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Title: Prompt optical observations of GRBs with 'Pi of the Sky' system

Abstract

The 'Pi of the Sky' prototype apparatus observed prompt optical emission from extremely bright GRB080319B since the very beginning of the gamma emission. The burst occurred at redshift z = 0.937 and set the record of optical luminosity reaching 5.3 mag. The position of the burst was observed before, during and after the explosion by several telescopes and unprecedented coverage of optical light curve has been achieved. The combination of these unique optical data with simultaneous gamma-ray observations provides a powerful diagnostic tool for the physics of the GRB explosion within seconds of its start. The 'Pi of the Sky' prototype, working since 2004 in Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, consists of 2 cameras observing same 20 deg. x 20 deg. fields in the sky with time resolution of 10 seconds. The prototype reacts to GCN alerts, but it has also its own algorithm for identification of optical flashes. The final system covering field of view of Swift or Fermi satellite will consist of 2 arrays of 16 cameras installed in a distance of about 100 km. The system is currently under construction. It will be a powerful tool for early optical observations of GRBs, allowing for optical observation ofmore » GRBs before, during and after the gamma emission. With the on-line data analysis in real time, it will identify short optical flashes autonomously and will be able to distribute this information among the community. In this contribution the general idea of the final version of the experiment and the most interesting results from the prototype are presented.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ;  [1]; ; ; ;  [2]; ; ;  [3];  [4]; ;  [5];  [6]
  1. Andrzej Soltan Institute for Nuclear Studies, Hoza 69, 00-681 Warsaw (Poland)
  2. Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Hoza 69, 00-681 Warsaw (Poland)
  3. Space Research Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Bartycka 18A, 00-716 Warsaw (Poland)
  4. Institute of Electronic Systems, Nowowiejska 15/19, 00-665 Warsaw (Poland)
  5. Center for Theoretical Physics, Polish Academy of Science, Al. Lotnikow 32/46, Warsaw (Poland)
  6. Faculty of Physics, Warsaw Univ. of Technology, Koszykowa 75, 00-662 Warsaw (Poland)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21304950
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 1133; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: 6. Huntsville symposium on gamma-ray burst, Huntsville, AL (United States), 20-23 Oct 2008; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3155907; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; 99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; ALGORITHMS; CAMERAS; COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS; COSMIC GAMMA SOURCES; COSMIC PHOTONS; DATA ANALYSIS; GALAXY NUCLEI; GAMMA ASTRONOMY; GAMMA DETECTION; GAMMA RADIATION; RED SHIFT; SATELLITES; TELESCOPE COUNTERS; TIME RESOLUTION; X-RAY DETECTION

Citation Formats

Sokolowski, M, Majcher, A, Majczyna, A, Nawrocki, K, Rybka, D, Uzycki, J, Wrochna, G, Cwiok, M, Dominik, W, Piotrowski, L W, Zarnecki, A F, Juchniewicz, J, Pietrzak, R, Wawrzaszek, R, Kasprowicz, G, Malek, K, Mankiewicz, L, and Zaremba, M. Prompt optical observations of GRBs with 'Pi of the Sky' system. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.1063/1.3155907.
Sokolowski, M, Majcher, A, Majczyna, A, Nawrocki, K, Rybka, D, Uzycki, J, Wrochna, G, Cwiok, M, Dominik, W, Piotrowski, L W, Zarnecki, A F, Juchniewicz, J, Pietrzak, R, Wawrzaszek, R, Kasprowicz, G, Malek, K, Mankiewicz, L, & Zaremba, M. Prompt optical observations of GRBs with 'Pi of the Sky' system. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3155907
Sokolowski, M, Majcher, A, Majczyna, A, Nawrocki, K, Rybka, D, Uzycki, J, Wrochna, G, Cwiok, M, Dominik, W, Piotrowski, L W, Zarnecki, A F, Juchniewicz, J, Pietrzak, R, Wawrzaszek, R, Kasprowicz, G, Malek, K, Mankiewicz, L, and Zaremba, M. 2009. "Prompt optical observations of GRBs with 'Pi of the Sky' system". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3155907.
@article{osti_21304950,
title = {Prompt optical observations of GRBs with 'Pi of the Sky' system},
author = {Sokolowski, M and Majcher, A and Majczyna, A and Nawrocki, K and Rybka, D and Uzycki, J and Wrochna, G and Cwiok, M and Dominik, W and Piotrowski, L W and Zarnecki, A F and Juchniewicz, J and Pietrzak, R and Wawrzaszek, R and Kasprowicz, G and Malek, K and Mankiewicz, L and Zaremba, M},
abstractNote = {The 'Pi of the Sky' prototype apparatus observed prompt optical emission from extremely bright GRB080319B since the very beginning of the gamma emission. The burst occurred at redshift z = 0.937 and set the record of optical luminosity reaching 5.3 mag. The position of the burst was observed before, during and after the explosion by several telescopes and unprecedented coverage of optical light curve has been achieved. The combination of these unique optical data with simultaneous gamma-ray observations provides a powerful diagnostic tool for the physics of the GRB explosion within seconds of its start. The 'Pi of the Sky' prototype, working since 2004 in Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, consists of 2 cameras observing same 20 deg. x 20 deg. fields in the sky with time resolution of 10 seconds. The prototype reacts to GCN alerts, but it has also its own algorithm for identification of optical flashes. The final system covering field of view of Swift or Fermi satellite will consist of 2 arrays of 16 cameras installed in a distance of about 100 km. The system is currently under construction. It will be a powerful tool for early optical observations of GRBs, allowing for optical observation of GRBs before, during and after the gamma emission. With the on-line data analysis in real time, it will identify short optical flashes autonomously and will be able to distribute this information among the community. In this contribution the general idea of the final version of the experiment and the most interesting results from the prototype are presented.},
doi = {10.1063/1.3155907},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21304950}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = 1,
volume = 1133,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon May 25 00:00:00 EDT 2009},
month = {Mon May 25 00:00:00 EDT 2009}
}