Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2918 20 Jul 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2918

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 07/19/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 07/20/01

Daily Status Report as of 201/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8828 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt3/3)

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 with no reported problems.

1.2 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.

1.3 Completed FGS/1R 8727 (Ultra-High Resolution Studies Of Agns III:
Nuclear Extent And The SIM Astrometric Grid)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1R was used to perform a follow-up to a pilot
project (which used the original Fine Guidance Sensor astrometer {FGS3}) to
study optical extent of several AGN. Using the significantly enhanced
performance of the new FGS1R, two high S-N AGN from our earlier sample,
probing the broad line region at 10mas resolution, will be
re-observed. The observations completed with no reported problems.

1.4 Completed 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.

1.5 Completed Five 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.

1.6 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.

1.7 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8559 (The Role of Dark
Matter in Cluster Formation and Galaxy Evolution)

The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were
used to observe the outer regions of massive clusters that represent
transitional areas of great cosmological importance where field galaxies
encounter the steep potential wells of dark matter and baryonic hot
gas. Little is known about either the dark matter profile at large radii
or the morphological properties of infalling galaxies at those redshifts
where strong evolution is observed in the cluster cores. The proposal
completed normally, with no reported problems.

1.8 Completed Ten Sets of WF/PC-2 9252 (Cycle 10 Clocks On Check)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform closure calibration for clocks ‘on’
mode, which obtains dark frames in order to provide data to create a clocks
‘on’ super dark calibration reference file, to monitor and characterize the
evolution of hot pixels, and to obtain standard star observations for
photometric calibration. The proposal completed with no reported anomalous
activity.

1.9 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.

1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 8641 (Testing the Accelerating Universe)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe Type Ia supernovae which provide
evidence for an accelerating universe: an extraordinary result that needs
to be rigorously tested. The observations completed with no reported problems.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 6

Successful: 6

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 10

Successful: 10

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 10

Successful: 10

2.3 Operations Notes:

Real-time operations continue to be performed in the STOCC area.

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

A TTR was generated when there was a required re-transmit at
200/2211Z during a NSSC-1 uplink. Using ROP NS-5, the SI C&DH error
counter was reset at 200/2211Z.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.