Readout Modes and Automated Operation of the Swift X-Ray Telescope

J. E. Hill; D. N. Burrows; J. A. Nousek; A. F. Abbey; R. M. Ambrosi; H. Bräuninger; W. Burkert; S. Campana; C. Cheruvu; G. Cusumano; M. J. Freyberg; G. D. Hartner; R. Klar; C. Mangels; A. Moretti; K. Mori; D. C. Morris; A. D.T. Short; G. Tagliaferri; D. J. Watson; P. Wood; A. Wells

doi:10.1117/12.505728

Readout Modes and Automated Operation of the Swift X-Ray Telescope

J. E. Hill, D. N. Burrows, J. A. Nousek, A. F. Abbey, R. M. Ambrosi, H. Bräuninger, W. Burkert, S. Campana, C. Cheruvu, G. Cusumano, M. J. Freyberg, G. D. Hartner, R. Klar, C. Mangels, A. Moretti, K. Mori, D. C. Morris, A. D.T. Short, G. Tagliaferri, D. J. WatsonP. Wood, A. Wells

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

229 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Swift X-ray Telescope (XRT) is designed to make astrometric, spectroscopic, and photometric observations of X-ray emission from Gamma-ray Bursts and their afterglows in the energy band 0.2-10 keV. In order to provide rapid-response, automated observations of these randomly occurring objects without ground intervention, the XRT must be able to observe objects covering some seven orders of magnitude in flux, extracting the maximum possible science from each one. This requires a variety of readout modes designed to optimise the information collected in response to shifting scientific priorities as the flux from the burst diminishes. The XRT will support four major readout modes: imaging, two timing modes and photon-counting, with several sub-modes. We describe in detail the readout modes of the XRT. We describe the flux ranges over which each mode will operate, the automated mode switching that will occur and the methods used for collection of bias information for this instrument. We also discuss the data products produced from each mode.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	217-231
Number of pages	15
Journal	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	5165
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.505728
State	Published - May 3 2004
Event	X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII - San Diego, CA, United States Duration: Aug 3 2003 → Aug 5 2003

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1117/12.505728

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Hill, J. E., Burrows, D. N., Nousek, J. A., Abbey, A. F., Ambrosi, R. M., Bräuninger, H., Burkert, W., Campana, S., Cheruvu, C., Cusumano, G., Freyberg, M. J., Hartner, G. D., Klar, R., Mangels, C., Moretti, A., Mori, K., Morris, D. C., Short, A. D. T., Tagliaferri, G., ... Wells, A. (2004). Readout Modes and Automated Operation of the Swift X-Ray Telescope. Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 5165, 217-231. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.505728

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title = "Readout Modes and Automated Operation of the Swift X-Ray Telescope",

abstract = "The Swift X-ray Telescope (XRT) is designed to make astrometric, spectroscopic, and photometric observations of X-ray emission from Gamma-ray Bursts and their afterglows in the energy band 0.2-10 keV. In order to provide rapid-response, automated observations of these randomly occurring objects without ground intervention, the XRT must be able to observe objects covering some seven orders of magnitude in flux, extracting the maximum possible science from each one. This requires a variety of readout modes designed to optimise the information collected in response to shifting scientific priorities as the flux from the burst diminishes. The XRT will support four major readout modes: imaging, two timing modes and photon-counting, with several sub-modes. We describe in detail the readout modes of the XRT. We describe the flux ranges over which each mode will operate, the automated mode switching that will occur and the methods used for collection of bias information for this instrument. We also discuss the data products produced from each mode.",

author = "Hill, {J. E.} and Burrows, {D. N.} and Nousek, {J. A.} and Abbey, {A. F.} and Ambrosi, {R. M.} and H. Br{\"a}uninger and W. Burkert and S. Campana and C. Cheruvu and G. Cusumano and Freyberg, {M. J.} and Hartner, {G. D.} and R. Klar and C. Mangels and A. Moretti and K. Mori and Morris, {D. C.} and Short, {A. D.T.} and G. Tagliaferri and Watson, {D. J.} and P. Wood and A. Wells",

year = "2004",

month = may,

day = "3",

doi = "10.1117/12.505728",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "5165",

pages = "217--231",

journal = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

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note = "X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII ; Conference date: 03-08-2003 Through 05-08-2003",

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Hill, JE, Burrows, DN, Nousek, JA, Abbey, AF, Ambrosi, RM, Bräuninger, H, Burkert, W, Campana, S, Cheruvu, C, Cusumano, G, Freyberg, MJ, Hartner, GD, Klar, R, Mangels, C, Moretti, A, Mori, K, Morris, DC, Short, ADT, Tagliaferri, G, Watson, DJ, Wood, P & Wells, A 2004, 'Readout Modes and Automated Operation of the Swift X-Ray Telescope', Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 5165, pp. 217-231. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.505728

TY - JOUR

T1 - Readout Modes and Automated Operation of the Swift X-Ray Telescope

AU - Hill, J. E.

AU - Burrows, D. N.

AU - Nousek, J. A.

AU - Abbey, A. F.

AU - Ambrosi, R. M.

AU - Bräuninger, H.

AU - Burkert, W.

AU - Campana, S.

AU - Cheruvu, C.

AU - Cusumano, G.

AU - Freyberg, M. J.

AU - Hartner, G. D.

AU - Klar, R.

AU - Mangels, C.

AU - Moretti, A.

AU - Mori, K.

AU - Morris, D. C.

AU - Short, A. D.T.

AU - Tagliaferri, G.

AU - Watson, D. J.

AU - Wood, P.

AU - Wells, A.

PY - 2004/5/3

Y1 - 2004/5/3

N2 - The Swift X-ray Telescope (XRT) is designed to make astrometric, spectroscopic, and photometric observations of X-ray emission from Gamma-ray Bursts and their afterglows in the energy band 0.2-10 keV. In order to provide rapid-response, automated observations of these randomly occurring objects without ground intervention, the XRT must be able to observe objects covering some seven orders of magnitude in flux, extracting the maximum possible science from each one. This requires a variety of readout modes designed to optimise the information collected in response to shifting scientific priorities as the flux from the burst diminishes. The XRT will support four major readout modes: imaging, two timing modes and photon-counting, with several sub-modes. We describe in detail the readout modes of the XRT. We describe the flux ranges over which each mode will operate, the automated mode switching that will occur and the methods used for collection of bias information for this instrument. We also discuss the data products produced from each mode.

AB - The Swift X-ray Telescope (XRT) is designed to make astrometric, spectroscopic, and photometric observations of X-ray emission from Gamma-ray Bursts and their afterglows in the energy band 0.2-10 keV. In order to provide rapid-response, automated observations of these randomly occurring objects without ground intervention, the XRT must be able to observe objects covering some seven orders of magnitude in flux, extracting the maximum possible science from each one. This requires a variety of readout modes designed to optimise the information collected in response to shifting scientific priorities as the flux from the burst diminishes. The XRT will support four major readout modes: imaging, two timing modes and photon-counting, with several sub-modes. We describe in detail the readout modes of the XRT. We describe the flux ranges over which each mode will operate, the automated mode switching that will occur and the methods used for collection of bias information for this instrument. We also discuss the data products produced from each mode.

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DO - 10.1117/12.505728

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:11144354156

SN - 0277-786X

VL - 5165

SP - 217

EP - 231

JO - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

JF - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

T2 - X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII

Y2 - 3 August 2003 through 5 August 2003

ER -

Readout Modes and Automated Operation of the Swift X-Ray Telescope

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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