National Technical Reports Library

The National Technical Information Service acquires, indexes, abstracts, and archives the largest collection of U.S. government-sponsored technical reports in existence. The NTRL offers online, free and open access to these authenticated government technical reports. Technical reports and documents in its repository may be available online for free either from the issuing federal agency, the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s Federal Digital System website, or through search engines.

Details

Early-Time Observations of Gamma-Ray Burst Error Boxes with the Livermore Optical Transient Imaging System.

DE200415007544

Publication Date	2000
Personal Author	Williams, G. G.
Page Count	144
Abstract	Despite the enormous wealth of gamma-ray burst (GRB) data collected over the past several years the physical mechanism which causes these extremely powerful phenomena is still unknown. Simultaneous and early time optical observations of GRBs will likely make a great contribution t o our understanding. LOTIS is a robotic wide field-of-view telescope dedicated to the search for prompt and early-time optical afterglows from gamma-ray bursts. LOTIS began routine operations in October 1996 and since that time has responded to over 145 gamma-ray burst triggers. Although LOTIS has not yet detected prompt optical emission from a GRB its upper limits have provided constraints on the theoretical emission mechanisms. Super-LOTIS, also a robotic wide field-of-view telescope, can detect emission 100 times fainter than LOTIS is capable of detecting. Routine observations from Steward Observatory's Kitt Peak Station will begin in the immediate future. During engineering test runs under bright skies from the grounds of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Super-LOTIS provided its first upper limits on the early-time optical afterglow of GRBs. This dissertation provides a summary of the results from LOTIS and Super- LOTIS through the time of writing. Plans for future studies with both systems are also presented.
Keywords	Theses Telescope Gamma ray bursts Afterglows Robotics Optical observations Field of view Optical emissions Error boxes Emission mechanisms Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Observatories Gamma ray burst (GRB) Livermore Optical Transient Imaging System (LOTIS)
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200424

Early-Time Observations of Gamma-Ray Burst Error Boxes with the Livermore Optical Transient Imaging System.

Early-Time Observations of Gamma-Ray Burst Error Boxes with the Livermore Optical Transient Imaging System.
DE200415007544

Publication Date	2000
Personal Author	Williams, G. G.
Page Count	144
Abstract	Despite the enormous wealth of gamma-ray burst (GRB) data collected over the past several years the physical mechanism which causes these extremely powerful phenomena is still unknown. Simultaneous and early time optical observations of GRBs will likely make a great contribution t o our understanding. LOTIS is a robotic wide field-of-view telescope dedicated to the search for prompt and early-time optical afterglows from gamma-ray bursts. LOTIS began routine operations in October 1996 and since that time has responded to over 145 gamma-ray burst triggers. Although LOTIS has not yet detected prompt optical emission from a GRB its upper limits have provided constraints on the theoretical emission mechanisms. Super-LOTIS, also a robotic wide field-of-view telescope, can detect emission 100 times fainter than LOTIS is capable of detecting. Routine observations from Steward Observatory's Kitt Peak Station will begin in the immediate future. During engineering test runs under bright skies from the grounds of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Super-LOTIS provided its first upper limits on the early-time optical afterglow of GRBs. This dissertation provides a summary of the results from LOTIS and Super- LOTIS through the time of writing. Plans for future studies with both systems are also presented.
Keywords	Theses Telescope Gamma ray bursts Afterglows Robotics Optical observations Field of view Optical emissions Error boxes Emission mechanisms Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Observatories Gamma ray burst (GRB) Livermore Optical Transient Imaging System (LOTIS)
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200424