Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #3020 – 18 Dec 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #3020

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 12/17/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 12/18/01

Daily Status Report as of 352/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 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.

1.2 Completed Two 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.

1.3 Completed STIS/CCD 9100 (High-Velocity Collimated Outflows and
Equatorial Toroids in Cool Stars: A Study of V Hydrae and PI^1 Gru)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
the two cool red giant stars V Hya and PI^1 Gru that show strong
observational evidence for the presence of high-velocity collimated
outflows and equatorial toroids, both of which have been postulated to play
significant roles in the formation of bipolar planetary nebulae. All
observations completed as planned.

1.4 Completed Five 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.

1.5 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.

1.6 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 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.

1.8 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.

1.9 Completed Five 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.

1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 8939 (Cycle 10 Internal Monitor)

The WF/PC-2 was used to calibrate the internal monitor, to be run
weekly to monitor the health of the cameras. No problems were encountered.

1.11 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.

1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8584 (Calibrating the Metallicity Dependence of
the Cepheid PL Relation)

The WF/PC-2 was used to determine the uncertainty in the metal
abundance dependence of the Cepheid PL relation that remains as one of the
largest sources of systematic error in the Cepheid distance scale and in
the extragalactic distance scale as a whole. There were no reported problems.

1.13 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8770 (The Nucleosynthesis of Boron –
Benchmarks for the Galactic Disk)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to
determine boron (B) abundance. In spite of several HST cycles of B
abundance determinations, we do not know the true, ambient, present-day
abundance of B. Only two stars {with undepleted Li and Be} have been
observed to derive the Population I true B abundance. Past cycles have
focused on {1} halo stars with low metallicity and {2} solar-type stars
with Li and/or Be deficiencies. In this proposal, the stellar abundances
of B will be determined, measured from the B I 2497 Angstrom line from STIS
echelle spectra, of main sequence F-G stars that have retained their full
initial abundances of boron. Our target stars are those for which
ground-based observations show that beryllium is undepleted. These new
abundances will map evolution of the B abundance in the Galactic disk in
the metallicity range from one-third solar up to solar. Then the B, and
previously determined Li and Be abundances, will be used to improve
understanding of the nucleosynthesis of B. There were no reported anomalies.

1.14 Completed Three 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.

1.15 Completed STIS/CCD 9128 (A Snapshot Survey of Absorption Lines
from High Velocity Clouds in the Milky Way)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to search
for Mg II and Mg I absorption from Galactic High Velocity Clouds {HVCs}
along the sightlines of 51 of the brightest QSOs, BL Lacs and Seyfert 2
galaxies in the sky. The observations completed with no reported problems

1.16 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.

1.17 Completed STISMA2 8920 (Cycle 10 MAMA Dark Measurements)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (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.

1.18 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 9137 (Quasar Absorbers and Large Scale
Structure)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
perform spectroscopy of 15 bright quasars in a 22 square degree region that
has well-sampled galaxy redshifts. No problems were encountered.

1.19 Completed WF/PC-2 8935 (Cycle 10 Standard Darks)

The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain dark frames every week in order to
provide data for the ongoing calibration of the CCD dark current rate, and
to monitor and characterize the evolution of hot pixels. Over an extended
period these data will also provide a monitor of radiation damage to the
CCDs. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 7

Successful: 7

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 8

Successful: 8

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 11

Successful: 11

2.3 Operations Notes:

Using ROP DF-18A, the 486 engineering status buffer was dumped and
cleared at 351/1251Z.

There was a STIS EMC re-try at 351/135026Z. The STIS flight
software error counter was cleared at 351/1418Z per ROP NS-12.

A TTR was generated when there was a required re-transmit at
351/183824Z during a NSSC-1 load. Accordingly, SI C&DH errors were reset
at 351/1844Z per ROP NS-05.

The ephemeris table was uplinked at 352/0149Z as directed by ROP
DF-07A.

The STIS MCE-2 reset at 352/004956Z while the low voltage was on
and while outside any SAA interval. The STIS flight software error counter
was cleared at 352/0150Z. MAMA-2 will be recovered at 352.1604Z, the time
of the next high voltage on commanding in the SMS.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Joint Integrated Simulation #3 (EVA-3), an important training
exercise for SM3B, will be conducted today from 9:00 a.m. until
approximately 6:00 p.m.

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.