Swift Post-Launch Support at University of Leicester
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Swift is a NASA/UK/Italian multi-wavelength, autonomous rapid response satellite observatory designed to answer key questions about gamma-ray bursts. Launched in Nov 2004, it has detected over 100 GRBs, and has revolutionised this young and high-profile area of research. Highlights include the first localisations of short GRBs, ruling out a supernova origin; the detection of high redshift GRBs, reaching back towards the re-ionisation era; and the discovery of new types of behaviour in the early X-ray lightcurves, with implications for the poorly-understood central engine. Swift was recently placed top in the NASA senior review of current astronomical satellite projects, and awarded increased funding in the US for a further 2 years, with an expectation of funding for 2 years beyond that. Funding is sought for the continued support of the Swift project at Leicester. This will allow us to continue our support for the X-ray telescope, the UK Swift Science Data Centre, and the on-call burst roles. Leicester provided the X-ray camera and other subsystems for the XRT, and has the continuing task of providing on-going sustaining engineering, calibration and on-call anomaly response effort. The UKSSDC provides Swift data promptly to the UK community, it supports the community through training sessions, an extensive website, a help desk and in encouraging community use of Swift observing opportunities. The UKSSDC also provides software tools to support Swift data analysis. Because GRBs fade so rapidly, it is essential to provide results quickly so that large ground-based telescopes can prioritise their follow-up observations. A team of burst advocates and XRT burst scientists provide on-call alert response and longer term analysis effort to ensure that the opportunities provided by the GRB detections are exploited fully by the astronomical community.
Organisations
Publications
Brunschweiger J
(2009)
Intermediate polars in the Swift /BAT survey: spectra and white dwarf masses
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Burrows DN
(2007)
X-ray flares in early GRB afterglows.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Campana S
(2008)
Outliers from the Mainstream: How a Massive Star Can Produce a Gamma-Ray Burst
in The Astrophysical Journal
Carpenter J
(2008)
Meteoroid and space debris impacts in grazing-incidence telescopes
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chincarini G
(2007)
The First Survey of X-Ray Flares from Gamma-Ray Bursts Observed by Swift : Temporal Properties and Morphology
in The Astrophysical Journal
Curran P
(2008)
On the nature of late X-ray flares in Swift gamma-ray bursts
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Curran P
(2007)
The prompt to late-time multiwavelength analysis of GRB 060210
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Curran P
(2008)
Robust photometric redshift determinations of gamma-ray burst afterglows at z ? 2
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Curran P
(2007)
GRB 060206 and the quandary of achromatic breaks in afterglow light curves
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
De Pasquale M
(2009)
Jet breaks at the end of the slow decline phase of Swift GRB light curves
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Del Monte E
(2007)
GRB 070724B: the first gamma ray burst localized by SuperAGILE and its Swift X-ray afterglow
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Esposito P
(2008)
The 2008 May burst activation of SGR 1627-41
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Evans A
(2007)
Spitzer and Ground-based Infrared Observations of the 2006 Eruption of RS Ophiuchi
in The Astrophysical Journal
Evans P
(2007)
An online repository of Swift /XRT light curves of $\vec \gamma$-ray bursts
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Fermi LAT And Fermi GBM Collaborations
(2009)
Fermi observations of high-energy gamma-ray emission from GRB 080916C.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Gierlinski M
(2009)
Reprocessing of X-rays in the outer accretion disc of the black hole binary XTE J1817-330
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gierlinski M
(2008)
X-ray irradiation in XTE J1817-330 and the inner radius of the truncated disc in the hard state
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Giuliani A
(2008)
AGILE detection of delayed gamma-ray emission from GRB 080514B
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Goad M
(2007)
Swift multi-wavelength observations of the bright flaring burst GRB 051117A
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Goad M
(2007)
Accurate early positions for Swift GRBs: enhancing X-ray positions with UVOT astrometry
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Godet O
(2007)
GRB 050822: detailed analysis of an XRF observed by Swift
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Godet O
(2008)
Modelling the spectral response of the Swift -XRT CCD camera: experience learnt from in-flight calibration
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Greiner J
(2009)
GRB 080913 AT REDSHIFT 6.7
in The Astrophysical Journal
Grupe D
(2007)
Swift and XMM-Newton Observations of the Extraordinary Gamma-Ray Burst 060729: More than 125 Days of X-Ray Afterglow
in The Astrophysical Journal
Grupe D
(2007)
Redshift Filtering by Swift Apparent X-Ray Column Density
in The Astronomical Journal
| Description | BBC Sky at Night |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | BBC TV programme Sky at Night was devoted to GRBs on 8th Nov 2008, represented by one of the Leicester team members. N/A |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| Description | Day in the life of astrophysicists |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A series of videos "behind the scenes in the world of science" were made, including one following 2 members of the Leicester Swift team. This was created for the East Midlands STEM partnership. The video showed the kind of work we do as astrophysicists on a day-to-day basis, from discussing science to go in a paper, to waiting for new GRBs. Video available online. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
| Description | The Cosmos: A Beginner's Guide |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | As part of the Open University/BBC 2 series entitled, "The Cosmos: A Beginner's Guide", a TV crew followed members of the Leicester Swift team as they waited for a GRB over the course of a week. Interviews were performed, and filming of "live action data analysis" took place. The interesting GRB 061121 was detected during this week of filming (and also lead to a paper published in Apj by Page et al.). The programme has been shown on TV in various countries over the years since it was first broadcast on BBC2 in the early evening on 7th August 2007. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2007 |