Gamma-ray Burst 000214

On February 14, 2000, 01:01:01 UT, the GRBM and WFC1 detected a GRB. A follow-up observation revealed a fading X-ray source.

(All information courtesy of the instrument teams.)

Previous IAU Circulars

• none

• BeppoSAX MAIL n. 00/03 = GCN notice #550
  For GRB lovers, on Valentine's day:
  On Feb.14 at 01:01:01 a GRB (GRB000214) has been detected by the GRBM and WFC1 of BeppoSAX.
  Preliminary coordinates from WFC are:

  R.A.(2000)= 283.573
  DEC(2000)= -66.455
  

  The attitude configuration at the time of the GRB introduces a systematic error in the position. At this stage of the analysis we estimate a total error of about 8' in radius.
• BeppoSAX MAIL n. 00/04 = GCN notice #551
  Refined coordinates from WFC are:

  R.A.(2000)= 283.576
  DEC(2000)= -66.439
  

  i.e. 1' off from the preliminary position The error radius is 6.5'
  A follow-up pointing with the Narrow Field Instruments of BeppoSAX is being planned.
• BeppoSAX MAIL n. 00/05 = GCN notice #552
  A BeppoSAX follow up of GRB000214 with the Narrow Field Instruments started around Feb.14 at 13:11 UT, i.e. 12 hours after the GRB.
  Preliminary analysis of the MECS (1.6-10 keV) data of the 1st orbit shows a relatively strong, previously unknown source inside the WFC error box at:

  R.A.(2000)= 283.61
  DEC(2000)= -66.477
  

  with an error radius of 1.5'.
• GCN notice #556
  K. Hurley, on behalf of the Ulysses GRB team, and M. Feroci, on behalf of the BeppoSAX GRBM team, report:
  Ulysses and the BeppoSAX GRBM observed GRB000214 (GCN 551, 552). Triangulation gives an annulus centered at RA(2000)=153.560, Decl(2000)=-41.892, with radius 65.114 +/- 0.021 degrees (3 sigma). This annulus intersects the refined WFC error circle to make an ~30 sq. arcmin. error box whose corners are at:

       RA(2000)           DEC(2000)
  18 h 55 m 14.39 s    -66 o 29 ' 35 "
  18 h 53 m 34.70 s    -66 o 21 ' 33 "
  18 h 54 m 57.30 s    -66 o 31 ' 31 "
  18 h 53 m 19.47 s    -66 o 23 ' 37 "
  

  It also intersects the NFI error circle, reducing its area by a factor of about 2, and making it likely that this is indeed the counterpart to GRB000214.
  Further refinement to this annulus is possible. A map may be viewed at ssl.berkeley.edu/ipn3/000214 and reproduced below.
  
• GCN notice #557
  A. Paolino, M. Stornelli, A. Coletta, Scientific Operation Centre, Telespazio, Roma, L.A. Antonelli, Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Roma, M.J.S. Smith, J. in 't Zand, Space Research Organization Netherlands (SRON), Utrecht, C. Guidorzi, Universita' di Ferrara, Ferrara, M. Feroci IAS/CNR, Roma, report:
  The BeppoSAX Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GRBM) and Wide Field Camera (WFC unit 1) observed a gamma-ray burst on February 14.042 UT. A preliminary analysis reveals a duration of about 9 s in the GRBM, with a peak photon countrate of 4.2E3 cts/s in the 40-700 keV energy band. In the WFC, the duration is about 115 s and the peak flux is 2.9 Crab (2-26 keV). The position of the X-ray counterpart is R.A.= 18h 4m 18s Decl.= -66 26'.3" (equinox 2000.0) with a 99% error radius of 6.5'. An NFI follow-up is being carried on.
• GCN notice #559
  L.A. Antonelli, reports:
  the coordinate of the X-ray counterpart published in the GCN #557 should be read: R.A.= 18h 54m 18s Decl.= -66 26'.3" (equinox 2000.0). Thanks to D. Frail for pointing out this error.
• GCN notice #561
  L.A. Antonelli, Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, Rome; L. Piro, Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale, CNR, Rome; G. Tarei, G. Tassone, C. De Libero, M. Stornelli, D. Ricci, BeppoSAX Science Operations Center, Telespazio, Rome; M. Capalbi, M.R. Daniele, BeppoSAX Science Data Center, Rome; R.C. Butler, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, Rome; J. Heise, Space Research Organization Netherlands, Utrecht; F. Frontera, Universita' di Ferrara, Ferrara; report:
  GRB 000214 ``Valentine's Day Burst'' was observed with the Narrow Field Instruments (NFI) on board BeppoSAX from Feb. 14.5479 to 15.0793 UT (starting about 12 hrs after the burst trigger time). In the 2-10 keV image of all data from both MECS units 2 and 3, a fading point source ( 1SAX J185427-6627.5 ) is detected within the WFC error box (Paolino et al., GCN #557 and #559). The source position is R.A. = 18h54m27.0s, Decl. = -66d27'30" (Eq. 2000) with 50" error radius. In the first 20,000 s the source had a 2-10 keV flux of 5E-13 erg/cmE2/s and faded by a factor of two in the last 20,000 s. We conclude that 1SAX J185427-6627.5 is the X-ray afterglow of GRB 000214.
• GCN notice #562
  R. Subrahmanyan, M.H. Wieringa, R.M. Wark, D. McConnell (ATNF), D. A. Frail (NRAO) and S. R. Kulkarni (Caltech) report:
  We obtained a 8 hour integration with the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) centered on February 17.92 UT at 4.8 GHz and 8.6 GHz. Within the 50-arcsec radius of the NFI error circle (GCN 561), we find no radio sources above a 4-sigma level of 235 microJy.
• GCN notice #564
  James Rhoads (STScI), Andrew Wilson (U Maryland), Thaisa Storchi-Bergmann (UFRGS), and Andrew Fruchter (STScI) report:
  We observed the field of GRB 000214 in the K' (2.1 micron) filter on February 15.392 and on February 17.410 using the CTIO 4m Blanco Telescope + OSIRIS imager, with net integration times of 180 seconds and 384 seconds respectively. Both epochs covered the entire BeppoSAX NFI error circle (Antonelli et al, GCNC 561).
  We find no convincingly variable sources down to an approximate first epoch 5 sigma limiting point source magnitude of K' = 18.15, or 34 microJansky (calibrated by observation of the standard star S071-D). Assuming a normal, unobscured afterglow spectral index (in the range -0.65 to -1.25 for f_nu) implies a corresponding flux limit of 8 to 17 microJansky at 0.7 micron, or roughly R=21.
  The approximate 5 sigma point source limit for the second epoch is K' = 19.1.
• Redshift from redshifted Fe X-ray emission line is 0.37-0.47 (astro-ph/0010221)
  X-ray intensity decay based on BSAX NFI observations is alpha = 1.41+-0.03 (astro-ph/0010221)