Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #3062 – 22 Feb 2002

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #3062

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 02/21/02 – 0000Z (UTC) 02/22/02

Daily Status Report as of 053/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Two Sets of 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.

1.2 Completed 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 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)

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

1.4 Completed Three Sets of 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.

1.5 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 9317 (Pure Parallel Imaging
Program: Cycle 10)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 10. There
were no reported problems.

1.6 Completed Nine 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. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8504, the
acquisition for the fourth iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine
lock back-up on one FGS only, possibly affecting the observations in that
iteration. Then, as documented in HSTAR 8505, further losses of lock and a
re-acquisition failure occurred during the fifth and sixth iterations,
affecting a currently undetermined portion of these iterations. Otherwise,
there were no further reported problems.

1.7 Completed STIS/CCD 9070 (A Census of Nuclear Star Clusters in
Late-Type Spiral Galaxies: II. Spectroscopy and Stellar Populations)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to
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.

1.8 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8159 (The UV Spectrum of an Elliptical
Accretion Disk Devoid of Hydrogen)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was
used to observe AM CVn {HZ 29} which is the prototype of the interacting
double-degenerate binaries, or so-called Helium Cataclysmic Variables {He
CVs}, He CVs could be a channel to form Type Ia supernovae. These are
short-orbital period systems in which a low-mass He white dwarf orbits a
more massive white dwarf and transfers matter devoid of hydrogen to an
accretion disk around that star. No problems were encountered.

1.9 Completed 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 STIS/MA2 9573 (NUV-MAMA Daily Dark Monitor)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to perform
daily monitoring of the NUV MAMA detector dark noise in order to monitor
the effects of thermal changes on the NUV dark rate. No problems occurred.

1.11 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) wasJ—d 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. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8504, the acquisition for this proposal defaulted to fine lock back-up on one FGS only, possibly affecting the observations. Otherwise, the observations completed normally.

1.12 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9036 (An Ultraviolet Spectroscopic
Survey of Star-Forming Galaxies in the Local Universe)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was
used to perform a comprehensive STIS ultraviolet spectroscopic survey of
star-forming galaxies in the local universe. The sample covers a broad
range of morphologies, chemical composition, and luminosity. The
observations will provide spectral coverage between 1200 and 3100 Angstrom,
at a resolution of 100 to 200 kms and S/N of about 30. The data set will
allow the proposers to document and quantify the effects of massive stars
on the interstellar medium and to infer implications for the evolution of
the host galaxies. As documented in HSTAR 8505, losses of lock and a
re-acquisition failure occurred, affecting a currently undetermined portion
of this proposal. Otherwise, the proposal completed with no further
anomalous activity.

1.13 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.

1.14 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA1 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.

1.15 Completed FGS/1 9168 (The Distances to AM CVn Stars)

Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) #1 was used to determine the parallaxes
and proper motions of the five brightest of the seven known AM CVn
systems. AM CVn systems are binaries where mass is transferred from a
completely hydrogen-deficient, degenerate mass donor to a white dwarf
primary through a helium accretion disk. A better understanding of these
systems is crucial for a number of reasons: (1) to study the late stages of
binary evolution, (2) to study the effect of chemical composition on the
physics of accretion discs, (3) to estimate their contribution to the
Supernovae Ia rate, and (4) to estimate their contribution to the
gravitational radiation background. All observations completed with no
reported problems.

1.16 Completed Four Sets of FGS/1 9034 (The Masses and Luminosities of
Population II Stars)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to observe the mass-luminosity
relation {MLR} of Population II stars of which very little is currently
known. With the advent of the Hipparcos Catalogue, improved distances to
many spectroscopic binaries known to be Pop II systems are now
available. After surveying the literature and making reasonable estimates
of the secondary masses, we find 13 systems whose minimum separation should
be larger than the resolution limit of FGS #1. The observations completed
nominally.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 10

Successful: 10

Per HSTAR 8504, the acquisition at 052/120706Z defaulted to fine
lock back-up on FGS-3 only when the scan step limit was exceeded on
FGS-3. The proposals described in 1.6 and 1.11 may have been affected.
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 5

Successful: 4

Following a successful acquisition at 052/134643Z, there were
multiple losses of lock during the interval 052/1405Z to 052/1450Z. The
re-following acquisition at 052/151342Z failed due to the search radius
limit being exceeded. The next re-acquisition at 052/165003Z, however, was
successful but with further losses of lock during guiding‚® ôSTAR 8505 was
written. The proposals detailed in 1.6 and 1.12 were affected but, at this
time, the extent is unknown.

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 23

Successful: 23

2.3 Operations Notes:

The STIS flight software error counter was cleared at 052/1456Z per
ROP NS-12, following the loss of lock events described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8505.

The CCS limit for SESBSLD (=7) was updated at 052/1548Z, using ROP
DF-18A.

Real-time operations transferred to the CCS “A” string at 052/2130Z.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Servicing Mission 3B, currently scheduled for February 28.

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.