Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #3027 – 4 Jan 2002

By SpaceRef Editor

January 4, 2002

Filed under Hubble Space Telescope, Space Telescope Science Institute, US

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #3027

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 01/03/02 – 0000Z (UTC) 01/04/02

Daily Status Report as of 004/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 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.

1.2 Completed Four Sets of 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.

1.3 Completed Five Sets of STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8914 (Sensitivity Monitor C10)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was
used to monitor the sensitivity of each CCD grating mode to detect any
change due to contamination or other causes. The STIS focus is also
monitored in an imaging mode. There was no anomalous activity.

1.4 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.

1.5 Completed Seven 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.

1.6 Completed Three 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.

1.7 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.

1.8 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 9318 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII
Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform the generic target version of the
WFPC2 Archival Pure Parallel program. The program was used to take
parallel images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations
of the Parallels Working Group. There were no reported problems.

1.9 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.

1.10 Completed FGS/1 9230 (Parallaxes of Magnetic CVs)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to perform trigonometric
parallaxes of cataclysmic variable {CVs} that are needed to obtain reliable
information on luminosities, accretion rates, and on radii and masses of
the stellar components. All observations completed without incident.

1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 9157 (Fundamental Properties Of L-Type Dwarfs In
Binaries)

The WF/PC-2 was used to characterize the physical properties of
eight L-dwarfs in four binary systems. The goal is to obtain astrometric,
photometric and spectroscopic measurements of each component that will
yield basic information on atmospheric and dynamical properties. The
proposal completed nominally.

1.12 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 proposal completed with no reported anomalous activity.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 5

Successful: 5

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 9

Successful: 9

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.

Per an operations request quick updates were made at 003/2139Z to
the operational database for various ARUBA items.