Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2933 10 Aug 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2933

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 08/09/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 08/10/01

Daily Status Report as of 222/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Five Sets of STIS/CCD 8808 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS
Non-Scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation III)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make
non-scripted, parallel observations as part of a POMS test proposal. The
observations completed with no anomalous activity.

1.2 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 9124 (Mid-UV SNAPSHOT Survey of
Nearby Irregulars: Galaxy Structure and Evolution Benchmark)

The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate the relation between star
formation and the global physical characteristics of galaxies to interpret
the morphologies of distant galaxies in terms of their evolutionary
status. Distant galaxies are primarily observed in their rest frame
mid-ultraviolet. They resemble nearby late-type galaxies, but are they
really physically similar classes of objects? It is proposed to address
this question through a SNAPSHOT survey in the 2 mid-UV filter F300W of 98
nearby late-type, irregular and peculiar galaxies. No problems were reported.

1.3 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.

1.4 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.

1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 9177 (Tidal Disruption of Stars by Massive Black
Holes in Galaxy Nuclei: After the Flare)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
supermassive black hole that will rip apart a star that strays within its
tidal radius, causing an Eddington-limited UV/X-ray flare for several
months as the orbiting debris accretes. While such events are predicted to
occur at most once in 10^4 yr per galaxy, an experiment was performed in
1990-91 which sampled hundreds of thousands of galaxies in the ideal
wavelength band. Three galaxies had unusual X-ray flares, but no evidence
for nuclear activity in ground-based spectra. To establish beyond a
reasonable doubt that these were tidal disruption events, it is proposed to
make a sensitive search for permanent Seyfert activity, the only possible
alternative to the disruption hypothesis. Nuclear optical spectra obtained
through a narrow slit will reject most of the starlight and place limits on
AGN-like emission line activity below those of the weakest
Seyferts. Masses of black holes could be studied by monitoring the
outburst light curves and the spectra of the tidal debris. The proposal
completed with no reported problems.

1.6 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.

1.7 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.

1.8 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 9052 (A Global Search for Alteration
Minerals on Mars)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
high spatial resolution and moderate spectral resolution long-slit imaging
spectroscopy of Mars, to search for and globally map the presence of
iron-bearing minerals that are diagnostic of specific climatic
conditions. These hyperspectral image cubes will be complemented by
near-simultaneous WFPC2 UV-VIS imaging that will allow us to quantify the
effects of water ice clouds or other aerosols on our STIS spectra. These
STIS data will provide the ability to detect and map small abundances {~1
jarosite K, Na, H_3OFe_3{SO_4}_2{OH}_6, goethite {AlphaFeOOH}, hematite
{alphaFe_2O_3}, and other ferric and ferrous phases. These minerals are
formed under specific environmental conditions, and some are potential
sinks for Martian atmospheric volatiles. There were no reported problems.

1.9 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.

1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 8825 (Decontaminations and Associated
Observations 4/4)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform the monthly decontaminations
(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. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.11 Completed 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.

1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 9259 (Astrometry and Photometry of the binary
TNO 1998 WW31)

The WF/PC-2 was used to confirm the discovery that the Trans
Neptunian Object {TNO} 1998 WW31 has a satellite. Observations of this
object would be of immense public interest. Combining images taken at
separate epochs would afford an opportunity to derive the orbit and
physical parameters of this system. The observations completed nominally.

1.13 Completed STIS/CCD 9136 (T Tauri Star Coronagraphic Survey: A PMS
Protoplanetary Disk Census)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
pre-main sequence solar-mass stars, the T Tauri stars that Millimeter and
IR studies suggest at least 50 percent have circumstellar disks similar to
the disk from which our planetary system formed. High spatial resolution,
high dynamic range imaging of such systems will map the spatial
distribution of material around the star, constraining the disk sizes and
inclinations, and provide a first assessment of when structure in the disk,
such as cleared central zones and annuli, which has been linked to planet
formation, develops. All observations completed without incident.

1.14 Completed WF/PC-2 9042 (An Archive To Detect The Progenitors Of
Massive, Core-Collapse Supernovae)

The WF/PC-s was used to search for supernovae which have massive
star progenitors. The already extensive HST archive and high-resolution
ground-based images of galaxies within ~20 Mpc enables us to resolve and
quantify their individual bright stellar content. As massive, evolved
stars are the most luminous single objects in a galaxy, the progenitors of
core-collapse supernovae should be directly detectable on pre-explosion
images. One Type II progenitor has been observed this year, and the
investigators have proposed a short, companion WFPC2 proposal to confirm
this candidate and identify a second. The observations completed nominally.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 10

Successful: 10

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 4

Successful: 4

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 24

Successful: 24

2.3 Operations Notes:

Operations personnel supported GSFC SM3B Internal Simulation #10
(EVA-4/ACS) from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 5:00 p.m.

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

The STIS MCE-2 reset at 221/160502Z while the low voltage was on and
while outsie any SAA interval. The STIS flight software error counter was
reset at 221/1620Z. MAMA-2 was recovered at 221/1713Z via nominal SMS
commanding.

The NSSC-1 status buffer was dumped and cleared at 221/2207Z per
ROP NS-03.

The engineering status buffer limits were adjusted at 222/0744Z as
directed by ROP DF-18A.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.