Prompt optical observations of gamma-ray bursts and other energetic transients with ROTSE-III

该奖项将为机器人光学瞬态搜索实验（ROTSE）提供资金，用于观测伽马射线暴（GRBs）和其他高能瞬态，重点是对Swift BAT和GLAST LAT探测器探测到的GRBs的及时观测，以及在其上升光曲线的早期阶段探测超新星（SNe）。未来几年将是这两个伽马射线任务在太空中运行的独特机会时期。来自GLAST的数据很可能阐明grb的一个重要难题：高能光子的发射。ROTSE仪器的宽视场将使大部分探测到的事件能够定位，这对于传统的地面仪器来说是非常困难的任务。ROTSE望远镜的响应时间足够短，可以在许多爆发仍在发射伽马射线或x射线时开始观测。在过去的几年中，ROTSE收集的数据与同期的x射线数据相结合，表明先前关于GRB余辉动力学的假设不足以解释组合测量结果。ROTSE数据分析已经确定了30个SN2005ap， SN2006gy和SN2007if。这些引人注目的事件显示出比ia型SNe大10倍的峰值亮度，因此指向一种新的爆炸类型。虽然望远镜的孔径不大，但其宽广的视野使我们能够在最初的爆炸后不久发现SNe，从而使我们能够对其动力学进行更全面的探索。ROTSE已经成为研究天体物理瞬变现象的一个丰富的数据来源。最近，泰国的一个教育推广计划签署了一项协议，提供？空中巡逻吗?向全国的高中联盟提供数据。ROTSE项目横跨四大洲，首次将光学天文学研究带到纳米比亚，并大大增加了土耳其的设施。

This award will provide funds for the Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment (ROTSE) to observe gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and other energetic transients, concentrating on the prompt observations of GRBs detected by the Swift BAT and GLAST LAT detectors and the detection of supernovae (SNe) at early stages of their rising lightcurves. The next few years will be a period of unique opportunity with these two gamma-ray missions operating in space. Data from GLAST is likely to illuminate a significant puzzle of GRBs: the emission of photons of very high energies. The wide field of view of the ROTSE instruments will enable localization of a large fraction of the detected events, a task exceedingly difficult for more conventional ground-based instruments. The response time of the ROTSE telescopes is short enough to begin observations while many bursts are still emitting gamma-rays or X-rays. Over the past few years, ROTSE has collected data that, in conjunction with contemporaneous X-ray data, indicate that previous assumptions about the dynamics of GRB afterglows are inadequate to explain the combined measurements. ROTSE data analyses have identified 30 SNe, most spectacularly SN2005ap, SN2006gy and SN2007if. These remarkable events exhibit a peak brightness 10 times greater than type-IA SNe, thus pointing to a new class of explosions. Although the aperture of the telescopes is modest, their wide field of view enables the discovery of SNe shortly after the initial explosion and thus enables more a complete exploration of the dynamics. ROTSE has been a rich source of data for the study of astrophysical transient phenomena. Recently, an educational outreach program in Thailand has signed an agreement to provide ?sky patrol? data to a consortium of high schools throughout that country. The ROTSE project spans 4 continents bringing research in optical astronomy to Namibia for the first time and considerably augmenting the facilities in Turkey.