Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2989 – 1 Nov 2001
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2989
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 10/31/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 11/01/01
Daily Status Report as of 305/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed Two 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.
1.2 Completed STIS/CCD 8905 (Read Noise Monitor)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
the read noise of all the amplifiers {A, B, C, D} on the STIS CCD using
pairs of bias frames. Full frame and binned observations are made in both
Gain 1 and Gain 4, with binning factors of 1×1, 1×2, 2×1 and 2×2. All
exposures are internals. The proposal completed with no reported anomalies.
1.3 Completed Two 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.
1.4 Completed WF/PC-2 9107 (The Fundamental Plane for Nuclear Black Holes)
The WF/PC-2 was used to conduct more in-depth searches for
supermassive black holes in galaxy centers. Previous work has led to the
discoveries that {1} most or all hot galaxies contain massive dark objects
at their centers, presumably black holes; {2} there is a remarkably tight
correlation between the black-hole mass and the luminosity-weighted
velocity dispersion of the hot component of the galaxy. This mbh-Sigma
relation has a scatter which is <0.3 dex in mbh and consistent with
zero. This relationship suggests a strong link between black-hole
formation, AGN activity, and galaxy formation, and once it is understood
this link should advance our understanding of all three processes. The
goal of this proposal is to investigate the scatter in the mbh-Sigma
relation and the role of possible second parameters, by examining a sample
of galaxies at fixed velocity dispersion Sigma=200+/- 20 kms. This
approach decouples the effects of a second parameter from uncertainties in
the shape of the mbh-Sigma relation, and minimizes spurious correlations
because all of the galaxies will be studied using the same well-tested
observational and modeling techniques. No anomalous activity occurred.
1.5 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.
1.6 Completed 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.
1.7 Completed STIS/CCD 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the darks. There was no anomalous activity.
1.8 Completed WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 9267 (Supernova Search)
The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were
used to search for high-redshift supernovae in GO-observed fields, taking
advantage of good first-epoch observations and of the scheduling
opportunities available because STIS is not currently observing. No
anomalous activity was reported.
1.9 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.
1.10 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. The 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.
1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 9118 (Tracing the Cosmic Expansion to z>1 with
Type Ia Supernovae)
The WF/PC-2 was used to observe type Ia supernovae in order to 1.12 Completed STIS/CCD 9070 (A Census of Nuclear Star Clusters in The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to 1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 9060 (Photometry of a Statistically Significant The WF/PC-2 was used to propel the physical study of KBOs forward 1.14 Completed WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD/MA2 9127 (The UV interstellar The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and 2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: 2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions: Scheduled Acquisitions: 10 Successful: 10 Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 6 Successful: 6 2.2 FHST Updates: Scheduled: 25 Successful: 24 Per HSTAR 8389, the roll delay update at 304/224749Z failed due to 2.3 Operations Notes: The engineering status buffer limits were updated twice per ROP DF-18A. Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared at 304/1451Z. A TTR was written when there was a required re-transmit during a 3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS: Joint Integrated Simulation #2 (EVA-1/Planning/EVA-2) will begin Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
provide evidence for an accelerating universe. The case for cosmic
acceleration rests almost entirely on the observation that the observed SN
Ia at z~0.5 are 0.25 magnitudes fainter than expected for a
non-accelerating Universe. It is proposed to follow five SN Ia in the
range 0.95
straightforward way to assess the reliability of the SN Ia
measurements. In addition, if SN Ia are reliable standard candles, the
proposed observations will significantly increase the precision with which
Omega_Lambda and Omega_M are measured. There was no reported anomalous
activity.
Late-Type Spiral Galaxies: II. Spectroscopy and Stellar Populations)
investigate spiral galaxies that have a prominent star cluster in their
dynamical center. Statistics for cluster frequency, size, and luminosity
remain incomplete. The proposal completed as planned.
Sample of Kuiper Belt Objects)
by performing accurate photometry at V, R, and I on a sample of up to 150
KBOs. The sample is made up of objects that will be observed at thermal
infrared wavelengths by SIRTF and will be used with those data to derive
the first accurate diameters and albedos for a large sample of KBOs. The
observations completed nominally.
Extinction in Nearby Galaxies: M33)
MA2) were used to investigate further the dust properties that vary in
different environments and from galaxy to galaxy. The proposers had
previously used HST to determine the UV extinction curve in M31. That
result, together with other studies of the Magellanic Clouds and Milky Way,
suggested that the dust particles vary and the proposers plan to enlarge
the sample by studying the UV extinction properties of dust in M33,
sampling different galactocentric distances and levels of star formation
activity. There were no reported problems.
tracker #2. The following acquisition was successful.
NSSC-1 uplink. The SI C&DH error counter was reset at 304/2021Z as
directed by ROP NS-5.
this morning at 09:00 a.m. and continue until 08:00 p.m. tomorrow evening.
