Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2839 – 29 Mar 2001

By SpaceRef Editor
March 29, 2001
Filed under ,

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2839

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 03/28/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 03/29/01

Daily Status Report as of 088/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Two 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.

1.2 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8683 (Imaging Of Brightest Cluster
Galaxies: The High End Of The Black Hole Mass Distribution)

The WF/PC-2 was used to make kinematic black hole detections in
galaxies to decide whether they indicate that the mass correlates with both
optical luminosity and radio power. The observation completed with no
reported problems.

1.3 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.

1.4 Completed STIS/CCD 8865 (Bias Monitor-Part 2)

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 with no anomalous activity.

1.5 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.

1.6 Completed STIS/CCD 9246 (POMS Test Proposal: Non-scripted Parallel
Proposal Continuation IV)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
a generic target version of the 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
observations completed with no anomalous activity.

1.7 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8623 (HST, Chandra, and FUSE Studies of
Interstellar Material toward HD 24534 {aka X Persei})

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to
make high-resolution UV spectroscopic observations of the reddened star HD
24534 {aka X Persei}, in order to: {1} establish accurate gas-phase column
densities for elements other than carbon and oxygen {for which high-
quality data already exist}, for the purpose of deriving {in conjunction
with FUSE and Chandra observations} absolute depletions of several key
elements; and {2} further pursue molecular abundances toward this star, to
supplement HST/GHRS data obtained earlier which showed that this line of
sight supports a rich chemistry. The observations completed nominally.

1.8 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 9244 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII
Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a generic target version of the
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 observations completed with no anomalous
activity.

1.9 Completed STIS/MA1/MA2 8858 (MAMA Full Field Sensitivity Monitor &
PSF Check)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and MA2) was used to
monitor the sensitivity of the MAMA detectors over the full field. This
was achieved by observing globular cluster NGC6681 twice during Cycle
9. The observations completed nominally.

1.10 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.

1.11 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 9248 (Probing the Large Scale
Structure: Cosmic Shear Observations)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
the distortion of light bundles from distant galaxies that probe the
statistical properties of the intervening inhomogeneous {dark} matter
distribution. Its tidal gravitational field distorts the observable image
shapes thereby causing a coherent ellipticity pattern {Cosmic Shear}. The
observations completed nominally.

1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8655 (Geometric Distances of Globular Clusters
{GO part})

The WF/PC-2 was used to establish a globular-cluster distance scale
of unprecedented accuracy and reliability, with far- reaching impact on the
distance and time scales of cosmology. Our method is to compare internal
dispersions of proper motion with ground-based determinations of the
dispersion of radial velocities. The prospect is a geometrically based
distance scale with an accuracy of better than 2 ability to make such
measurements, and we are progressing with the conversion of them to a
distance for the cluster. The observations completed with no reported
problems.

1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 8682 (A Snapshot Study of 0bservational Cosmology)

The WF/PC-2 was used to examine the observational constraints on
the cosmic star formation history that is currently among the most active
fields in observational cosmology. The most widely used tracer of the
co-moving volume-averaged star formation rate {SFR} is the UV luminosity
density, which early results found to peak at z~1- 2. The apparent
identification of the primary epoch of metal production and star formation
in the Universe led to intense theoretical and observational
interest. Nevertheless, and remarkably for such a fundamental observation,
little is known about the history of star formation in the Universe beyond
its global average. There were no reported anomalies.

1.14 Completed 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.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 11

Successful: 11

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 5

Successful: 5

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 22

Successful: 19

HSTAR 8137 documents the fact that two full maneuver updates,
scheduled for 088/003236Z and at 088/003521Z, failed due to tracker
#1. The subsequent guide star acquisition was successful.

The roll delay update at 088/020626Z failed due to tracker #1. The
following guide star acquisition was good. HSTAR 8138 was written.

2.3 Operations Notes:

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

The engineering status buffer limits were adjusted four times per
ROP DF-18A.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

SpaceRef staff editor.