HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE DAILY REPORT # 3124 PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 05/24/02 - 0000Z (UTC) 05/27/02 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED: ACS 9586 ACS Polarization Calibration This proposal aims to calibrate the polarization modes most heavily used in Cycle 11. We need L-flat observations, observations of a polarized star and an unpolarized star, and an observation of an extended polarized source. ACS 9476 Galaxy Evolution in the Richest Clusters at z=0.8: the EDisCS Cluster Sample The study of distant cluster galaxies requires two key ingredients: {1} deep high-resolution imaging, to constrain galaxy structure; and {2} 8m-class spectroscopy, to measure stellar content, star-formation rates, dynamics, and cluster membership. We will reach both conditions with the addition of HST/ACS imaging to our suite of VLT {36 nights} and NTT {20 nights} observations of 10 confirmed clusters at z~0.8, drawn from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey {EDisCS}. The proposed HST/ACS data will complement our existing optical/IR imaging and spectroscopy with quantitative measures of cluster galaxy morphologies {i.e. sizes and shapes, bulge-disk decompositions, asymmetry parameters}, and with measurements of cluster masses via weak lensing. Major advantages unique to the EDisCS project include: {i} uniform selection of clusters; {ii} large enough sample sizes to characterize the substantial cluster-to-cluster variation in galaxy populations; {iii} large quantities of high quality data from 8m telescopes; {iv} uniform measurements of morphologies, spectroscopic and photometric redshifts, SEDs, star-formation/AGN activities, and internal kinematics; {v} optical selection of clusters to complement the X-ray selection of almost all high-z clusters in the ACS GTO programs; {vi} forefront numerical simulations designed specifically to allow physical interpretation of observed differences between the high-z and ACS 9010 SMOV Contamination Plan. This program has two main goals: {1} manage ACS operations to minimize the risk of contamination of its optics by materials outgassed during servicing activity, and {2} initiate a program to monitor the UV sensitivity of HRC and SBC as early as possible after the service mission. ACS/WFC 9575 Default {Archival} Pure Parallel Program. The Advanced Camera for Surveys (WFC) was used to test ACS pure parallels in 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. 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 9321 Dark current, shading profile, and read noise monitoring program The purpose of this proposal is to monitor the detector dark current, read noise, and shading profile for all three NICMOS cameras from the onset of normal NCS operations throughout the start of Cycle 11. NICMOS 8991 Grism Calibration Grism Calibration NICMOS 9322 NICMOS ACCUM Darks The goal is to obtain ACCUM darks with exposure time=256 seconds with NREADS=25, taken away from the SAA. These are needed to calibrate the post-SAA darks that will be used to remove CR persistence from NICMOS science images. In the early Cycle 11 calibration plan they should be obtained every 4 weeks. We will evaluate need for repeats later NICMOS 8988 NICMOS Astronomical Persistence Test This proposal tests the persistence of the NICMOS cameras at the temperature established by the NCS. A series of saturated exposures followed by dark integrations are performed for each camera. The exposures have a duration to saturate the detectors by more than a factor of 100. To facilitate comparison with the previous SMOV results the same target, HD106965, is utilized. 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. 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 NICMOS 8987 NICMOS SAA CR Persistence Test The data from this proposal will be used to design and test algorithms for using the "post-SAA darks" as a means of mitigating the effects of cosmic-ray induced persistence in NICMOS exposures immediately following passages of the spacecraft through the South Atlantic Anomaly {SAA}. It mwill also serve as a reconfirmation of the characteristics of the CR persistence in the cryo-cooler era {i.e. for comparison with data from prop 7960 "NICMOS Persistence Test", which was executed in late April of 1998. NICMOS 8989 NICMOS Thermal Background Observations in NICMOS Camera 3 in the filters F110W, F175W, F240M, F222M, F160W will be obtained at a variety of spacecraft attitudes to characterize the thermal background light from HST+NCS+Instrument which reaches the NICMOS focal STIS/CCD 8904 Bias Monitor-Part 2. The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the bias in the 1x1, 1x2, 2x1, and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at gain = 4 in order to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns. STIS/CCD 9066 Closing in on the Hydrogen Reionization Edge of the Universe. The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used in parallel constrain the Hydrogen reionization edge in emission that marks the transition from a neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted redshifts. STIS/CCD 8902 Dark Monitor-Part 2. The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the darks. STIS/CCD 9176 LMC Eclipsing Binaries with Cepheid Components: The Key to the Extragalactic Distance Scale. The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to determine the distance to the LMC and to observe the Cepheid P-L that form the backbone of the Cosmic Distance Scale and the determination of H_degrees. Unfortunately, in spite of concerted efforts of many investigators, the zero point of the Cepheid P-L law and the LMC distance remain controversial and uncertain to ~10-15, using eclipsing binaries {EBs} as "standard candles'' to include two recently discovered LMC eclipsing binaries {EBs} with Cepheid components. These observations of these extraordinary systems hold the key to determining simultaneously the Cepheid P-L zero point and the LMC distance, and to provide a 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. 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 STIS/CCD/MA1 9051 Identifying Damped Lyman-alpha Galaxies at z~1. The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to look for damped Lyman-alpha absorption systems that contain the bulk of the neutral gas in the Universe in the redshift range z = 0.5 - 5, yet the nature of the galaxies responsible for the absorption is not well understood. Only recently have observers found more than a handful of damped absorbers at redshifts z < 1.5. Using the FIRST Bright Quasar Survey {FBQS}, with over a 1000 quasars, the proposers have undertaken a survey to build a complete picture of he nature of the galaxies responsible for damped Lyman-alpha absorption systems at z~1 and to STIS/CCD/MA1 8919 MAMA Sensitivity and Focus Monitor C10. The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to monitor the sensitivity of each MAMA grating mode to detect any change due to contamination or other causes, and also to monitor the STIS focus in a spectroscopic and an imaging 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. WF/PC-2 9043 Cepheid Distances to Early-type Galaxies. The WF/PC-2 was used to continue observations in the HST Key Project on the Extragalactic Distance Scale and the HST project on the "Calibration of Nearby Type Ia Supernovae'' that have greatly improved our knowledge of the Hubble Constant by providing a solid zero point for the Tully- Fisher {TF} relation and Type Ia Supernovae {SNIa}. However, severe inconsistencies remain for distance estimators to early-type galaxies such as surface brightness fluctuations {SBF}, the planetary nebula luminosity function {PNLF}, the fundamental plane {FP}, and the globular cluster luminosity function {GCLF}. As a result, the distance to the Virgo cluster core remains uncertain by as much as 20 determination is directly affected by a lingering 0.1 mag {5 uncertainty in the photometric calibration of the WFPC2. Resolving these issues is essential not only to firm up the extragalactic distance scale, but also to understand the mass and velocity structure of the local universe. SBF in particular is emerging as the method of choice for mapping local velocity fields to 10, 000 kms because it offers an order of magnitude less Malmquist bias than TF, and SNIa are too rare to study large scale flows effectively. This project will tighten the photometric calibration of the WFPC2, and provide a solid Cepheid WF/PC-2 9232 Confirmation of Black Hole, Planetary, and Binary Microlensing Events. The WF/PC-2 was used to collect images of five MACHO Project microlensing events in order to confirm our microlensing models which indicate that these events were caused by black holes and stars with extra-solar planets. 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. 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. WF/PC-2 8941 Cycle 10 UV Earthflats. The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flat field stability by obtaining sequences of earth streak flats to improve the quality of pipeline flat fields for the WFPC2 WF/PC-2 9072 Dynamical Masses of White Dwarfs from Resolved Sirius-Like Binaries. The WF/PC-2 was used to observe resolved "Sirius-like'' systems containing hot white-dwarf companions of cooler main-sequence stars. It is proposed to image them annually in the UV. WF/PC-2 8059 POMS Test Proposal: Targeted Parallel Archive Proposal. was used to observe the parallel opportunities available in the neighborhood of bright galaxies are treated in a slightly different way from the normal pure parallels. Local Group galaxies offer the opportunity for a closer look at young stellar populations. Narrow-band images in F656N can be used both to identify young stars via their emission lines, and to map the gas distribution 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 9111 The UV Light Echo of Shock Breakout During SN 1987A). The WF/PC-2 was used to observe light echoes {transient reflection nebulae} from SN1987A that were discovered in the optical in 1988 and have been detected in the vacuum ultraviolet by IUE. WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8675 The Massive Star Content of NGC 6822. The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were used to characterize the young, coeval stellar population discovered with WFPC2 multiband imaging in a NGC6822 star-forming region, with follow-up spectroscopy of the massive star candidates. 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. WFPC2/STIS 8690 The Central Region of NGC4696: Manifestation of the Physics of Mergers? Massive, dominant ellipticals with attendant emission-line gas, dust and hot, heavy X--ray emitting coronae lie at the very centers of galaxy clusters. The physics of these complex, high pressure regions remains controversial: Are cooling flows responsible? Do mergers dominate, with massive accretion events triggering an array of phenomena? Is the AGN crucial? A major impetus to understanding the physics of these regions will come with Chandra. NGC4696 in the Centaurus galaxy cluster is archetypal. WFPC2 images have shown a dramatic bifurcation between gas and dust. The nucleus itself is seen to be a compact triple, with two blue components straddling a third red one. We propose to obtain STIS long- slit spectra { omannumeral1} along a line-emission filament and { omannumeral2} along a dust filament: are we witnessing physical separation of gas and dust, as in comet ion/dust tails, due to late stage merger physics; or are very high velocities, due to powerful AGN influences, shifting emission lines out of filters? Is the HAlpha+NII filament a shock, responsible for the known off-center X--ray peak? {omannumeral3} A third spectrum will be across the compact 0.26'' triple nucleus: is it a multiple nucleus confirming the merger scenario; or a disk around a black-hole, allowing mass determination; or the first double optical synchrotron jet; or a gravitational lens? A wealth of vital physical and kinematical data will result from these carefully selected spectra. FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: HSTARs: 8659 - GSacq(1,3,1) results in Fine Lock Backup (3,0,3) @144/1059z 8660 - A string's AppServer lost connection @144/1430z 8661 - C-String SAC Jobs failed @144/1900z 8662 - Gsacq(1,2,1) Results in FL/BU using FGS#1(1,0,1) @148/0327z COMPLETED OPS REQs: None OPS NOTES EXECUTED: 1008-0 Raise Battery#3 Upper Temp Limit to 3Deg @144/2040z SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES FGS GSacq 27 27 FGS REacq 34 34 FHST Update 69 69 LOSS of LOCK None Operations Notes: FOT operated on CCS Release D3.5.0.0.68 throughout this reporting period. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: Continuation of Servicing Mission Orbital Verification and the gradual resumption of normal science observations and calibrations.