Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2826 12 Mar 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2826

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 03/09/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 03/12/01

Daily Status Report as of 071/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Nine 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.

1.2 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA2 8863 (NUV-MAMA Cycle 9 Flats)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to obtain
NUV-MAMA observations of the internal Deuterium lamp to construct an NUV
flat applicable to all NUV modes. There were no reported problems.

1.3 Completed Nine 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.

1.4 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA2 8843 (Cycle 9 MAMA Dark Measurements)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to perform
the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise. The proposal
completed nominally.

1.5 Completed Ten 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.

1.6 Completed Six Sets of 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.

1.7 Completed Six Sets of STIS/CCD 8864 (CCD Dark Monitor-Part 2)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the darks for the CCD. The proposal completed nominally.

1.8 Completed WF/PC-2 8719 (A Continuation Of A Snapshot Survey Of X-
Ray Selected Central Cluster Galaxies0

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform snapshot images of a representative
subset of the central cluster galaxies from an X-ray selected cluster
sample that would provide important constraints on the formation and
evolution of dust in cluster cores that cannot be obtained from
ground-based observations. The observations completed as planned.

1.9 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.

1.10 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8865 (Bias Monitor-Part 2)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph 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 anomalous activity.

1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 8599 (A Census of Nuclear Star Clusters in
Late-Type Spiral Galaxies)

The WF/PC-2 was used to conduct an I-band snapshot survey of a
well-defined sample of nearby, face-on spiral galaxies of type Scd or
later. The proposal completed nominally.

1.12 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 9245 (Probing the Large Scale
Structure: Cosmic Shear observations with STIS)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
the distortion of light bundles from distant galaxies to probe the
statistical properties of the intervening inhomogeneous {dark} matter
distribution. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.13 Completed STIS/CCD 8687 (Elliptical Galaxies With Nuclear Disks of
Stars: Black Hole Search and Stellar Populations)

The Space telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
galaxies NGC 3706 {E3} and NGC 4486A {E2} to search for supermassive black
holes {BHs}. NGC 3706 contains a bright, edge-on nuclear disk of
stars. Therefore we can measure the BH mass mbh as easily as in a galaxy
with a gas disk but without uncertainty about whether the motions are
affected by non-gravitational forces. NGC 4486A, like NGC 4486B, is a
dwarf elliptical companion of NGC 4486 {M s87} with signs of an unusually
massive BH. The observations completed and no anomalous activity occurred.

1.14 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.

1.15 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8817 (Cycle 9 INTFLAT Sweeps and
Linearity Test)

The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain INTFLAT observations in order to
monitor the pixel to pixel flatfield response and provide a linearity
check. The INTFLAT sequences, to be done once during the year, are similar
to those from the Cycle 8 program 8448. The images will provide a backup
database in the event of complete failure of the VISFLAT lamp as well as
allow monitoring of the gain ratios. The sweep is a complete set of
internal flats, cycling through both shutter blades and both gains. The
linearity test consists of a series of INTFLATs in F555W, in each gain and
each shutter. There was no anomalous activity.

1.16 Completed Two Sets of 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.

1.17 Completed WF/PC-2 8604 (Stellar Populations Across the Small
Magellanic Cloud (SMC) : History and Structure)

The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate the structure and evolutionary
history of the SMC by obtaining a series of 50 three-color snapshots of
selected SMC regions. With this polling of SMC field star properties, we
will produce color-magnitude diagrams in the U, V and I bands which will
reach V~23.5 in regions too crowded to be observed accurately from the
ground. The observations completed nominally.

1.18 Completed STIS/MA2 8025 (Study of Gravitational Lensed QSO 0957+561)

The Space telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to take a
slitless FUV spectrum of the field of the gravitationally lensed QSO
0957+561. The image should reveal Ly alpha emission gas at the redshift of
the lensing system. The proposal completed nominally.

1.19 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8849 (Faint Standard Extension)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) 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.

1.20 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.

1.21 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8841 (Hot Pixel Annealing C9)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to improve
the effectiveness of the CCD hot pixel annealing process. This is assessed
by measuring the dark current behavior before and after annealing and by
searching for any window contamination effects. In addition CTE
performance is examined by looking for traps in a low signal level
flat. The observations completed with no reported problems.

1.22 Completed STIS/CCD 8776 (Absolute Proper Motions of Nearby Dwarf
Spheroidal Galaxies)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
precise absolute proper motions for four dwarf spheroidal satellites of the
Milky Way using spectroscopically-confirmed background QSOs to define a
zero- velocity reference frame. No anomalous activity was reported.

1.23 Completed WF/PC-2 8773 (Expansion Parallax Distances to Planetary
Nebulae)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe planetary nebulae {PNe} for which
the lack of reliable distances is especially troubling. Acquired by
generalized statistical methods in all but a handful of cases, individual
PNe distances are often uncertain by factors of two or more. The
observations completed nominally.

1.24 Completed WF/PC-2 8602 (A Snapshot Survey of the Sites of Recent,
Nearby Supernovae)

The WF/PC-2 was used to conduct a snapshot survey in V and I of the
sites of the nearby SNe, which have precisely known positions, to obtain
high-resolution information on their local environment. The proposal
completed with no reported problems.

1.25 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8606 (Determining the Nature of the
Variable Absorption in AGN: Monitoring NGC 3783 with HST And Chandra)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
investigate Seyfert 1 galaxies, many of which show intrinsic UV absorption
lines, characterized by high moderate widths, significant outflow
velocities, and variability on time scales as small as days. Seyferts with
UV absorption also show variable X-ray “warm absorbers”, characterized by
O VII and O VIII absorption edges, which suggests a common
origin. Variability monitoring is the key to understanding the absorbers,
by providing their radial locations, densities, and evolution in
ionization, column density, velocity, and coverage of the inner active
nucleus. The proposal completed with no problems.

1.26 Completed Five 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.

1.27 Completed STIS/CCD 8170 (Kinematics of the Young Star Clusters and
the Gas in the Antennae Galaxies)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to follow
up on the previous discovery of over 1000 young star clusters in “The
Antennae” {NGC 4038} by obtaining long-slit and slitless spectra of a
representative sample of clusters with STIS. These young clusters have the
luminosities, colors, and radii expected of young globular clusters and
must have formed during the ongoing merger. Because of their proximity and
early stage of merging, the disks of NGC 4038 form an ideal laboratory to
study cluster formation in progress. The observations completed nominally.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 25

Successful: 25

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 24

Successful: 24

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 33

Successful: 30

HSTAR 8113 documents a roll delay update failure at 070/1355Z due
to tracker #3.

Two full maneuver updates at 070/1433Z failed when trackers #1 and
#3 failed the error box test. HSTAR 8114 was written.

2.3 Operations Notes:

Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared 10 times.

On 17 occasions, as specified in an operations request, telemetry
formats “P” and “H” were commanded to collect SSA passage data.

PRD 3.4 was checked out in the parallel mode on CCS string “B”
throughout the weekend. Finding no problems, real-time operations were
transferred to that string at 071/0034Z. Later, at 071/0639Z, operations
transitioned back to “A” string with PRD 3.4.

Magnetic field squared data was placed in telemetry diagnostics
slots 2 and 3 at 068/1409Z.

A TTR was written for a 26-minute, 13-second loss of 32k real-time
data beginning at 069/0707Z due to a shuttle emergency. Another TTR was
generated when there was a late acquisition at 069/0727Z because of a
problem at STGT.

SSA transmitter #1 was turned on at 069/115620Z and turned off at
069/121128Z per ROP IC-2.

The engineering status buffer limits were adjusted three times as
directed by ROP DF-18A.

There was a STIS EMC re-try at 070/210956Z. Using ROP SR-12, the
STIS flight software error counter was cleared at 070/2206Z.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.