Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2998 – 15 Nov 2001

By SpaceRef Editor
November 15, 2001
Filed under , ,

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2998

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 11/14/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 11/15/01

Daily Status Report as of 319/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Two 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.

1.2 Completed Seven 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.

1.3 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.

1.4 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the darks. There was no anomalous activity.

1.5 Completed WF/PC-2 9080 (Transition from Non-radiative to Radiative
Shocks in the Cygnus Loop)

The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain narrow band HAlpha and O III imaging
of faint filaments in the northeastern Cygnus Loop that represent the
location of the primary shock front as it first encounters the ISM. There
were no reported problems.

1.6 Completed Eight 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 STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9153 (The Black Hole {?} in BG Gem)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was
used to acquire low resolution ultraviolet spectra of the long period black
hole binary candidate BG Geminorum. These spectra allow an unambiguous
test of the nature of the 4.5 M{sun} primary star, which makes no
measurable contribution to the optical spectrum. Detection of a strong
ultraviolet continuum or ultraviolet absorption lines from Si II and Si III
{among others} would indicate a B-type primary; failure to detect these
features or detection of high ionization emission lines would favor a black
hole primary. If it contains a black hole, BG Gem would be the longest
period black hole binary known {by a factor of ten}, challenging current
theories of black hole formation. It would also be the only eclipsing
binary known to contain a black hole, which would provide a unique
laboratory for testing accretion disk models for black hole binary
systems. The proposal completed as planned.

1.8 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.

1.9 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA1/MA2 8920 (Cycle 10 MAMA Dark
Measurements)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and MA2) was used to
perform the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise, and is the
primary means of checking on health of the MAMA detectors systems through
frequent monitoring of the background count rate. The proposal completed
with no reported anomalous activity.

1.10 Completed 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.

1.11 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
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 0 cosmology, this experiment is a powerful and
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.

1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8942 (Cycle 10 Intflat Sweeps and Linearity Test)

The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor the pixel-to-pixel flatfield
response and provide a linearity check. These intflat sequences are done
once during the year and the images will provide a backup database in the
event of complete failure of the visflat lamp as well as allow monitoring
of the gain ratios. There were no reported problems.

1.13 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8910 (Sparse Field CTE
Test-Internal {Cycle 10})

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
CTE measurements that are made using the “sparse field test”, along both
the serial and parallel axes. This program needs special commanding to
provide {a} off-center MSM positionings of some slits, and {b} the ability
to read out with any amplifier {A, B, C, or D}. No problems were encountered.

1.14 Completed STIS/CCD 9110 (A Search for Kuiper Belt Object Satellites)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to
investigate whether the large number of collisions thought to have taken
place in the primordial Kuiper belt suggest that many Kuiper belt objects
{KBOs} could have suffered binary-forming collisions similar to that which
formed the Pluto — Charon binary. Detection of such KBO satellites would
allow measurement of KBO masses, would help to understand the past
collisional environment of the Kuiper belt, and would give a context to the
otherwise unique-seeming formation of the Pluto — Charon binary. The
proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.15 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.

1.16 Completed WF/PC-2 9173 (The Pattern of Heavy Element Abundances in
a Damped LyAlpha Galaxy)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the quasar PKS 1127-143. X-ray
absorption associated with an intervening 21-cm and damped LyAlpha$
absorber at z=0.312 in its spectrum has been detected with Chandra. The
advantage of the X- ray measurement is that the derived metallicity is
insensitive to ionization, inclusion of an atom in a molecule, or depletion
onto grains. The X-ray absorption is mostly due to oxygen, and the
abundance agrees with the oxygen abundance of 16-40 lines in a galaxy at
the redshift of the absorber. The STIS spectrum will allow measurement
of Zn II, an undepleted iron peak element. Comparison of the oxygen group
measured in the X-rays with the iron peak nuclei measured will reveal
whether the absorber has a Pop II, halo-type abundance pattern or a Pop I,
disk-like abundance pattern. The proposla completed with no reported
anomalous activity.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 9

Successful: 9

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 4

Successful: 4

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 22

Successful: 22

2.3 Operations Notes:

The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared at 318/1243Z per ROP SR-1A.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

GSFC Internal Simulation #12 (Deploy) will be conducted in the
STOCC area today from 8 a.m. to approximately 4 p.m.

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

SpaceRef staff editor.