[vsnet-grb-info 26684] GRB 201026A: Swift detection of a burst

[GCN Circulars]

TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  28784
SUBJECT: GRB 201026A: Swift detection of a burst
DATE:    20/10/26 22:56:15 GMT
FROM:    David Palmer at LANL  <palmer at lanl.gov>

S. B. Cenko (GSFC), S. D. Barthelmy (GSFC),
M. G. Bernardini (INAF-OAB), P. D'Avanzo (INAF-OAB), J.D. Gropp (PSU),
J. A. Kennea (PSU), N. J. Klingler (PSU), S. Laha (GSFC/UMBC/CRESST),
F. E. Marshall (NASA/GSFC), A. Melandri (INAF-OAB), M. J. Moss (GWU),
D. M. Palmer (LANL) and T. Sbarrato (INAF-OAB) report on behalf of the
Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory Team:

At 22:37:34 UT, the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) triggered and
located GRB 201026A (trigger=1002103).  Swift slewed immediately to the burst. 
The BAT on-board calculated location is 
RA, Dec 196.664, +83.761 which is 
   RA(J2000) = 13h 06m 39s
   Dec(J2000) = +83d 45' 38"
with an uncertainty of 3 arcmin (radius, 90% containment, including 
systematic uncertainty).  The BAT light curve showed a complex peak
structure with a duration of about 30 sec.  The peak count rate
was ~1700counts/sec (15-350 keV), at ~0 sec after the trigger. 

The XRT began observing the field at 22:38:53.0 UT, 78.8 seconds after
the BAT trigger. XRT found a bright, uncatalogued X-ray source located
at RA, Dec 196.7408, 83.7849 which is equivalent to:
   RA(J2000)  = 13h 06m 57.79s
   Dec(J2000) = +83d 47' 05.6"
with an uncertainty of 4.8 arcseconds (radius, 90% containment). This
location is 91 arcseconds from the BAT onboard position, within the BAT
error circle. No event data are yet available to determine the column
density using X-ray spectroscopy. 

The initial flux in the 2.5 s image was 7.01e-09 erg cm^-2 s^-1 (0.2-10
keV). 

UVOT took a finding chart exposure of 150 seconds with the White filter
starting 87 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. The typical 3-sigma upper limit has been about 19.6 mag. 
The 8'x8' region for the list of sources generated on-board covers 100% of the
XRT error circle. The list of sources is typically complete to about 18 mag. No
correction has been made for the expected extinction corresponding to E(B-V) of
0.18. 

Burst Advocate for this burst is S. B. Cenko (brad.cenko AT 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/)