Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #3013 – 7 Dec 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #3013

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 12/06/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 12/07/01

Daily Status Report as of 341/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8471 (D/H In Quasar Absorption Line Systems)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to
record the high Lyman series lines of two damped Lymand-alpha systems in
the coverage of the near-UV band, where the interference from randomly
situated Lyman-alpha forest lines is much lower than at visible
wavelengths. A secondary objective of this program is to observe various
atomic lines shortward of Lyman-alpha in these systems {such as absorption
from the O VI doublet arising from very hot gas}, and to register
absorption features from the Lyman and Werner bands of molecular hydrogen
if the molecular abundances are high enough to make them detectable. The
proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.2 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. The observations completed with no anomalous
activity.

1.3 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8940 (Cycle 10 Earth Flats)

The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flatfield stability by obtaining
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 without incident.

1.4 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8937 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks
pt2/3)

The WF/PC-2 was used obtain three dark frames every day to provide
data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. No
problems were encountered.

1.5 Completed Three Sets of 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.

1.6 Completed Three 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.

1.7 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 9161 (The Ultraviolet Properties of Obscured
QSOs)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to
observe a subset of The Two Micron All-Sky Survey {2MASS} -discovered QSOs
to: 1} determine if UV absorption- line features are present as seen in
several other highly polarized AGN populations; 2} test relationships
between X-ray and UV/optical attenuation, AGN spectral type, optical
polarization, and detected UV absorption-line features; and 3} characterize
the spectral energy distributions and UV properties of obscured
QSOs. There were no problems.

1.8 Completed STIS/CCD 9164 (Helical Flows and Rotation in Protostellar
Jets)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to study
the velocity structure of protostellar jets transverse to the jet flow
axis. HST resolution would allow the search for rotation, e.g. a helical
flow pattern, around the axis of an optical jet. Such a detection would
provide strong evidence that jets act as outflowing channels for angular
momentum, thus allowing infalling material to fully accrete onto the
protostar. There were no problems.

1.9 Completed 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.

1.10 Completed STIS/CCD 8669 (Merger-Driven Evolution Of Galactic
Nuclei: Observations Of The Toomre Sequence)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
galaxy mergers that are believed responsible for triggering starburst and
AGN activity in galaxies, and even perhaps transforming spiral galaxies
into ellipticals. The proposal completed nominally.

1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 9249 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Backup Parallel
Archive Proposal II)

The WF/PC-2 was used to execute a POMS test proposal designed to
simulate scientific plans. The proposal completed with no reported
problems.

1.12 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.

1.13 Completed STIS/MA2 8590 (UV Imaging and Spectroscopy of Luminous
Blue Compact Galaxies from z=0 to z=1)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to observe
two well-defined samples of low-mass starburst galaxies, one in the local
universe {z<0.1} and another at intermediate redshifts {0.2 < z < 0.7}. Both samples show optical sizes, morphologies, emission line widths, and luminosities comparable to those of LBGs at z=3, and are therefore probably the best local analogs and testbeds for further study of LBGs. Our main goals are to: {1} explore the morphologies, surface brightness distributions, and half-light radii of nearby starforming galaxies in the FUV, near Ly-alpha; {2} search for systematic differences among UV, optical, and near-IR morphologies and structural parameters; {3} investigate the intrinsic emission and absorption spectra near Ly-alpha of starbursting dwarf galaxies, with special attention to Ly- alpha profiles and interstellar and stellar photospheric absorption from Si II, O I, C II, Si IV, and C IV; {4} measure their FUV-optical colors and dust extinction properties; and {5} test the hypothesis that low-mass starbursts are the local counterparts of LBGs. The observation completed normally.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 5

Successful: 5

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 10

Successful: 10

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 12

Successful: 12

2.3 Operations Notes:

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

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.