SWIFT LOCALIZATION OF MAXI DISCOVERED GALACTIC X-RAY TRANSIENTS

Project: Research project

Project Details

Description

WE PROPOSE TO CONTINUE THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM TO USE SWIFT TO LOCALIZE GALACTIC X-RAY TRANSIENTS DISCOVERED BY MAXI THE OPERATIONAL PHASE OF WHICH HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL MARCH 31 2021. MAXI SCANS ALMOST THE ENTIRE X-RAY SKY EVERY -92 MINUTES WITH A SOURCE DETECTION SENSITIVITY OF -60 MCRAB IN ONE ORBIT AND -15 MCRAB IN ONE DAY DISCOVERING X-RAY TRANSIENTS WITH 0.1-0.5 DEGREE ACCURACIES IN THE 2-20 KEV ENERGY BAND. SWIFT PROVIDES RAPID FOLLOW-UP OF MAXI TRIGGERS AND LOCALIZATION UP TO 1.4 ERROR RADIUS WHICH IS VITAL FOR IDENTIFYING ANY OPTICAL/RADIO COUNTERPART. XRT OBSERVATIONS WILL ALSO PROVIDE MEASUREMENTS OF THE LOW ENERGY X-RAY SPECTRA. UVOT DATA WILL PROVIDE ASTROMETRIC CORRECTIONS AND POSSIBLY OPTICAL COUNTERPARTS. SWIFT IS PROVEN TO BE UNIQUELY CAPABLE IN THIS TASK.

StatusFinished
Effective start/end date7/23/197/22/20

Funding

  • Goddard Space Flight Center

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