Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2936 – 15 Aug 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2936

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 08/14/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 08/15/01

Daily Status Report as of 227/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Four 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 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. As
described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8304, the acquisition for the final iteration of
this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only, possibly
affecting two observations. Otherwise, the observations completed with no
further anomalous activity.

1.3 Completed Two Sets of 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. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8304,
the acquisition for the final iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine
lock backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting six
observations. Otherwise, the observations completed nominally.

1.4 Completed Two Sets of 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.

1.5 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.

1.6 Completed Four Sets of WF/PC-2 8941 (Cycle 10 UV Earthflats)

The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flat field stability by obtaining
sequences of earth streak flats to improve the quality of pipeline flat
fields for the WFPC2 UV filter set. The proposal had no problems.

1.7 Completed Four Sets of STIS/CCD 9285 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS
Non-scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation III)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make low
galactic latitude, non-scripted parallel observations as part of a POMS
test proposal. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8304, the acquisition for the
final iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS
only, possibly affecting one observation. Otherwise, the observations were
completed as planned, and no other anomalies were reported.

1.8 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.

1.9 Completed FGS/1 9169 (An Interferometric Harvest of Double Degenerates)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1R was used to observe the white dwarf mass
and age distributions that hold clues to the star formation history of our
Galaxy and the age of the disk. No problems were reported.

1.10 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.

1.11 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2STIS/CCD 9052 (A Global Search for
Alteration Minerals on Mars)

The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were
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.

1.12 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.

1.13 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA1/MA2 8917 (MAMA Dispersion Solution
Check)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and MA2) was used to
determine wavelength dispersion solutions on a yearly basis as part of a
long-term monitoring program {implemented as Program 7651 in Cycle 7,
Program 8430 in Cycle 8 and 8859 in Cycle 9}. No anomalous activity was
reported.

1.14 Completed FGS/1 9168 (The Distances to AM CVn Stars)

Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) #1 was used to determine the parallaxes
and proper motions of the five brightest of the seven known AM CVn
systems. AM CVn systems are binaries where mass is transferred from a
completely hydrogen-deficient, degenerate mass donor to a white dwarf
primary through a helium accretion disk. A better understanding of these
systems is crucial for a number of reasons: (1) to study the late stages of
binary evolution, (2) to study the effect of chemical composition on the
physics of accretion discs, (3) to estimate their contribution to the
Supernovae Ia rate, and (4) to estimate their contribution to the
gravitational radiation background. All observations completed with no
reported problems.

1.15 Completed FGS/1 8777 (Calibrating Stellar Models with the
Pleiades: Resolving the Distance Discrepancy-Cycle 9)

FGS-1 was used to measure an accurate distance to the Pleiades and
to resolve the problem raised by the Hipparcos results for this
cluster. The Hipparcos distance, taken at face value, indicates that
solar-composition ZAMS stars are 30% fainter than previously believed. The
resolution to the Hipparcos distance problem is vital for understanding all
the parallaxes that have come from that mission and hence this issue is
fundamental to the cosmic distance scale. In this first phase we observed
several spectroscopic binary systems with 2 to 3 year orbital periods to
assertain the prospects for deriving visual orbits and hence orbital
parallaxes for these cluster members. The proposal completed with no
reported problems.

1.16 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 9066 (Closing in on the Hydrogen
Reionization Edge of the Universe)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used in parallel
constrain the Hydrogen reionization edge in emission that marks the
transition from a neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted
redshifts. The proposal completed uneventfully.

1.17 Completed WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8573 (Newborn Planets and Brown Dwarf
Companions in IC 348)

The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were
used to search for young giant planets and brown dwarfs around ~100
low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the nearby cluster IC 348. The
observations completed with no reported problems.

1.18 Completed STIS/CCD 9077 (Survey of the LMC Planetary Nebulae)

The Space telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
a snapshot survey of all known LMC planetary nebulae {PNe} in order to
study the co-evolution of the nebulae and their central stars, and to probe
the chemical enrichment history of the LMC. There were no reported problems.

1.19 Completed WF/PC-2 9160 (Disks and Envelopes of Nearby Nebulous
Young Stellar Objects: A Snapshot Survey)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a snapshot survey of nearby
nebulous young stellar objects to study the detailed morphology of the
their disks and envelopes and probe the effect of inclination on the
infrared spectral energy distribution of disk/envelope systems. The
proposal completed as planned.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 12

Successful: 12

Per HSTAR 8304, the acquisition at 226/160635Z defaulted to fine
lock backup on FGS-1 when the scan step limit was exceeded on FGS-2. The
proposals detailed in 1.2, 1.3 and 1.7 may have been affected.

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 3

Successful: 3

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 27

Successful: 27

2.3 Operations Notes:

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

SSA transmitter #2 was turned on at 226/1027Z and turned off at
226/1053Z as directed by ROP SR-1A.

At 226/1641Z, per HSTAR 8305, the STIS data dump contained one
packet of unexpected fill data. The data was dumped again at 226/2050Z
with the same result.

There was a STIS EMC re-try at 226/172400Z. The STIS flight
software error counter was reset at 226/1750Z, using ROP NS-12.

ESTR-2 was reconditioned at 227/0906Z per ROP RD-7A.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.