HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE <br /><br />DAILY REPORT # 3141 <br /><br />PERIOD COVERED: DOY 170 <br /><br />OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED [see HSTARS below for possible observation problems] <br /><br />STIS 8672 <br /><br />Establishing the Gaseous Phases of Galaxies Following the Epoch of Star<br />Formation <br /><br />We propose an ambitious program designed to: {1} establish if high ionization,<br />metal-rich halos/coronae were in place as early as z~1, which would imply that<br />extended, early-epoch, galactic halos result from reprocessed galactic gas and<br />that the kinematics are mechanically driven; {2} obtain the first comparison of<br />the relative kinematics of low and high ionization species in z~1 galaxies,<br />covering a wide range of N{HI} environments and MgII kinematic spreads up to<br />~400 km/s; {3} discriminate between single-phase and multi-phase ionization, and<br />therefore spatial, absorbing structures {eg. MgII clouds embedded in diffuse<br />high ionization halos}; and {4} place constraints on the gas-phase metallicites<br />in early-epoch galaxies. We propose to obtain STIS R=30, 000 {Delta v = 10 km/s}<br />spectra of five bright quasars, for which the FOS/HST data are fully analyzed.<br />Our observational goal is to resolve the absorption profiles of several low,<br />intermediate, and high ionization species, including OVI, OI, NV, NIII, CIV,<br />CIII, CII, SiIV, SiIII, and SiII, in 18 MgII absorption systems covering<br />0.5<=z<=1.3. We incorporate our high signal-to-noise HIRES/Keck {Delta v=6.6<br />km/s} profiles of MgII, MgI, and FeII of the low ionization absorbing gas, and<br />our database of the absorbing galaxy luminosities, colors, and impact<br />parameters. <br /><br />NICMOS 8790 <br /><br />NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 1. <br /><br />A new procedure proposed to alleviate the CR-persistence problem of NICMOS. Dark<br />frames will be obtained immediately upon exiting the SAA contour 23, and every<br />time a NICMOS exposure is scheduled within 50 minutes of coming out of the SAA.<br />The darks will be obtained in parallel in all three NICMOS Cameras. The POST-SAA<br />darks will be non-standard reference files available to users with a USEAFTER<br />date/time mark. <br /><br />STIS/CCD 8902 <br /><br />Dark Monitor-Part 2. <br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to monitor the darks. <br /><br />STIS/CCD 8904 <br /><br />Bias Monitor-Part 2. <br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to monitor the bias in<br />the 1x1, 1x2, 2x1, and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at gain = 4 in order<br />to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns. <br /><br />WFPC2 8938 <br /><br />WFPC2 CYCLE 9 SUPPLEMENTAL DARKS pt3/3. <br /><br />This dark calibration program obtains 3 dark frames every day to provide data<br />for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. <br /><br />WF/PC-2 9043 <br /><br />Cepheid Distances to Early-type Galaxies. <br /><br />The WF/PC-2 was used to continue observations in the HST Key Project on the<br />Extragalactic Distance Scale and the HST project on the "Calibration of Nearby<br />Type Ia Supernovae'' that have greatly improved our knowledge of the Hubble<br />Constant by providing a solid zero point for the Tully- Fisher {TF} relation and<br />Type Ia Supernovae {SNIa}. However, severe inconsistencies remain for distance<br />estimators to early-type galaxies such as surface brightness fluctuations {SBF},<br />the planetary nebula luminosity function {PNLF}, the fundamental plane {FP}, and<br />the globular cluster luminosity function {GCLF}. As a result, the distance to<br />the Virgo cluster core remains uncertain by as much as 20 determination is<br />directly affected by a lingering 0.1 mag {5 uncertainty in the photometric<br />calibration of the WFPC2. Resolving these issues is essential not only to firm<br />up the extragalactic distance scale, but also to understand the mass and<br />velocity structure of the local universe. SBF in particular is emerging as the<br />method of choice for mapping local velocity fields to 10, 000 kms because it<br />offers an order of magnitude less Malmquist bias than TF, and SNIa are too rare<br />to study large scale flows effectively. This project will tighten the<br />photometric calibration of the WFPC2, and provide a solid Cepheid calibration<br />for SBF and PNLF. <br /><br />STIS/CCD 9066 <br /><br />Closing in on the Hydrogen Reionization Edge of the Universe. <br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used in parallel constrain<br />the Hydrogen reionization edge in emission that marks the transition from a<br />neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted redshifts. <br /><br />STIS/CCD 9088 <br /><br />Next Generation Spectral Library of Stars. <br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to produce a "Next<br />Generation'' Spectral Library of 600 stars for use in modeling the integrated<br />light of galaxies and clusters by using the low dispersion UV and optical<br />gratings of STIS. The library will be roughly equally divided among four<br />metallicities, very low {Fe/H < -1.5}, low {-1.5 < Fe/H < -0.5}, near-solar<br />{-0.5 < Fe/H < 0.1}, and super-solar {Fe/H > 0.1}, well-sampling the entire<br />HR-diagram in each bin. Such a library will surpass all extant compilations and<br />have lasting archival value, well into the Next Generation Space Telescope era. <br /><br />STIS/CCD 9114 <br /><br />SINS: The Supernova Intensive Study-- Cycle 10. <br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to perform closer<br />observations of supernovae that will create the chemical history of the<br />Universe, energize the interstellar gas, stiffen the spine of the extragalactic<br />distance scale and provide the only evidence for an accelerating universe. A<br />violent encounter is underway between the fast-moving debris and the stationary<br />inner ring. Monitoring this interaction will help solve the riddles of stellar<br />evolution posed by the enigmatic three-ring system of SN 1987A. Our UV<br />observations of Ly- Alpha emission reveal the present location and velocity of a<br />remarkable reverse shock that provides a unique laboratory for studying fast<br />shocks and a powerful tool for dissecting the structure of the vanished star. <br /><br />STIS/CCD 9148 <br /><br />Light Echos and the Nature of Type Ia Supernovae. <br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to take STIS snapshot<br />images of a subset of 43 well observed Type Ia supernovae {SNIa}, most of which<br />have been discovered in late type galaxies over the last 40 years to make a<br />systematic search for light echos around SN Ia. STIS will also observe a sample<br />of 10 SN II and SN Ib/c, which are believed to be the result of massive star<br />core collapse and, therefore, to be thin-disk population objects, in order to<br />make an empirical calibration of the accuracy of our method for determining<br />scale heights. The SN Ia sample will provide a direct as well as accurate<br />estimate of the scale height of SN Ia which is an important clue to the<br />progenitors of these events. <br /><br />NICMOS 9269 <br /><br />NICMOS Parallel Thermal Background <br /><br />NICMOS Camera 3 pure parallel exposures in the F222M filter will be obtained for<br />the entire duration of SMOV to establish the stability of the HST+NCS+Instrument<br />thermal emission. <br /><br />STIS/CCD 9317 <br /><br />Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 10. <br /><br />The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph [CCD] was used to perform the default<br />archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 10. <br /><br />WF/PC-2 9318 <br /><br />POMS Test Proposal: WFII Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation. <br /><br />The WF/PC-2 was used to perform the generic target version of the WFPC2 Archival<br />Pure Parallel program. The program was used to take parallel images of random<br />areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the Parallels Working Group. <br /><br />ACS/CAL 9558 <br /><br />ACS weekly Test <br /><br />for any source of noise in ACS CCD detectors. This programme will be executed<br />once a day for the entire lifetime of ACS. <br /><br />ACS/WFC/HRC 9566 <br /><br />CCD Hot Pixel Annealing. <br /><br />The Advanced Camera for Surveys [WFC and HRC] was used to perform hot pixel<br />annealing that will be performed once per month. The CCD TECs will be turned off<br />and heaters will be activated to bring the WFC detector temperature to about<br />+10C. The HRC temperature will reach about 30C. This state will be held for<br />approximately 24 hours, after which the heaters are turned off, the TECs turned<br />on, and the CCDs returned to normal operating condition. <br /><br />ACS/WFC 9584 <br /><br />ACS Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program II. <br /><br />The Advanced Camera for Surveys [WFC] was used to test ACS pure parallels. <br /><br />POMS 9677 <br /><br />POMS Test Proposal: WFII backup parallel archive proposal <br /><br />This is a POMS test proposal designed to simulate scientific plans. <br /><br />FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: <br /><br />HSTARS: [For details see ]http://hst-sers.hst.nasa.gov/SERS/HST/HSTAR.nsf] <br /><br />8706 - NICMOS Suspended at 170/09:34:38 due to a status buffer <br /> message NICMOS 104 with a parameter of 2. [INTEL EXCEPTION] While in boot <br /> mode a control section reset was detected. SI SE and Institute SE were <br /> notified of the situation. An Exec 402 was also received due to the same <br /> problem. Under investigation.<br /><br /> ****** NICMOS observation 97 was occurring at this time 170/09:33:26.<br /><br />8707 - C string BBDS software appears to be down @170/2230z. The C string BBDS <br /> has gone down. Data Migration was in progress and we were informed that <br /> the BBDS performed an auto restart while the data migration was<br /> running. The auto restart happened at 2128z. Under investigation.<br /><br />COMPLETED OPS REQs: 16791-0 - Recover NICMOS from Suspend @170/2005z <br /><br />OPS NOTES EXECUTED: 1018-0 Post FSW 2.1B Cleanup @170/2314z <br /><br /> SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES<br />FGS GSacq 6 6<br />FGS REacq 10 10<br />FHST Update 14 14<br />LOSS of LOCK None<br /><br />Operations Notes: None <br /><br />SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: None