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

这项奖励将为机器人光学瞬变搜索实验(ROTSE)提供资金，以观测伽马射线暴(GRBs)和其他能量瞬变，重点是由Swift BAT和GLAST LAT探测器探测到的伽马射线暴的即时观测，以及在其上升光曲线的早期阶段探测超新星(SNE)。未来几年将是一个独特的机遇期，这两个伽马射线任务将在太空中运行。来自GLAST的数据可能会阐明伽玛暴的一个重要谜题：非常高能量的光子发射。ROTSE仪器的宽广视野将使很大一部分探测到的事件能够定位，这对于更传统的地面仪器来说是一项极其困难的任务。ROTSE望远镜的响应时间足够短，可以开始观测，而许多爆发仍然在发射伽马射线或X射线。在过去的几年里，ROTSE收集的数据与同期的X射线数据一起表明，以前关于伽玛暴余辉动力学的假设不足以解释合并的测量结果。ROTSE数据分析确定了30个SNE，其中最引人注目的是SN2005ap、SN2006gy和SN2007if。这些引人注目的事件显示出的峰值亮度是IA型SNE的10倍，因此表明了一种新的爆炸类型。尽管望远镜的口径不大，但其宽广的视场使人们能够在初始爆炸后不久发现近地天体，从而能够更全面地探索动力学。ROTSE一直是研究天体物理瞬变现象的丰富数据来源。最近，泰国的一个教育外展项目签署了一项协议，提供？天空巡逻？将数据提供给全国各地的一个高中联盟。ROTSE项目横跨四大洲，首次将光学天文学研究带到纳米比亚，并大大加强了土耳其的设施。

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.