Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #3134 – 10 Jun 2002

By SpaceRef Editor
June 10, 2002
Filed under , ,

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT # 3134

PERIOD COVERED: DOY 161: 0000Z (UTC) 06/9/02 – 0000Z (UTC) 06/10/02

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

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/CCD 8906

Hot Pixel Annealing.

pixel annealing process by measuring the dark current behavior before and after
annealing and by searching for any window contamination effects. In addition,
CTE performance is examined by looking for traps in a low signal level flat.

STIS/CCD 8907

Spectroscopic Flats C10.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain CCD flats in
the spectrographic mode.

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.

WFPC2 8938

WFPC2 CYCLE 9 SUPPLEMENTAL DARKS pt3/3.

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.

NICMOS 8983

NICMOS Mode-2 Target Acquisition Test

NICMOS coronagraphy is extremely sensitive to small centering errors which can
result from imperfections in the target acquisition {TA} process. During HST
Cycle 7 the on-board {TA} process was augmented which resulted in
post-acquisition dispersions of target placements w.r.t. the fiducial position
in the occulting system with 1-sigma RSX dispersions of 0.08 mas {or ~ 1/10
pixel}. This level of acquisition precision is required to enable high-contrast
imaging near occulted targets of which the system is capable. With the elevated
detector temperatures {relative to Cycle 7} which we anticipate in Cycle
11, the
change in detector characteristics, if incorrectly compensated in on-board
mode-2 image processing, would result in degraded TA accuracy, and
ultimately in
coronagraphic gain. In addition, we posit the susceptibility of the system to
metrological changes with further dewar stress/relaxation which could alter TA
performance. This test will evaluate the TA performance, following a number of
apriori changes to “tunable constants” in the FSW data, which we anticipate
would result in performance comparable to that seen in Cycle 7. This test will
verify the operability of the TA FSW, the precision of the “hole finding”
algorithm, the dynamic range {exposure time} requirements for acquiring
coronagraphic targets to high precision, the astrometric calibration of the TA
process {image scales and rotation}, the stability of sub-orbital and
multi-orbital acquisitions. We will specifically re-evaluate the efficacy
of the
Target Location, Image Centration, and Coordinate Transformation algorithms in
the on-board S/W working with contemporaneously acquired TA mode imaging, and
“hole finding” reference flats. Flight S/W data table updates derived from the
pre and post target acquisition images and FGS data may follow the execution of
this test as noted for Cycle 7 in SMO-2021/2.13.9. We will also explore the
operating characteristics of the target acquisition process in the regime of a
low S/N {underexposed} targets and saturated targets.

WF/PC-2 9057

Host Galaxies of Obscured QSOs Identified by 2MASS.

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a snapshot survey of red QSOs discovered in The
Two Micron All Sky Survey {2MASS} to investigate the detailed properties of
their host galaxies. This large, possibly dominant, population of QSOs in the
local universe has been previously overlooked because reddening by {intrinsic}
obscuration along our line of sight causes their colors to be too red for
identification by traditional “UV- excess” techniques. Their near-IR colors are
similar to PG- type {UV-excess} QSOs, but it is far from certain whether they
are indeed from the same parent population or represent a completely new class
of QSO.

STIS/CCD 9074

The Origin and Physics of Gamma-Ray Bursts.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make observations
that will provide the most stringent tests yet performed of the hypothesis that
GRBs are powered by the collapse of massive stars. STIS CCD spectroscopy
will be
used to detect broad atomic features of supernovae underlying GRB optical
transients, at flux levels more than a factor of three fainter than SN 1998bw.

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.

STIS/CCD 9077

Survey of the LMC Planetary Nebulae.

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform a snapshot
survey of all known LMC planetary nebulae {PNe} in order to study the
co-evolution of the nebulae and their central stars, and to probe the chemical
enrichment history of the LMC.

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.

FGS/1 9168

The Distances to AM CVn Stars.

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.

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.

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/WFC 9575

Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program.

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

STIS 9617

STIS CCD Spectroscopic Dispersion Monitor

Constrain wavelength and spatial distortion maps using internal wavecals
obtained with all 6 gratings {G230LB, G230MB, G430L, G430M, G750L, G750M}
supported for use with the CCD. Data will be obtained for the nearly identical
set of 38 central wavelengths used in Cycle 10 or requested in Cycle 11.

STIS 9618

STIS MAMA Dispersion Solutions

Obtain wavecals just deep enough to constrain wavelength and spatial distorion
maps without overusing the calibration lamp. For the first time on orbit, data
will be obtained at all available central wavelengths. This information will
help constrain global models of STIS optical performance being developed at ECF
and STScI. During the observations, MSM monthly offsets will be set to zero to
complement observations over the past couple of cycles, which occurred at
extreme
monthly offsets. The echelle observations at zero offset will yield dispersion
solutions that are directly applicable to all echelle science data obtained
after monthly offsets are disabled.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

HSTARS: (For additional details on see
http://hst-sers.hst.nasa.gov/SERS/HST/HSTAR.nsf)

8689 STIS 557 Status Buffer Message, No Observation Lost @ 162/00:18:12z

COMPLETED OPS REQs:

16787-0 Eclipse Management, ROC Test GMT Day 161/162 @162/02:22:27z

OPS NOTES EXECUTED:

0900-1 Command Problem 0910-2 SI Console response to MCE Resets after
FSW 4.8 is activated

0910-2 SI Console response to MCE Resets after FSW 4.8 is activated

                      SCHEDULED     SUCCESSFUL    FAILURE TIMES
FGS GSacq 10 10
FGS REacq 7 7
FHST Update 13 13
LOSS of LOCK None

Operations Notes:

1. STIS-557 is “MAMA1_HV_IS_OFF” This message is sent when one of the voltage
ramping routines detects a MAMA 1 ramp is in progress and the MAMA 1 high
voltage is off. This check is performed between each step of both timed and
monitored ramps. (Ref. DM-03D, App. L) (HSTAR # 8689)

2. SSSP down 161/2320 to 162/0736z for fan replacement.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: None

SpaceRef staff editor.