- GCN/BACODINE POSITION NOTICE
TITLE: GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE: Wed 03 Dec 08 17:30:02 UT
NOTICE_TYPE: Swift-BAT Slew GRB Position
ID_NUM: 22
GRB_RA: 228.790d {+15h 15m 10s} (J2000),
228.868d {+15h 15m 28s} (current),
228.355d {+15h 13m 25s} (1950)
GRB_DEC: +44.430d {+44d 25' 48"} (J2000),
+44.397d {+44d 23' 50"} (current),
+44.614d {+44d 36' 51"} (1950)
GRB_ERROR: 3.17 [arcmin radius, statistical only]
GRB_INTEN: 448816 [cnts] Image_Peak=0 [image_cnts]
TRIGGER_DUR: 31.000 [sec]
TRIGGER_INDEX: 10 Criteria: S(15-50) > 4.0 sigma AND H(50-150) > 4.0 sigma
ENERGY_RANGE: 15-150 keV
BKG_INTEN: 0 [cnts]
BKG_TIME: 0.00 SOD {00:00:00.00} UT
BKG_DUR: 0 [sec]
GRB_DATE: 14803 TJD; 338 DOY; 08/12/03
GRB_TIME: 50002.18 SOD {13:53:22.18} UT
SOLN_STATUS: 0x13
RATE_SIGNIF: 0.00 [sigma]
IMAGE_SIGNIF: 0.00 [sigma]
SUN_POSTN: 250.43d {+16h 41m 42s} -22.22d {-22d 13' 05"}
SUN_DIST: 69.47 [deg] Sun_angle= 1.4 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN: 319.61d {+21h 18m 27s} -15.03d {-15d 01' 50"}
MOON_DIST: 100.98 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM: 29 [%]
GAL_COORDS: 73.55, 56.49 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the burst (or transient)
ECL_COORDS: 204.50, 58.87 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the burst (or transient)
COMMENTS: SWIFT-BAT Slew GRB Coordinates.
COMMENTS: A point_source was found.
COMMENTS: This does not match any source in the ground catalog.
COMMENTS: This is a GRB.
COMMENTS: Extremely high confidence of reality (gold-plated).
COMMENTS: This Notice was ground-processed from flight-data.
COMMENTS:
- red DSS finding chart
ps-file
- GCN Circular #8600
A. Copete, J. Grindlay (Harvard)
S. Barthelmy, C. Markwardt, N. Gehrels (NASA/GSFC)
We report the detection of a GRB candidate by the BAT Slew Survey
(BATSS) in the slew that started at 13:52:02 UT. This is 309 sec
before the trigger time for the GRB that followed (A. M. Parsons et
al, GCN 8595), which occurs at a different location and should
hereafter be referred to as GRB 081203B.
The ground-calculated position of GRB 081203A is RA, Dec = 228.789,
+44.427 deg, which is
RA (J2000) = 15h 15m 09s
Dec (J2000) = +44d 25' 36"
with an uncertainty of 3.04 arcmin (90% confidence, including
systematics). The detection was triggered by simultaneous
independent detections of 11.0 sigma and 5.6 sigma from imaging in the
15-50 keV and 50-150 keV energy bands, respectively. The burst mask-
tagged lightcurve shows 2 main peaks, the larger one at T+24sec and
lasting 2sec as the burst enters the BAT FoV, the second one at T
+30sec with a duration of 2sec, and it has largely faded as the
pointing observation that follows begins. The measured T90 = 23.4sec
and T50 = 8.2sec (15-150keV).
Preliminary spectral analysis from T+24.0 to T+50.4 shows a time-
averaged spectrum that is best fit by a simple power law with photon
index of 1.65. The total fluence in the 15-150 keV band is 2.1 x 10^-6
erg/cm2, and the 1-sec peak flux is 3.5 x 10^-7 erg/cm2/sec.
A follow-up Swift ToO observation has been scheduled to begin at 18:26
UT, 4.6 hours after the burst.
- GCN Circular #8602
SUBJECT: GRB 081203B: Naming correction for burst detected in Swift-BAT slew
data
A. Copete, J. Grindlay (Harvard)
S. Barthelmy, C. Markwardt, N. Gehrels, J. Cummings (NASA/GSFC), D.
Palmer (LANL)
We hereby correct the naming of the burst first reported by Copete et
al (GCN 8600), which is unrelated to GRB 081203A (GCNs 8595, 8596,
8598, 8599 and 8601). Following the standard naming convention for
same-day bursts to take into account the order of announcement, this
burst must rather be named GRB 081203B. This name should be used in
all follow-up circulars referring to this burst.
- GCN Circular #8605
B. Sbarufatti, V. La Parola, V. Mangano (INAF-IASF Pa) report on
behalf of the Swift-XRT team:
Swift began observing the field of the Swift BAT Slew Survey (BATSS)
GRB 081203B (Copete et al., GCN Circ. 8600, 8602) 16.7 ks after the
trigger. Using 1419 s of XRT Photon Counting mode data we detect a
single uncatalogued source inside the BAT error circle. Using the XRT
data and 2 UVOT images, we find an astrometrically corrected X-ray
position (using the XRT-UVOT alignment and matching UVOT field
sources to the USNO-B1 catalogue): RA, Dec =
228.7993, 44.4284 which is equivalent to:
RA (J2000): 15 15 11.83
Dec (J2000): +44 25 42.3
with an uncertainty of 1.8 arcsec (radius, 90% confidence). The
source lies 27 arcsec from the BAT centroid and has a count rate of
~5.5e-1 counts/s during this observation.
It is not possible to determine whether this source is fading given
the current statistics. Further observations are ongoing to clarify
the nature of this source.
This circular is an official product of the Swift-XRT team.
- GCN Circular #8606
P. Schady (MSSL-UCL), F.E. Marshall (NASA/GSFC) and B. Sbarufatti
(INAF-IASF Pa) report on behalf of the Swift/UVOT team:
The Swift/UVOT began white band observations of the field of the Swift
BAT Slew Survey (BATSS) GRB 081203B 4.6 hrs after the BAT trigger
(Copete et al., GCN Circ. 8600, 8602). An uncatalogued, fading source
is clearly detected at
RA(J2000.0) = 15:15:11.67 (228.79863 deg)
DEC(J2000.0) = +44:25:42.9 (44.42859 deg)
with an estimated uncertainty of 0.5 arcsec (radius, 90% confidence),
consistent with the UVOT-enhanced XRT position (Sbarufatti et al., GCN
Circ. 8605).
The magnitudes of the first and last UVOT white band observations are
reported below:
Filter T_mid (s) Exp (s) Magnitude
white 16746 154 18.29 +/- 0.04
white 22270 441 18.70 +/- 0.03
indicating a decay rate of alpha~1.0. The above magnitudes are not
corrected for the Galactic extinction corresponding to a reddening of
E_{B-V} = 0.02 mag (Schlegel et al., 1998, ApJS, 500, 525). The
photometry is on the UVOT flight system described in Poole et al.
(2008, MNRAS, 383,627).
- GCN Circular #8607
E. Berger (Harvard) reports:
"Inspection of SDSS images at the position of the optical afterglow of BAT
Slew Survey GRB 081203B (GCNs #8600,8606) reveals no coincident source to
the following 3-sigma limits:
u > 22.3 mag
g > 23.5 mag
r > 23.4 mag
i > 22.6 mag
z > 21.2 mag."
- GCN Circular #8608
M. Andreev, A. Sergeev, (Terskol Branch of Institute of Astronomy), Ju.
Babina (CrAO) A. Pozanenko (IKI) on behalf of larger GRB follow up
collaboration report:
We observed the field of GRB 081203B detected by SWIFT in a slew mode
(Copeteet al, GCN 8600) with the Z-600 telescope of Mt. Terskol
observatory. A set of R-band exposures was taken starting Dec. 04 (UT)
01:44. In a combined image of 10x90 s taken at mid time Dec. 04 (UT)
01:53:45 we detect afterglow (Schady et al, GCN 8606) in coordinate
(J2000) 15 15 11.66 +44 25 42.7. A preliminary photometry of the
afterglow at Dec. 04 (UT) 01:53:45 is R=19.8. The photometry is based on
USNO-A2.0 field stars.
The combine image can be found at
http://grb.rssi.ru/GRB081203B/grb081203B_Z600_01_53_45.jpg
- GCN Circular #8610
The long Swift-BATSS GRB 081203B (Copete et al., GCN 8600, 8602)
triggered Konus-Wind at T0=49890.368 s UT (13:51:30.368).
The burst light curve shows a multipeaked structure with a total
duration of ~80 s.
As observed by Konus-Wind the burst
had a fluence of 5.56(-0.23, +0.24)x10^-5 erg/cm2,
and a 256-ms peak flux measured from T0+10.032 s
of 2.43(-0.40, +0.41)x10^-6 erg/cm2/s
(both in the 20 keV - 2 MeV energy range).
The time-integrated spectrum of the burst
(from T0 to T0+64.000 s) can be fitted (in the 20 keV-2 MeV range)
by a power law with exponential cutoff model:
dN/dE ~ (E^alpha)*exp(-E*(2+alpha)/Ep)
with alpha = -1.165(-0.054, +0.057),
and Ep = 255(-19, +22) keV (chi2 = 77.8/61 dof).
Fitting by GRB (Band) model yields the same alpha and Ep,
and only an upper limit on the high energy
photon index: beta < -2.59 (chi2 = 77.7/60 dof).
All the quoted errors are at the 90% confidence level.
The Konus-Wind light curve of this GRB is available
at http://www.ioffe.ru/LEA/GRBs/GRB081203_T49890/
- GCN Circular #8612
B. Sbarufatti, V. La Parola, V. Mangano (INAF IASF-Pa) report on
behalf of the Swift-XRT team.
We report on Swift-XRT observations of GRB 081203B (Copete et al. GCN
Circ. 8600,8602). We analyzed 3.2 ks of Photon Counting mode data for
this burst, covering times from T+17 ks to T+ 47 ks. The source
reported in Sbarufatti et al. (GCN Circ. 8605) and confirmed as the
afterglow by Schady et al. (GCN Circ. 8606) is fading following a
power-law decay with index alpha=-1.4 (+0.2/-0.1).
The spectrum for the first data sequence, corresponding to a 1.96 ks
exposure and covering times from T+17 ks to T+23 ks can be fit by a
power-law with photon index 2.1+/-0.2, with an absorbing column of
(7.4+/-0.2)E20 cm**-2, in excess with respect to the galactic value
of 1.94E20 cm**-2 (Kalberla et al. 2005). The observed (unabsorbed)
flux is 1.7 (2.2)E-11 erg cm**-2 s**-1. The count-rate-to-flux
conversion factor is (4.3+/-0.1)E-11.
All quoted errors are at 90% confidence level.
This circular is an official product of the Swift-XRT team.
- GCN Circular #8625
Poonam Chandra (RMC) and Dale A. Frail (NRAO) report on
behalf of the Caltech-NRAO-Carnegie GRB Collaboration:
"We used the Very Large Array to observe the field of view toward
optically bright GRB 081203B (GCN 8600) at a frequency of 8.46 GHz
on 2008 Dec 05.70 UT. We detect a radio afterglow at the optical
afterglow position quoted by Andreev et al (GCN 8608). The peak radio
flux at this position is 160 +/- 41 uJy.
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National
Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated
Universities, Inc."
- GCN Circular #8626
M. Andreev, A. Sergeev, (Terskol Branch of Institute of Astronomy), Ju.
Babina (CrAO) A. Pozanenko (IKI) on behalf of larger GRB follow up
collaboration report:
We are continuing observation (Andreev et al, GCN 8608) of the GRB081203B
(Copeteet et al, GCN 8600) with the Z-600 telescope of Mt. Terskol
observatory. A set of R-band exposures was taken between Dec.05 (UT)
02:33-03:19. In a combined image of 30x90 s at mid time Dec. 05 (UT) 02:56
we still detect afterglow of the GRB081203B (Schady et al, GCN 8606). A
photometry of the afterglow is 20.9 +/- 0.3. The photometry is based on
USNO-A2.0 star 1275_08617401 (RA 15 15 10.21 Dec: +44 26 01.4) assuming
R=17.1.
- GCN Circular #8631
D. A. Perley and J. S. Bloom (UC Berkeley) report:
We triggered Gemini-N (GMOS) observations of BATSS GRB 081203B (Copete
et al., GCN 8600, 8602) starting at 15:04 UT 2008-12-06 through very
high airmass but under good conditions. In our acquisition image we
identify a source at the position of the optical afterglow (Schady et
al., GCN 8606). Photometry, calibrated to SDSS, is:
r = 21.90 +/- 0.06 (t = 3.05 days)
Two spectroscopic integrations of 1200s each were acquired using the
R150 grating. Preliminary inspection of the frames reveals no obvious
line features between 5200-9000 A. Further analysis is continuing.
- GCN Circular #8637
D. A. Perley (UC Berkeley) reports on behalf of a larger collaboration:
During morning twilight on 2008-12-07 UT (starting at 15:40) we
undertook additional imaging of the optical transient associated with
GRB 081203B, using GMOS on Gemini-North. We report the following
magnitudes:
g = 22.67 +/- 0.11 (t = 4.076 day)
r = 22.41 +/- 0.10 (t = 4.079 day)
i = 22.16 +/- 0.20 (t = 4.082 day)
Assuming a burst time of 13:52:02 UT (GCN 8600).
The SED is well-fit by a power-law with beta = 1.0 +/- 0.3. The
power-law index of the light curve compared with our r-band measurement
the previous night (GCN 8631) is alpha = 1.6 +/- 0.3. Both values are
consistent with typical late-time GRB afterglow behavior.
We thank the Gemini staff for conducting these observations, which were
carried out under program GN-2008B-Q-6.
- GCN Circular #8638
Y.Terada, M. Tashiro, Y. Urata, A. Endo, K. Onda,
N. Kodaka, K. Morigami, T. Sugasahara, W. Iwakiri (Saitama U.),
S. Sugita, K. Yamaoka (Aoyama Gakuin U.),
M. Ohno, M. Kokubun, M. Suzuki, T. Takahashi (ISAS/JAXA),
Y.E. Nakagawa, T. Tamagawa (RIKEN),
T. Enoto, K. Nakazawa, K. Makishima (Univ. of Tokyo),
T. Uehara, T. Takahashi, Y. Fukazawa, C. Kira, Y. Hanabata (Hiroshima U.),
E. Sonoda, M. Yamauchi, H. Tanaka, R. Hara, N. Ohmori, K. Kono, H.Hayashi,
(Univ. of Miyazaki),S. Hong (Nihon U.),
on behalf of the Suzaku WAM team, report:
The long GRB 081203B (Swift/BAT Slew Survey, Copete et al., GCN Circ. 8600,
8602) triggered the Suzaku Wide-band All-sky Monitor (WAM) which covers
an energy range of 50 keV - 5 MeV at 2008-12-03 13:51:31.94713598 UT (=T0).
The observed light curve shows a multi-peaked structure starting at T0-0.5s,
ending at T0+64s with a duration (T90) of about 45 seconds. The fluence in
100 - 1000 keV was 2.9 x 10^-5 erg/cm^2. The 1-s peak flux measured from
T0+11.25s was 2.9 photons/cm^2/s in the same energy range.
Preliminary result shows that the time-averaged spectrum from
T0-3s to T0+64s is well fitted by a power-law with exponential cutoff model:
dN/dE ~ E^{-alpha} * exp(-(2-alpha)*E/Epeak) with
alpha 1.2 -0.2 +0.3 and
Epeak 304 -20 +22 keV (chi^2/d.o.f. = 50.6/28).
All the quoted errors are at statistical 90% confidence level,
in which the systematic uncertainties are not included.
The light curves for this burst are available at:
http://www.astro.isas.jaxa.jp/suzaku/HXD-WAM/WAM-GRB/grb/trig/grb_table.html
- GCN Circular #8651
T.A. Fatkhullin (SAO RAS, Niznij Arkhyz), E. Sonbas (SAO RAS, Niznij Arkhyz;
University of Cukurova, Turkey), A.J. Castro-Tirado (IAA-CSIC Granada) &
A.Pozanenko (IKI RAS, Moscow) on behalf of larger collaboration, report:
We observed the field of the GRB081203B (P. Schady et al., GCN 8606; Andreev
et al, GCN 8608) in the Rc-band with the 6-m telescope of the SAO RAS in
Caucasus. In total two 3-min exposures were obtained. The optical transient
(OT) is clearly detected in the both images. Using 4 USNO B1.0
stars we estimated the brightness of the OT as
R = 21.81 +/- 0.10 at the epoch of T-T0 = 3.534 days.
We assumed a burst time of 13:52:02 UT (Copete et al., GCN 8600).
Combining our data with ones from the GCN 8608, 8626, 8631 and 8637
we estimate the observed power-law index of the light curve as alpha ~ 1.0.
In the same night we also obtained 2x600sec spectrum of the object near
morning twilight. The VPHG550G grism was used with spectral resolution of
FWHM=10A. Inspection of the integrated spectrum showed no strong emission
lines in the range of 4000-7500AA.
The 3-min R-band image can be downloaded from
ftp://ftp/pub/grb/GRB081203B/GRB081203B_R01.jpg
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