2 research outputs found
Feasibility of a Small, Rapid Optical-to-IR Response, Next Generation Gamma Ray Burst Mission
We present motivations for and study feasibility of a small, rapid optical to
IR response gamma ray burst (GRB) space observatory. By analyzing existing GRB
data, we give realistic detection rates for X-ray and optical/IR instruments of
modest size under actual flight conditions. Given new capabilities of fast
optical/IR response (about 1 s to target) and simultaneous multi-band imaging,
such an observatory can have a reasonable event rate, likely leading to new
science. Requiring a Swift-like orbit, duty cycle, and observing constraints, a
Swift-BAT scaled down to 190 square cm of detector area would still detect and
locate about 27 GRB per yr. for a trigger threshold of 6.5 sigma. About 23
percent of X-ray located GRB would be detected optically for a 10 cm diameter
instrument (about 6 per yr. for the 6.5 sigma X-ray trigger).Comment: Elaborated text version of a poster presented at 2012 Malaga/Marbella
symposiu