Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2856 23 Apr 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2856

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 04/20/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 04/23/01

Daily Status Report as of 113/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Five 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 Six Sets of STIS/CCD 8591 (The Smallest Nuclear Black
Holes)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
small nuclear black holes which are the last major unexplored part of BH
parameter space, searching for the smallest BHs that HST can possibly
find. The proposal completed with no reported anomalies.

1.3 Completed Sixteen 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.

1.4 Completed Five 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.

1.5 Completed Three Sets of 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.

1.6 Completed WF/PC-2 8703 (A Spectacular Post-Starburst Quasar and the
AGN–Starburst Connection)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform broad-band imaging of the
spectacular post- starburst quasar UN J1025-0040 {V=19, z=0.634}. The
optical spectrum is a chimera, dominated in the blue by light from a
quasar, and dominated in the red by light from a 400-Myr-old starburst with
a mass possibly as much as 10^11 M_SUN. The total energy budget of both
sources appears similar, 10^11.6 L_SUN. The extended fuzz of the host
galaxy is asymmetric toward a nearby companion {dominated by an 800-Myr-old
starburst}, signifiying some kind of interaction. There were no reported
problems.

1.7 Completed Two Sets of FGS/1 9240 (Astrometric Mass Determination of
an Extrasolar Planet Candidate)

Fine Guidance Sensor-1R was used to perform astrometric
observations that will allow a quick measure of the sky-plane motion of 55
Cancri, a G star with an Msin{i} = 0.9 MJ radial velocity companion with a
14 day period. By using 7 pairs of visits, where each visit within a pair
has the same parallax factor, we will be able to accurately determine the
stars’s proper motion. The reflex motion of the star, due to its orbit
about the star-companion barycenter, will manifest itself as a systematic
residual to the measured proper motion if the companion is sufficiently
massive. There were no reported problems.

1.8 Completed Seventeen 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 Two Sets of FGS/1 8731 (A High Angular Resolution Survey
of the Most Massive Stars in the SMC)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to conduct high angular resolution
observations of some of the SMC’s hottest and most luminous objects by
conducting a comprehensive survey of nearly every spectral type in the
upper portion of the HR diagram. Binary or multiple star systems will be
detected down to an unprecedented level, more than one order of magnitude
better than possible with WFPC2. The targets selected include a
representative list of normal Main Sequence O-stars and their evolved
descendents, namely supergiants, hypergiants, LBVs, and WRs, many of which
have been previously observed by HST’s spectrometers for purposes of
cosmological calibrations. The observations completed, and no problems
were reported.

1.10 Completed 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.

1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 8712 (The Wind Accretion Wake In A Detached
Binary System)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe RW Hya {= HD 117970}, the only
known detached binary system, where direct observational evidence for wind
accretion onto a white dwarf is found. UV
observations will enable the investigator to advance knowledge in a field
which has for long had to remain a theoretical subject. RW Hya is an
eclipsing system containing a mass-losing M-giant and a hot white dwarf on
circular orbits {370 days}. The observation completed with no reported
problems.

1.12 Completed Six 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.

1.13 Completed Three 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.

1.14 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8677 (Extragalactic Novae: the
Maximum Magnitude – Rate of Decline Relation in NGC 4472)

The WF/PC-2 was used to accomplish two goals: {1} to provide the
first homogeneous observational constraints on theoretical models for novae
outbursts; and {2} to assess the reliability of novae as standard candles
by using WFPC2 to collect well sampled light curves for 20-50 novae in the
supergiant elliptical galaxy NGC 4472, the brightest galaxy within 30
Mpc. Both the length of the observing window and the temporal sampling of
the observations are specifically designed to ensure that the novae peak
magnitudes and decline rates are measured accurately. These data will be
used to construct the first `Maximum Magnitude versus Rate of Decline’
{MMRD} relation for a galaxy beyond the Local Group. This relation is not
only a potentially powerful standard candle, but its shape and dispersion
are directly linked to physical parameters which govern the physics of
novae outbursts such as the white dwarf mass, temperature and mass
accretion rate. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.15 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.

1.16 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8693 (Interstellar Boron & Oxygen
Abundances in the Cep OB2 Association: Probing)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
investigate a specific nuclear process associated with core-collapse
supernovae that involves the inelastic scattering of neutrinos {produced as
a result of the core collapse} off of abundant nuclei in the outer layers
of the dying star. Two relatively low-abundance elements, boron and
fluorine, have been suggested to owe some uncertain fraction of their
cosmic abundances to this process. In the case of boron, the dominant
isotope is ^11B, and neutrinos interacting with ^12C can lead to its
synthesis. Fluorine-19 is the only stable F isotope and it can be produced
by neutrino scattering, removing a proton from ^20Ne. Competing processes
can also synthesyze these elements: cosmic-ray spallation reactions for B
and shell He-burning in AGB stars for F. In order to gauge the importance
of neutrino nucleosynthesis in the chemical evolution of the Galaxy, we
will determine interstellar B and O abundances in the gas associated with
the Cep OB2 association {using the B II 1362Angstrom and O I 1356Angstrom
lines}. These results will be combined with observations of interstellar F
I along the same lines-of-sight obtained with FUSE {fluorine can only be
compared directly to boron using interstellar lines and interstellar F is
only observable with FUSE}. The derived F/O and F/B ratios in Cep OB2 will
allow us to determine the relative importance of neutrino nucleosynthesis
to the origins of B and F. The proposal completed with no reported
problems.

1.17 Completed Two Sets of 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.

1.18 Completed WF/PC-2 8059 (POMS Test Proposal: Targeted Parallel
Archive Proposal)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the parallel opportunities
available in the neighborhood of bright galaxies are treated in a slightly
different way from the normal pure parallels. Local Group galaxies offer
the opportunity for a closer look at young stellar
populations. Narrow-band images in F656N can be used both to identify
young stars via their emission lines, and to map the gas distribution in
star-forming regions. The observations completed nominally.

1.19 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8691 (Calibrating the Cosmic Meter
Stick: The Distance to the LMC Using Eclipsing Binaries)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was
used to measure the LMC distance which is crucial for the calibration of
the Cosmic Distance Scale. The observations completed with no reported
problems.

1.20 19 Completed FGS/1R 8832 (Long Term Monitoring in Position Mode)

Fine Guidance Sensor-!R was used to observe the relative positions
of stars in a standard cluster at a fixed telescope pointing and
orientation coordinates. The evolution of rhoA and kA were monitored and
calibrated to preserve the astrometric integrity of the FGS. It is well
known for our experience with FGS3, and later with FGS1r, that an FGS
experiences long term evolution, presumably due to disorption of water from
the instrument’s graphite epoxy composites. This manifests principally as
a change in the plate scale and secondarily as a change in the
distortions. The proposal completed nominally, with no reported problems.

1.21 Completed 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.

1.22 Completed WF/PC-2 8824 (Decontaminations and Associated
Observations Pt. 3/4)

The WF/PC-2 was used for the monthly WFPC2 decons. Also included
are instrument monitors tied to decons: photometric stability check, focus
monitor, pre- and post-decon internals {bias, intflats, kspots, & darks},
UV throughput check, VISFLAT sweep, and internal UV flat check. There were
no reported problems.

1.23 Completed STIS/MA1 8721 (An UV Imaging Survey of IR-Bright Star-
Forming Galaxies)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to carry
out a UV {~1, 600 Angstrom} snapshot imaging survey of all the actively
star-forming galaxies detected by ISO at Lambda>170 Mum and closer than
cz=9000 km/s. The sample covers a large region in the parameter’s space of
morphology, luminosity, metallicity, and star formation intensity. There
were no reported anomalies.

1.24 Completed STIS/CCD 8572 (Identifying Normal Galaxies at 1.3 < z < 2.5)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
studies of faint, distant galaxies. It is now possible to observe hundreds
of galaxies out to z=1 and in the range 3 < z < 4.5, yet the redshift range 1 < z <3 remains largely unexplored. No problems were noted.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 30

Successful: 30

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 17

Successful: 17

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 63

Successful: 63

2.3 Operations Notes:

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

The STIS MCE-1 reset at 112/045437Z while the low voltage was on
and while in an SAA interval. The STIS flight software was then reset at
112/0625Z as directed by ROP NS-12. MAMA-1 was recovered at 112/1535Z when
the high voltage was turned on via normal SMS commanding.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.