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The Swift-BAT Hard X-ray Transient MonitorThe Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) on the Swift satellite is a large field of view instrument that continually monitors the sky to provide the gamma-ray burst trigger for Swift. An average of more than 70% of the sky is observed on a daily basis. The survey mode data is processed on two sets on time scales: from one minute to one day as part of the transient monitor program, and from one spacecraft pointing (approx.20 minutes) to the full mission duration for the hard X-ray survey program. The transient monitor has recently become public through the web site http:// swift.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/swift/results/transients/. Sky images are processed to detect astrophysical sources in the 15-50 keV energy band and the detected flux or upper limit is calculated for >100 sources on time scales up to one day. Light curves are updated each time that new BAT data becomes available (approx.10 times daily). In addition, the monitor is sensitive to an outburst from a new or unknown source. Sensitivity as a function of time scale for catalog and unknown sources will be presented. The daily exposure for a typical source is approx.1500-3000 seconds, with a 1-sigma sensitivity of approx.4 mCrab. 90% of the sources are sampled at least every 16 days, but many sources are sampled daily. It is expected that the Swift-BAT transient monitor will become an important resource for the high energy astrophysics community.
Document ID
20070016573
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Krimm, Hans
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Markwardt, C. B.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Sanwal, D.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Tueller, J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2006
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Meeting Information
Meeting: American Astronomical Society High Energy Astrophysics Division Meeting
Location: San Francisco, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: October 4, 2006
End Date: October 7, 2006
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCC5-637
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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