Hubble Space Telescope Report #2783 10 Jan 2001
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2783
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 01/09/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 01/10/01
Daily Status Report as of 010/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed STIS/MA1 8721 (An UV Imaging Survey of IR-Bright Star- Forming Galaxies)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to carry out a UV {~1, 600 Angstrom} snapshot imaging survey of all the actively star-forming galaxies detected by ISO at Lambda>170 Mum and closer than cz=9000 km/s. The sample covers a large region in the parameter’s space of morphology, luminosity, metallicity, and star formation intensity. There were no reported anomalies.
1.2 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8805 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a generic target version of the WFPC2 Archival Pure Parallel program. The program will be used to take parallel images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the Parallels Working Group. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.3 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8857 (MAMA Sensitivity and Focus Monitor C9)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to monitor the sensitivity of each MAMA grating mode to detect any change due to contamination or other causes. There were no problems.
1.4 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8837 (CCD Dark Monitor-Part 1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the darks. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.5 Completed WF/PC-2 8601 (A Snapshot Survey of Probable Nearby Galaxies)
The WF/PC-2 was used to continue the very successful snapshot survey in order to use the high spatial resolution of HST to determine whether selected galaxies are nearby on the basis of resolution into stars, and the magnitudes and colors of the brightest stars. There were no reported problems.
1.6 Completed WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8559 (The Role of Dark Matter in Cluster Formation and Galaxy Evolution)
The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were used to observe the outer regions of massive clusters that represent transitional areas of great cosmological importance where field galaxies encounter the steep potential wells of dark matter and baryonic hot gas. Little is known about either the dark matter profile at large radii or the morphological properties of infalling galaxies at those redshifts where strong evolution is observed in the cluster cores. The proposal completed normally, with no reported problems.
1.7 Completed STIS/CCD 8663 (Survey of SMC Planetary Nebulae: Nebular and Stellar Evolution in a Low- Metallicity Environment)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to survey of SMC planetary nebulae {PNe} in order to study the co-evolution of the nebulae and their central stars, in an environment that is chemically very metal poor. We will obtain STIS imaging and medium-resolution slitless spectroscopy that will yield line fluxes and nebular morphologies in important emission lines, plus magnitudes of the central stars. From these data we will gather a harvest of information: the nebular size, morphology, ionization structure, density, and mass; and the central star temperature, luminosity, and mass. The proposal completed with no reported anomalies.
1.8 Completed STIS/CCD 8838 (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. The proposal completed nominally.
1.9 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8598 (Snapshot Survey of Extended OIIl Lambda 5007Angstrom Emission in Seyfert Galaxies)
The WF/PC-2 was used for a snapshot survey of narrow band OIII Lambda 5007Angstrom images for a well defined sample of 88 Seyfert galaxies {29 Seyfert 1s and 59 Seyfert 2s}, 18 of which already have data in the archive, selected from a mostly isotropic property, the 60Mum flux. These data will be used: 1} to determine the origin of the misalignment between the accretion disk axis and the host galaxy plane axis, which can be due to mergers with other galaxies, or by the self induced radiation warping; 2} to compare the size and shape of the Narrow Line Regions (NLR) of Seyfert 1s and Seyfert 2s, and to study the frequency of conically shaped NLR in Seyfert galaxies, which are usually unresolved from ground-based observations; and 3} estimate the importance of shocks to the ionization of the NLR. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 7407 (Continuation of Temporal Monitoring of the Crab Synchrotron Nebula)
The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the synchrotron nebula surrounding the Crab pulsar that has been the subject of intensive study for decades. It is generally accepted that the structure and activity in this region are due to wave phenomena near the termination shock of the pulsar wind, observations of which hold unique promise of leading to more complete models of the pulsar and its magnetosphere. Unfortunately, this promise has not been fulfilled, largely because of the low spatial resolution and uneven temporal coverage of existing studies. Recent WF/PC-2 observations of the Crab synchrotron nebula offer new hope in this quest. These data, which reach the natural size scale defined by the Larmor radius of energetic electrons, resolve the majority of the known features in the Crab. For the first time it is possible to reliably establish the physical conditions {e.g., emissivities, equipartition fields, and pressures} of features associated with the wind and its termination shock. The observations completed as planned.
1.11 Completed Four Sets of STIS/CCD 8562 (Probing the Large Scale Structure: Cosmic Shear Observations)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to probe the distortion of light bundles from distant galaxies, looking at the statistical properties of the intervening inhomogeneous {dark} matter distribution. The proposal completed nominally.
1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8581 (A Search For Low-Mass Companions To Ultracool Dwarfs)
The WF/PC-2 was used to search for very low-mass {VLM} companions to a complete sample of 120 late-M and L dwarfs, drawn mainly from the 2MASS and SDSS surveys. The primary goal is to determine the multiplicity of M < 0.1 M_odot dwarfs. In particular, we aim to identify binary systems suitable for long-term astrometric monitoring and mass measurement, and systems with cool, sub-1000K companions. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 8602 (A Snapshot Survey of the Sites of Recent, Nearby Supernovae)
The WF/PC-2 was used to conduct a snapshot survey in V and I of the sites of the nearby SNe, which have precisely known positions, to obtain high-resolution information on their local environment. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.14 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8684 (Emission Lines from Photoionized Accretion Disks and Winds in AGNs)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to observe the origin and dynamics of the gas that produces the broad optical and ultraviolet emission lines in AGNs, a fundamental gap that remains in our knowledge of AGNs. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.15 Completed WF/PC-2 8827 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt2/3)
The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain three dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. The proposal completed nominally.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 7
Successful: 7
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 10
Successful: 10
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 17
Successful: 17
2.3 Operations Notes:
Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared twice.
Operations personnel participated in SM3B GSFC Internal Simulation #3 (EVA-2) which was conducted yesterday.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
