[vsnet-grb-info 12136] GRB 120728A: Swift detection of a burst

[GCN Circulars]

TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  13525
SUBJECT: GRB 120728A: Swift detection of a burst
DATE:    12/07/28 22:37:55 GMT
FROM:    Scott Barthelmy at NASA/GSFC  <scott at milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov>

J. R. Cummings (NASA/UMBC), S. D. Barthelmy (GSFC),
M. M. Chester (PSU), H. A. Krimm (CRESST/GSFC/USRA),
N. P. M. Kuin (UCL-MSSL), C. B. Markwardt (NASA/GSFC),
A. Maselli (INAF-IASFPA), D. M. Palmer (LANL), M. H. Siegel (PSU) and
T. N. Ukwatta (MSU) report on behalf of the Swift Team:

At 22:25:11 UT, the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) triggered and
located GRB 120728A (trigger=529021).  Swift slewed immediately to the burst. 
The BAT on-board calculated location is 
RA, Dec 137.100, -54.437, which is 
   RA(J2000)  =  09h 08m 24s
   Dec(J2000) = -54d 26' 13"
with an uncertainty of 3 arcmin (radius, 90% containment, including 
systematic uncertainty).  The BAT light curve shows a peak with structure
with a total duration of about 20 sec.  The peak count rate
was ~1500 counts/sec (15-350 keV), at ~3 sec after the trigger. 

The XRT began observing the field at 22:27:38.8 UT, 147.8 seconds after
the BAT trigger. Using promptly downlinked data we find a fading,
uncatalogued X-ray source located at RA, Dec 137.09412, -54.43783 which
is equivalent to:
   RA(J2000)  = 09h 08m 22.59s
   Dec(J2000) = -54d 26' 16.2"
with an uncertainty of 4.1 arcseconds (radius, 90% containment). This
location is 12 arcseconds from the BAT onboard position, within the BAT
error circle. This position may be improved as more data are received;
the latest position is available at http://www.swift.ac.uk/sper. 

A power-law fit to a spectrum formed from promptly downlinked event
data gives a column density consistent with the Galactic value of 5.18
x 10^21 cm^-2 (Kalberla et al. 2005). 

UVOT took a finding chart exposure of 250 seconds with the U filter starting
148 seconds after the BAT trigger. No credible afterglow candidate has been
found in the initial data products. The 2.7'x2.7' sub-image covers 100% of the
XRT error circle. Because of the density of catalogued stars, further analysis
is required to report an upper limit for any afterglow in the sub-image. The
8'x8' region for the list of sources generated on-board covers 100% of the XRT
error circle. Because of the density of catalogued stars, further analysis is
required to report an upper limit for any afterglow in the region. No
correction has been made for the large, but uncertain extinction expected. 

Burst Advocate for this burst is J. R. Cummings (jayc AT milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov). 
Please contact the BA by email if you require additional information
regarding Swift followup of this burst. In extremely urgent cases, after
trying the Burst Advocate, you can contact the Swift PI by phone (see
Swift TOO web site for information: http://www.swift.psu.edu/too.html.)