Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2962 – 24 Sep 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2962

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 09/21/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 09/24/01

Daily Status Report as of 267/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Eleven 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. The observations were completed as planned, and no
anomalies were reported.

1.2 Completed Five Sets of STIS/CCD 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the darks. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8349, the acquisition for the
third iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS
only, possibly affecting the observations. Otherwise, there was no further
anomalous activity.

1.3 Completed Two 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.

1.4 Completed Eight Sets of WF/PC-2 8936 (Cycle 10 Supplemental Darks
Pt1/3)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a dark calibration program that
obtains three dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and
characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. The proposal completed with no
reported problems.

1.5 Completed Two Sets of 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.

1.6 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.

1.7 Completed Seven 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.

1.8 Completed Five 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. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8349, the
acquisition for the fourth iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine
lock backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting the
observations. Otherwise, the observations completed with no further
anomalous activity.

1.9 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8903 (Bias Monitor – Part 1)

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. There were no problems.

1.10 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 9138 (Host Galaxies of
Gravitationally Lensed Quasars)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform imaging studies of quasar host
galaxies at high redshift that are biased toward detecting luminous
hosts. Gravitational lensing combined with optical and near-IR imaging
enhances their detectivity and has nearly doubled the number of known hosts
at z>1. Lens studies have successfully imaged hosts with lower
luminosities at farther distances beneath a larger fraction of quasars than
imaging of non- lensed quasars. We propose deep WFPC2 follow-up imaging of
five lensed systems in the F555W and F814W filters, which offer unique
opportunities for detailed studies of faint, high-redshift, quasar
hosts. The proposal completed as planned.

1.11 Completed STIS/CCD 9284 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS Non-Scripted
Parallel Proposal Continuation IV)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used in the
parallel mode to make some low galactic latitude archive observations. The
observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.

1.12 Completed FGS/1 9034 (The Masses and Luminosities of Population II
Stars)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to observe the mass-luminosity
relation {MLR} of Population II stars of which very little is currently
known. With the advent of the Hipparcos Catalogue, improved distances to
many spectroscopic binaries known to be Pop II systems are now
available. After surveying the literature and making reasonable estimates
of the secondary masses, we find 13 systems whose minimum separation should
be larger than the resolution limit of FGS #1. The observations completed
nominally.

1.13 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 9088 (Next Generation Spectral
Library of Stars)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to produce
a “Next Generation” Spectral Library of 600 stars for use in modeling the
integrated light of galaxies and clusters by using the low dispersion UV
and optical gratings of STIS. The library will be roughly equally divided
among four metallicities, very low {Fe/H < -1.5}, low {-1.5 < Fe/H < -0.5}, near-solar {-0.5 < Fe/H < 0.1}, and super-solar {Fe/H > 0.1}, well-sampling
the entire HR-diagram in each bin. Such a library will surpass all extant
compilations and have lasting archival value, well into the Next Generation
Space Telescope era. No problems occurred.

1.14 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 9145 (A Snapshot Survey of the
Optically Selected Type-2 Quasars)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe an identified population of
emission-line objects in DPOSS, which can be plausibly interpreted as the
long-sought type-2 quasars. They have high-ionization Seyfert-2 like
spectra, but with narrow-line luminosities comparable to those of the
luminous type-1 quasars in the same redshift range. This population may be
a major contributor to the cosmic hard x-ray background. It is proposed to
obtain multi-color images of a representative sample of these objects, in
order to examine their morphology. We may be able to detect point-like
nuclei which are not detectable in ground-based images, the dust lanes
hiding them from our view, possible evidence for tidal interactions and the
overall morphology of their hosts, etc. The proposal completed with no
reported problems.

1.15 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8906 (Hot Pixel Annealing)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
the effectiveness of the CCD hot pixel annealing process 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. There were no reported problems.

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

The WF/PC-2 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.

1.17 Completed STIS/MA2 8710 (Timing And Proper Motion Measurement Of
The Proposed Optical Counterpart Of The Nearby Pulsar PSR1929+10)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to observe
PSR1932+10, an old, nearby isolated neutron star detected as an X-ray
pulsar. Optical observations of neutron stars include both young and
middle-aged objects for which different emission models {e.g.
magnetospheric and thermal} have been proposed. However, the general
picture is far from being clear. A firm optical identification of
PSR1929+10 would thus be crucial to understand the long term evolution of
the optical luminosity of pulsars and to investigate possible turnovers in
the emission physics. No anomalous activity occurred.

1.18 Completed Five Sets of STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9062 (Observations of
Comet Borrelly to Support the New Millennium/DS1 Flyby Occurring 23
September 2001)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used
to support tthe New Millenium Program {NMP} Deep Space 1 asteroid-comet
flyby mission that is now en route to comet 19P/Borrelly for a late
September 2001 flyby. The observations completed without incident.

1.19 Completed WF/PC-2 9133 (Imaging of Gravitational Lenses)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe gravitational lenses that offer
unique opportunities to study cosmology, galactic structure, galaxy
evolution, quasar hosts and extinction. They are also the only sample of
galaxies selected on the basis of their mass rather than their luminosity
or surface brightness. While gravitational lenses can be discovered with
ground-based optical and radio observatories, converting them from
curiosities into scientific tools requires HST. There were no reported
anomalies.

1.20 Completed WF/PC-2 9162 (Local Galaxy Flows and the Local Mass Density)

The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate dark matter which is the main
constituent of the universe. It is not know how much there is, how it is
distributed, or its composition. Galaxies contain dark matter that extends
many tens of kiloparsecs from their centers, but we do not know the
limits. The distribution of total mass in the universe can be determined
by modelling the orbits galaxies have followed. The proposal completed
with no reported problems.

1.21 Completed WF/PC-2 8191 (The Faintest Radio Galaxies: Interacting
Starbursts at z less than 1)

Deep WF/PC-2 imaging slitless spectroscopy of two of our ultra-deep
VLA fields was performed. There were no reported problems.

1.22 Completed STIS/CCD 8895 (Far-UV Spectroscopy Of The Disk Around HD
100546)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
a one-orbit program to do long-slit spectroscopy of HD 100546. Lyman-alpha
has been seen in emission in IUE/SWP spectra. This
spectra would map the spatial extent of Lyman-alpha emission and give the
spatial orientation of the disk {i.e. which side is the approaching
side}. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.23 Completed 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. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8349, the acquisition for this
proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting
the observations. Otherwise, the proposal completed with no other reported
anomalies.

1.24 Completed WF/PC-2 9050 (Outflow Collimation in Bipolar Symbiotic
Nebulae)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe flow collimation in evolved stars
that is neither expected nor understood. Classical theories of stellar
evolution do not predict and cannot explain this bipolarity. More exotic
concepts {binary interactions, spun-up atmospheres, poloidal or toroidal
magnetized winds} have been proposed, but observations are yet to verify or
falsify any of their predictions. This proposal will probe the
near-nuclear morphology and kinematics of four bright, low-extinction
targets whose large-scale structure is highly bipolar. The goal is to
provide a detailed description of the circumnuclear outflows, to uncover
the physical structure and nature of the collimator, and to evaluate the
speculative collimation mechanisms. The bright nucleus has hampered
efforts to explore the nebular collimators that lie close to the star, so
we’ll use STIS to disperse the nuclear light and, thus, to avoid its
glare. A secondary goal is to obtain second-epoch WFPC2 images of all
targets. There were no reported problems.

1.25 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 9045 (The Relationship Between Radio
Luminosity and Radio-Loud AGN Host Galaxy Properties)

The WF/PC-2 was used to determine the relationship between the
properties of the host galaxies of radio-loud AGN and their radio
luminosities. Previous studies in this area with the HST have concentrated
on the 3C sample which shows a tight correlation between luminosity and
redshift, such that evolutionary effects cannot be distinguished from those
depending upon radio luminosity. Our sample of 46 radio galaxies at z ~
0.5 comes from four complete, low-frequency-selected samples of radio
sources with differing flux limits. Thus the total sample spans an
unprecedented three orders of magnitude in radio luminosity at a fixed
redshift interval. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.26 Completed 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.

1.27 Completed WF/PC-2 9155 (The Cepheid Distance to NGC 1637: A Direct
Comparison with the EPM Distance to SN 1999em)

The WF/PC-2 was used to directly compare distances estimated by two
primary extragalactic distance indicators. T he appearance of supernova
1999em, a bright, extremely well- observed type II plateau event in the
nearby SBc galaxy NGC 1637 offers the best chance to test the consistency
of the Expanding Photosphere Method {EPM} of supernova distance
determination with that derived from Cepheid variable stars. Although EPM
distances have been measured to 18 type II supernovae out to 180 Mpc and
used to determine Hubble’s constant independent of the Cepheid distance,
there have never been any measurements of Cepheids in a galaxy that has
hosted a normal type II-P supernova, the classic variety of core-collapse
event to which EPM-derived distances are most robust. The proposal
completed nominally.

1.28 Completed WF/PC-2 9142 (The Structure and Physics of Extragalactic
Jets)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform an ongoing investigation into the
physics of jets. It is proposed to obtain polarimetry of the jets of 3C
264 and 3C 78. No problems were reported.

1.29 Completed STIS/CCD 9148 (Light Echos and the Nature of Type Ia
Supernovae)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to take
STIS snapshot images of a subset of 43 well observed Type Ia supernovae
{SNIa}, most of which have been discovered in late type galaxies over the
last 40 years to make a systematic search for light echos around SN
Ia. STIS will also observe a sample of 10 SN II and SN Ib/c, which are
believed to be the result of massive star core collapse and, therefore, to
be thin-disk population objects, in order to make an empirical calibration
of the accuracy of our method for determining scale heights. The SN Ia
sample will provide a direct as well as accurate estimate of the scale
height of SN Ia which is an important clue to the progenitors of these
events. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8350, the acquisition for this
proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting
the observations. Otherwise, he proposal completed nominally.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 34

Successful: 34

HSTAR 8349 documents that the acquisition at 265/182932Z defaulted
to fine lock backup on FGS-1 only when the scan step limit was exceeded on
FGS-3. The proposals described in 1.2, 1.8 and 1.23 may have been affected.

Per HSTAR 8350, the acquisition at 266/182757Z defaulted to fine
lock backup on FGS-3 only when the scan step limit was exceeded on
FGS-1. The proposal detailed in 1.29 may have been affected.

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 11

Successful: 11

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 75

Successful: 75

2.3 Operations Notes:

The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared eight times as directed by
ROP SR-1A.

Using ROP DF-18A, the engineering status buffer limits were
adjusted twice.

The NSSC-1 status buffer was dumped and reset at 266/1219Z per ROP
NS-3.

The SSR was re-dumped at 266/1937Z in order to recover a STIS
observation. ROP SR-1A was utilized.

The TRI module was reconfigured at 266/1938Z per ROP SR-2A.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.