[vsnet-grb-info 17906] GRB 160325A: Skynet PROMPT-CTIO observations of the optical afterglow

[GCN Circulars]

TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  19353
SUBJECT: GRB 160325A: Skynet PROMPT-CTIO observations of the optical afterglow
DATE:    16/04/26 14:02:12 GMT
FROM:    Adam S. Trotter at UNC-Chapel Hill/PROMPT/Skynet  <atrotter at physics.unc.edu>

A. Trotter, D. Reichart, J. Haislip, J. Moore, N. Frank, M. Maples, E. Johnson, R. Joyner, J. Martin, C. Salemi, J. A. Crain, K. Ivarsen, A. LaCluyze, and M. Nysewander report:

Skynet observed the Swift BAT/XRT localization of GRB 160325A (Sonbas et al., GCN 19222, Swift trigger=680436) with with two 16" telescopes (P5, P6) and one 24" telescope (P1) of the PROMPT array at CTIO, Chile. Starting at 2016-03-25 07:01:44 UT and continuing until 09:55 UT (t=100s-2.9h post-trigger), Skynet took a total of 211 exposures ranging from 10-160s in the V band (P6) and the I band (P1,P5).

We clearly detected a fading optical afterglow at the position first reported by Fugazza & Melandri (GCN 19223). 

A preliminary light curve is at:
http://www.skynet.unc.edu/grb/grb160325a.png

Magnitudes are in the Vega System, calibrated to 4 APASS DR9 stars in the field.  Magnitudes have not been corrected for line-of-sight Milky Way dust extinction, with expected E(B-V)=0.12 (Schlafly & Finkbeiner 2011).

No further Skynet observations are scheduled.