)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
observe NGC-4303, to date the best example of the claimed starburst- AGN
connection in active galaxies. The observations completed with no reported
problems.

1.4 Completed Six Sets of WF/PC-2 8811 (Cycle 9 Standard Darks)

The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain 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 detailed in HSTAR 8076 and 2.1, the acquisition for the fourth
iteration of this proposal failed, and the take data flag remained
down. Otherwise, the proposal completed with no other reported problems.

1.5 Completed Four 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. The
proposal completed nominally.

1.6 Completed Five 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.

1.7 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.

1.8 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8638 (Temperature Scale And Metal Abundances
Of Hot Hydrogen-Rich Central Stars Of Planetary Nebulae)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
perform UV spectroscopy on a sample of hot hydrogen-rich central stars of
PNe, covering the hottest phase of post-AGB evolution. The spectra will
then be analyzed with fully metal line blanketed NLTE model atmospheres in
order to determine T_eff, surface gravity, and chemical composition. The
proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.9 Completed WF/PC-2 8598 (Snapshot Survey of Extended OIIl Lambda
5007Angstrom Emission in Seyfert Galaxies)

The WF/PC-2 was to be used for a snapshot survey of narrow band
OIII Lambda 5007Angstrom images for a well defined sample of 88 Seyfert
galaxies. However, as detailed in HSTAR 8076 and 2.1, the acquisition for
this proposal failed, and the take data flag remained down.

1.10 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. As detailed in HSTAR 8076 and 2.1, the acquisition for the
first iteration of this proposal failed, and the take data flag remained
down. Otherwise, the proposal completed nominally.

1.11 Completed STIS/CCD 8838 (Bias Monitor – Part 1)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was to be 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. However, as detailed in HSTAR 8076 and 2.1, the
acquisition for this proposal failed, and the take data flag remained down.

1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8716 (Search For Sub-Stellar Companions To Young
Brown Dwarfs In The Chamaeleon I Dark Cloud)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe twelve very low-mass dwarfs in the
Chamaeleon I dark cloud, a site of on-going star formation, all showing
H-alpha emission with spectral types from M6 to M8. We propose to observe
these young, very low-mass dwarfs in order to search for close, faint
companions. There were no reported problems.

1.13 Completed Two 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.

1.14 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.

1.15 Completed Two Sets of 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.

1.16 Completed 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.

1.17 Completed 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.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 12

Successful: 11

Per HSTAR 8076, the acquisition at 043/115858Z failed to RGA
control when the scan step limit was exceeded on FGS-2. An FHST map taken
at 043/121244 showed relatively small errors. The subsequent
re-acquisition was successful. The proposals described in 1.4, 1.9, 1.10,
and 1.11 were affected.

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 6

Successful: 6

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 22

Successful: 22

2.3 Operations Notes:

The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared three times per ROP SR-1A.

The ephemeris table was uplinked at 044/0054Z, per ROP DF-07A.

The NSSC-1 status buffer was dumped and reset at 044/0554Z as
directed by ROP NS-3.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.