Search for Optical Transients Associated with Gamma-Ray Bursts and Other Astrophysical Phenomena

Akerlof博士为机器人光学瞬态搜索实验（ROTSE）设计并建造了三种互补仪器。 这些仪器在三个方面改进了现有的探测神秘伽马射线暴的光学对应物的尝试：（1）它们不需要精确的X射线确定暴位置;（2）它们在暴开始后很快就对暴位置进行成像;（3）它们可以进行困难的背景研究。 ROTSE可能是目前运行中的最先进的仪器，它可以提供有关产生伽马射线暴的物理过程的信息。伽马射线暴是伽马射线的短持续时间，高能量爆发。 它们被目前正在飞行的几颗卫星探测到。 1997年发现了这些事件的X射线、光学和无线电余辉。 ROTSE旨在对伽马射线爆发探测作出反应，并向科学界提供早期警报，以便立即跟踪可能的候选者。

Dr. Akerlof has designed and constructed three complementary instruments for the Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment (ROTSE). These instruments improve on existing attempts to detect optical counterparts of the enigmatic gamma ray bursts in three ways: (1) they do not require accurate x-ray determinations of burst location; (2) they image burst locations very soon after burst onset, and (3) they can perform difficult background studies. ROTSE is probably the most advanced instrument currently in operation which may provide information about the physical processes that produce gamma ray bursts.Gamma ray bursts are short duration, high energy bursts of gamma rays. They are detected by several satellites currently flying. The discovery of x-ray, optical and radio afterglows of these events occurred in 1997. ROTSE is designed to respond to a gamma ray burst detection and provide early alerts to the scientific community to permit immediate follow-up of possible candidates.***