Quick search Find article
Quick search
Find article

Refined Astrometry and Positions for 179 Swift X-Ray Afterglows

FREE ISSUE

N. R. Butler1,2

Show affiliations


We present a refined catalog for the positions of 179 gamma-ray burst (GRB) X-ray afterglows observed by the X-Ray Telescope (XRT) on Swift prior to 2006 November 1. The positions are determined by detecting X-ray field sources in the deep X-ray images and comparing the centroids to those of optical sources in the Digitized Sky Survey red2 catalog or the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 5 catalog. Half of the 90% confidence error region radii are <2.2''. The error regions areas are typically ~4 times smaller than the best XRT team error regions, although the positions require deep X-ray integration (>20 ks) and cannot be generated nearly as rapidly after the GRB. The positions derived for >90% of 77 bursts with optical afterglows are consistent with the optical transient positions, without the need for systematic error. About 20% of the afterglow positions require a sizable shift in the Swift satellite aspect. We discuss the optical/X-ray properties of the field sources and discuss the implications of the frame offsets for studies of optically dark GRBs.


Keywords

gamma rays: bursts; supernovae: general; telescopes; X-rays: general


Dates

Issue 3 (2007 March)

Received 2006 September 11, accepted for publication 2006 November 9

Published 2007 February 6



  1. Refined Astrometry and Positions for 179 Swift X-Ray Afterglows

    N. R. Butler 2007 The Astronomical Journal 133 1027

  2. A watershed modeling approach to streamflow reconstruction from tree-ring records

    Laurel Saito et al 2008 Environ. Res. Lett. 3 029801

  3. HDRK-Man: a whole-body voxel model based on high-resolution color slice images of a Korean adult male cadaver

    Chan Hyeong Kim et al 2008 Phys. Med. Biol. 53 4093

  4. Slow dynamics in random media: Crossover from glass to localization transition

    K. Kim et al 2009 EPL 88 36002

  5. Gauge and optical aspects of gravitation

    Andrzej Trautman 1999 Class. Quantum Grav. 16 A157

  6. Submillimeter Array Observations of Disks in the SR 24 Multiple Star System

    Sean M. Andrews and Jonathan P. Williams 2005 ApJ 619 L175

  7. Observations of Galaxies with the Midcourse Space Experiment

    Kathleen E. Kraemer et al. 2002 The Astronomical Journal 124 2990

  8. Progress on advanced tokamak and steady-state scenario development on DIII-D and NSTX

    E J Doyle et al 2006 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 48 B39

  9. The Size Evolution of High-Redshift Galaxies

    Henry C. Ferguson et al 2004 ApJ 600 L107

  10. POX 186: A Dwarf Galaxy in the Process of Formation?

    Michael R. Corbin and William D. Vacca 2002 ApJ 581 1039

View by subject




Export








Please login to access our web services, or create an account if you don't yet have one.

You must have cookies enabled in your web browser to be able to login.

Username
Password

Forgotten your password? Get a new one here.