Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #3129 – 3 Jun 2002

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT # 3129

PERIOD COVERED: DOY 154: 0000Z (UTC) 06/02/02 – 0000Z (UTC) 06/03/02

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

STIS 8594

H-deficient condensations in PNe — a key to discrepancies in abundance
determinations

Much of our knowledge of elemental abundances in our own and other galaxies
rests on emission line nebulae. Our recent CNO abundance determinations for Pne
using optical recombination lines {ORLs} have yielded abundances systematically
higher than the `standard’ values deduced from UV/optical collisionally excited
lines {CELs}, with discrepancies covering a wide range from 1–20. In the
extreme case of NGC 6153, multi-waveband analysis has yielded CNO and Ne
abundances from ORLs which are all about a factor of ten higher than the CEL
values. Temperature fluctuations and density inhomogeneities fail to
explain all
the available data. Instead our analysis indicates that NGC 6153 may have
experienced a recent ejection of H-deficient knots, similar to those
observed in
the `born-again’ PN Abell 30. We propose to obtain deep STIS long-slit spectra
for the well-resolved H- deficient knots of A 30 and to search for such
knots in
NGC 6153. The data will yield the spatially resolved temperature, density and
ionization structure of the knots in Abell 30, and, for the first time,
accurate
ORL C and O abundances for them. The results will lead to a much better
understanding of the physics of such knots and their effects on abundance
determinations. The observations of NGC 6153 will allow us to test if the
observed central peaking of its ORL C and O abundances is a consequence of a
central concentration of similar H-deficient knots.

NICMOS 8790

NICMOS Post-SAA calibration – CR Persistence Part 1.

A new procedure proposed to alleviate the CR-persistence problem of NICMOS.
Dark
frames will be obtained immediately upon exiting the SAA contour 23, and every
time a NICMOS exposure is scheduled within 50 minutes of coming out of the SAA.
The darks will be obtained in parallel in all three NICMOS Cameras. The
POST-SAA
darks will be non-standard reference files available to users with a USEAFTER
date/time mark.

STIS/CCD 8902

Dark Monitor-Part 2.

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

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=1, and 1×1 at gain = 4 in order
to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns.

STIS/MA1/MA2 8920

Cycle 10 MAMA Dark Measurements.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and 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.

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.

WFPC2 8938

WFPC2 CYCLE 9 SUPPLEMENTAL DARKS pt3/3.

This dark calibration program obtains 3 dark frames every day to provide data
for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels.

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.

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.

FGS/1 9034

The Masses and Luminosities of Population II Stars.

Fine Guidance Sensor 11R 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.

STIS/CCD 9117

Spatially Resolved Spectroscopy of Super Star Clusters in the M82 Starbursts.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain
spatially-resolved STIS spectroscopy of 20 clusters in M82’s active starburst
core and also in its “fossil” starburst region {of age >~ 200 Myr} as a means
of tracing the history of star formation and its propagation. With the
spatially-resolved spectra, the proposers will be able to study the internal
structure of the clusters, evidence for internal mass segregation, their
interaction with their surroundings {including M82’s superwind}, and the
character of the bright, diffuse non-cluster populations.

NICMOS 9269

NICMOS Parallel Thermal Background

NICMOS Camera 3 pure parallel exposures in the F222M filter will be
obtained for
the entire duration of SMOV to establish the stability of the
HST+NCS+Instrument
thermal emission.

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.

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.

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.

NICMOS 9326

NICMOS Cycle 10 Early Calibration Monitor

This calibration program is the early Cycle 10 NICMOS monthly monitor
program. A
series of flat field observations will be obtain to monitor the stability and
health of the NICMOS detectors.

ACS/CAL 9558

ACS weekly Test

This program consists of basic tests to monitor, the read noise, the
development
of hot pixels and test for any source of noise in ACS CCD detectors. This
programme will be executed once a day for the entire lifetime of ACS.

ACS 9564

ACS Cycle 11: UV Earth Flats

This proposal will obtain sequences of UV flats by observing the bright Earth.
The HRC UV filters were chosen for modes which were not obtained in the lab.
Since the UV transmission is likely to vary as a function of position on the
Pol_UV filters and on the coronograph, and since this behavior is currently
unconstrained by measurement, a good estimate for the missing UV flats
cannot be
made. Although POL_UV and CORON transmissions change little at long
wavelengths,
the UV transmission may change by amounts larger than can be estimated in the
absence of actual UV transmission measurements

ACS/WFC 9575

Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program.

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC) was used to test ACS pure parallels in
POMS.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

HSTARs: None

COMPLETED OPS REQs: None

OPS NOTES EXECUTED: None

                       SCHEDULED     SUCCESSFUL    FAILURE TIMES

FGS GSacq                 5                5

FGS REacq                11               11

FHST Update              10               10

LOSS of LOCK            None

Operations Notes: None

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:

Continuation of Servicing Mission Orbital Verification and the gradual
resumption of normal science observations and calibrations.