The Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission

Journal Article · Tue Sep 28 04:00:00 EDT 2004 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1810924· OSTI ID:20630202

Gehrels, N ^[1]

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1. Mail Code 661, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

Swift is a first-of-its-kind multiwavelength transient observatory for GRB astronomy. It has the optimum capabilities for the next breakthroughs in determining the origin of GRBs and their afterglows, as well as using bursts to probe the early Universe. Swift will also perform the first sensitive hard X-ray survey of the sky. The mission is being developed by an international collaboration and consists of three instruments, the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT), the X-ray Telescope (XRT), and the Ultraviolet and Optical Telescope (UVOT). The BAT, a wide-field gamma-ray detector, will detect > 100 GRBs per year with a sensitivity >2 times that of BATSE. The sensitive narrow-field XRT and UVOT will be autonomously slewed to the burst location in 20 to 75 seconds to determine 0.3-5.0 arcsec positions and perform optical, UV, and X-ray spectrophotometry. Strong education/public outreach and follow-up programs will help to engage the public and astronomical community. The Swift launch is planned for mid 2004.

• OSTI ID: 20630202
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 727; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
AFTERGLOW
COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS
COSMIC GAMMA SOURCES
COSMIC PHOTONS
COSMIC RAY DETECTION
COSMIC X-RAY BURSTS
GAMMA ASTRONOMY
GAMMA RADIATION
HARD X RADIATION
SENSITIVITY
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
TELESCOPE COUNTERS
TRANSIENTS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
UNIVERSE