Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #3109 – 6 May 2002

By SpaceRef Editor

May 6, 2002

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

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #3109

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 05/03/02 – 0000Z (UTC)
05/06/02

Daily Status Report as of 126/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Fourteen Sets of ACS/WFC/HRC 8947 (Weekly
Test)

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC
and HRC) was used to perform basic tests to monitor, the read noise, the
development of hot pixels and test for any source of noise in ACS CCD
detectors. This program will be executed at least once a day for
the entire lifetime of ACS. There were no problems reported.

1.2 Completed NICMOS/1/2/3 8944 (Filter Wheel/Mechanisms
Mini-Functional Test)

The Near Infrared Camera and
Multi-Object Camera (NIC1, NIC2 and NIC3) was used to perform an early
engineering test to verify the aliveness, functionality, operability, and
electro-mechanical calibration of the NICMOS filter wheel motors and
assembly. This was the first use of the NICMOS filter wheel
mechanisms since they were disabled by ground command in January,
1999. This test was designed to obviate concerns over possible
deformation or breakage of the fitter wheel "soda-straw" shafts
due to excess rotational drag torque and/or bending moments which may be
imparted due to changes in the dewar metrology from
warm-up/cool-down. No anomalous incident occurred.

1.3 Completed Seven 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.

1.4 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA1 8922 (FUV-MAMA Cycle 10
Flats)

The Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrograph (MA1) was used to obtain FUV-MAMA observations of the STIS
internal Krypton lamp to construct an FUV flat applicable to all FUV
modes. No problems were encountered.

1.5 Completed NIC/3 8973 (NICMOS FOM Operation Test)

The Near Infrared Camera and
Multi-Object Camera (NIC3) was used to verify the FOM’s mechanical
operation. There were no reported problems.

1.6 Completed WF/PC-2 9319 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Backup
Parallel Archive Proposal II)

The WF/PC-2 was used to execute a
POMS test proposal, designed to simulate future scientific plans.
The proposal completed without incident.

1.7 Completed STIS/MA2 9139 (Variability in the UV Spectrum
of 3C 279: Testing Models for the Gamma-Ray Emission in Blazars)

The Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrograph (MA2) was used to determine whether gamma- rays are produced
on the scale of the broad line region, using multi-epoch UV snapshots of
3C 279 to find and characterize its LyAlpha variability. This will
validate the mirror model for generating the intense gamma-ray emission
from blazars. 3C 279 is the best-studied blazar from radio to
gamma-ray wavelengths, showing frequent large flares over days to
months. Variability in the UV continuum and LyAlpha will directly
reveal any coupling between the jet ionizing flux and the broad-line
region emission, providing clues to the physics and energetics of all
radio-loud AGN. All observations completed without reported
incident.

1.8 Completed Eighteen 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 Twelve Sets of NICMOS/1/2/3 8945 (Cooling
System Monitoring)

The Near Infrared Camera and
Multi-Object Camera (NIC1, NIC2 and NIC3) was used 1) to measure NICMOS
detector performance during the cool-down and steady state operation of
the NCS. 2}. to demonstrate stability {+/-0.1K} of the NICMOS detector
temperature at the optimal science operating temperature. and 3}.to
demonstrate repeatability {+/-0.1 K} of NICMOS detector temperature
following changes from the optimal science operating temperature.
No problems were encountered.

1.10 Completed Three Sets of STIS/MA2 8923 (FUV-MAMA Cycle
10 Flats)

The Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrograph (MA2) was used to obtain FUV-MAMA observations of the STIS
internal Krypton lamp to construct an FUV flat applicable to all FUV
modes. No problems were encountered.

1.11 Completed Three Sets of NIC/1/2/3 8977 (NICMOS Fine
Optical Alignment)

The Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Camera
(NIC1, NIC2 and NIC3) was used to perform a series of iterative
adjustments of the NICMOS pupil alignment mechanism to establish the
optical alignment in focus for cameras all three cameras and tilt for
camera 1. Specifically, this activity will be used to establish
focus monitoring techniques to accomplish the establishment {or
reconfirmation} of PAM focus and X/Y tilt. There were no reported
problems.

1.12 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8904 (Bias
Monitor-Part 2)

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=3D1, and 1×1 at gain =3D 4 in order to build up
high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns. The
proposal completed with no anomalous activity.

1.13 Completed Five Sets of STIS/CCD 8902 (Dark Monitor-Part
2)

The Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the darks. No problems were
reported.

1.14 Completed STIS/CCD 9148 (Light Echos and the Nature of
Type Ia Supernovae)

The Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrograph (CCD) was used to take STIS snapshot images of a subset of
43 well observed Type Ia supernovae {SNIa}, most of which have been
discovered in late type galaxies over the last 40 years to make a
systematic search for light echos around SN Ia. STIS will also
observe a sample of 10 SN II and SN Ib/c, which are believed to be the
result of massive star core collapse and, therefore, to be thin-disk
population objects, in order to make an empirical calibration of the
accuracy of our method for determining scale heights. The SN Ia
sample will provide a direct as well as accurate estimate of the scale
height of SN Ia which is an important clue to the progenitors of these
events. The proposal completed nominally.

1.15 Completed Fourteen 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.

1.16 Completed NIC/1/2/3 8976 (NICMOS SMOV 3B Transfer
Function Verification Test)

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The Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Camera (NIC1, NIC2 and NIC3)
was used to re-verify the basic operating characteristics of the flight
detectors. This evaluation will be made from a series
non-stimulated multiple non-destructive readouts with the detector bias
voltages ramped in 0.1V commanded steps from zero volts DC to 0.6 volts
DC. These data was be taken in parallel in all three cameras, and
made use of "non-standard" multi-accum sample-sequences.
All observations completed without anomalous activity.

1.17 Completed FGS/1 9089 (Parallaxes of Cataclysmic
Variables: Understanding Their Peculiar Secondary Stars)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1R was used to
measure precise parallaxes for three additional CVs {WZ Sge, RU Peg, and
YZ Cnc}, whose orbital periods span a much larger range than explored in
previous observations, allowing examination of how the accretion
luminosity and secondary star change with orbital period. There
were no problems.

1.18 Completed Five Sets of ACS/WFC 9575 (Default {Archival}
Pure Parallel Program)

The Advanced Camera for Surveys
(WFC) was used to test ACS pure parallels in POMS. There were no
reported problems.

1.19 Completed Two Sets of 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.

1.20 Completed Two 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 to 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.

1.21 Completed ACS/WFC/HRC 9075 (Cosmological Parameters
from Type Ia Supernovae at High Redshift)

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC
and HRC) was used to obtain a Hubble diagram of Type Ia supernovae {SNe
Ia} that will be of long lasting value as a record of the expansion
history of the universe. No problems were encountered.

1.22 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.

1.23 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 9146 (Cepheid Masses: Y
Car)

The Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to examine the quantitative
understanding of classical Cepheids in order to provide confidence in
their use as primary extragalactic distance indicators, as well as in the
understanding of the evolution of more massive stars and more evolved
stars. All observations completed nominally.

1.24 Completed Two Sets of ACS/WFC 9584 (ACS Default
{Archival} Pure Parallel Program II)

The Advanced Camera for Surveys
(WFC) was used to test ACS pure parallels. The proposal completed
with no reported problems.

1.25 Completed ACS/WFC/HRC 9029 (Grism/Prism Performance
Check)

The Advance Camera for Surveys (WFC
and HRC) was used to observe a Wolf-Rayet star and a White Dwarf the
grism of both the Wide Field and eventually the High Resolution Channels
to measure: 1} the dispersion of the grism and its field dependence; 2}
the grism throughput and its field dependence; 3} the frequency of the
flat field variation {L-flat} as a function of wavelength; 4} the fringe
pattern at longer wavelengths as a function of position on the
chip. These measurements will be carried out at several positions
on the chip including the centre and the corners of the WFC and HRC
chips. All observations completed without incident.

1.26 Completed ACS/WFC/HRC 9445 (Gravitational Microlensing
in the NGC 3314A-B Galaxy Pair)
Abstract

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC
and HRC) was used to determine the composition of the dark matter that
dominates the masses of galaxies which is an important unsolved
problem. No problems were encountered.

1.27 Completed NIC/1/2/3 8974 (Flats and Temperature
Dependence of the DQE)

The Near Infrared Camera and
Multi-Object Camera (NIC1, NIC2 and NIC3) was used to obtain initial
estimates of the detective quantum efficiency {DQE} of the NICMOS
detectors and its temperature dependence in the previously uncharted
temperature regime expected for operation under the NICMOS Cooling System
{NCS}. The observations measured the relative and absolute DQE
variation at three temperature setpoints. In addition, they
provided a monitor for particulate contamination and detector lateral
position. When stars are present in the field of view, they will
enable a preliminary focus determination. No problems were
encountered.

1.28 Completed ACS/WFC/HRC 9026 (ACS Ramp Filter Test)

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC
and HRC) was used to: 1} to verify that the desired wavelength has been
correctly placed over the corresponding ramp filter aperture; 2} to
measure the throughput at a few selected wavelengths as a function of
position within the ramp filter monochomatic FOV. No problems were
reported.

1.29 Completed FGS-1 8783 (Orbits of Pre-Main Sequence
Binaries)

FGS-1R was used to dynamically
measure the masses of low mass pre-main sequence stars. This is
important because there are still no low mass young stars with reliably
known masses. In cycle 5 we began to map the orbits of young
multiple star systems in Taurus using FGS3. The proposal completed
with no reported problems.

1.30 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8962 (Contamination
Monitor)

The Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to observe a flux standard GRW +70
5824 to assess whether FUV sensitivity is significantly below performance
obtained during execution of 8961 {End of BEA Test} and prior to
SM3B. Significantly degraded sensitivity will trigger additional
observations of flux standards to validate the initial result and/or
track subsequent {de}contamination. GRW +70 5824 is observed
bimonthly in the same mode as part of the regular STIS monitoring
program. Measurement accuracy will be limited global sensitivity
fluctuations {less than 5%}, rather than photon counting
statistics. No anomalous activity was observed.

1.31 Completed STIS/CCD 9126 (Galaxy Mass and the Fate of
Luminous, Blue Compact Galaxies at z~0.6)

The Space Telescope Imaging
Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain long-slit spectra for a sample of 6
luminous, blue, compact galaxies {LBCGs} at z ~ 0.6. Despite being
very luminous, LBCGs have velocity widths Sigma ~ 60 kms and half-light
radii r_e ~ 0.5” {or R_e ~ 3Kpc}. Small sizes and velocity widths
suggest LBCGs are low- mass stellar systems , while their blue colors,
strong emission lines and low M/L-ratios indicate they are undergoing a
major starburst. I f the star-forming process halts after the current
burst, models predict that LBCGs will fade by ~2-4 magnitudes after a few
Gyrs to reach the low luminosities and surface brightnesses
characteristic of spheroidal galaxies. The proposal completed with
no reported problems.

1.32 Completed STIS/CCD 9148 (Light Echos and the Nature of
Type Ia Supernovae)

1.33 Completed WF/PC-2 9180 (Gamma-ray Burst Progenitors:
Probing Their Environment)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a
target of opportunity observation of gamma ray burster (GRB),
GRB-020405. GRB astronomy is a field maturing at a phenomenal
rate. Three important new observational and theoretical
discoveries, formulated over the last twelve months, allow the proposer
to address new, and in many cases, more sophisticated questions than
could have been posed previously. These developments: the discovery
of X-ray lines in GRB 991216; the observation that N_H as deduced from
X-ray afterglow are one to two orders of magnitude larger than the dust
extinction inferred from optical afterglow; and the growing realization
that the afterglow emission may exhibit features of dust echoes, appear
to offer unexpected and new diagnostics that will directly inform us
about the progenitor, the circum-progenitor material and the immediate
interstellar environs. There were no reported problems.

1.34 Completed ACS/HRC/WFC 9292 (The Nature of Galaxies at z
> 4)

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (HRC
and WFC) was used to further look into recent discoveries of a number of
galaxies and quasars at redshifts greater than 5 that has identified the
z>5-6 epoch as key to understanding the earliest formation phases for
galaxies. However, establishing the characteristics and properties
of these earliest galaxies is proving to be a particularly
difficult. They are faint, with I{AB} magnitudes around
26-27. Thus, substantial investments of time are needed to obtain
high S/N images, while ground-based spectroscopy, even with 8-10 m class
telescopes, has provided little more than redshifts. Establishing
the physical properties of these galaxies will be a challenge for the
foreseeable future. However, there is a subset of this high
redshift population that is amenable to more detailed study. These
are sources that have been strongly lensed by low redshift
clusters. No problems were reported.

1.35 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.

1.36 Completed ACS/HRC 9012 (HRC Coronagraph
Acquisition)

The Advanced Camera for Surveys
(HRC) was used to verify the abilities of the flight and ground software
to perform isolated point-source acquisition onto the coronagraph
occulting spots and the Fastie Finger. Successful execution of
these acquisitions will also demonstrate the ability of the software to
calculate the centroid of the target positions and to perform automated
telescope pointing. The proposal completed nominally.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 29

Successful: 29

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 19

Successful: 19

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 57

Successful: 57