Gamma-ray Burst 060729

(All information courtesy of the instrument teams.)

Previous IAU Circulars

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Results of Observations

GCN/BACODINE POSITION NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:13:26 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-BAT GRB Position
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
GRB_RA:           95.338d {+06h 21m 21s} (J2000),
                  95.353d {+06h 21m 25s} (current),
                  95.226d {+06h 20m 54s} (1950)
GRB_DEC:         -62.345d {-62d 20' 41"} (J2000),
                 -62.349d {-62d 20' 54"} (current),
                 -62.319d {-62d 19' 09"} (1950)
GRB_ERROR:       3.00 [arcmin radius, statistical only]
GRB_INTEN:       18896 [cnts]    Image_Peak=243 [image_cnts]
TRIGGER_DUR:     4.096 [sec] 
TRIGGER_INDEX:   450     E_range: 15-50 keV
BKG_INTEN:       174747 [cnts]
BKG_TIME:        69094.65 SOD {19:11:34.65} UT
BKG_DUR:         40 [sec]
GRB_DATE:        13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
GRB_TIME:        69149.24 SOD {19:12:29.24} UT
GRB_PHI:         -52.23 [deg]
GRB_THETA:        42.93 [deg]
SOLN_STATUS:     0x3
RATE_SIGNIF:     8.36 [sigma]
IMAGE_SIGNIF:    7.13 [sigma]
MERIT_PARAMS:     +1  +0  +0  +2  +1  -1  +0  +0  -8  +1 
SUN_POSTN:       128.91d {+08h 35m 39s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 28"}
SUN_DIST:         85.22 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.60d {+11h 50m 24s}   +0.85d {+00d 50' 58"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.76,-27.26 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the burst (or transient)
ECL_COORDS:      121.07,-85.20 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the burst (or transient)
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-BAT GRB Coordinates.  
COMMENTS:        This is a rate trigger.  
COMMENTS:        A point_source was found.  
COMMENTS:        This does not match any source in the on-board catalog.  
COMMENTS:        This does not match any source in the ground catalog.  
COMMENTS:        This is a GRB.  
COMMENTS:        This trigger occurred at longitude,latitude = 167.92,4.06 [deg].

red DSS finding chart ps-file

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:15:12 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-XRT Image
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
GRB_RA:           95.3781d {+06h 21m 30.7s} (J2000),
                  95.3927d {+06h 21m 34.2s} (current),
                  95.2669d {+06h 21m 04.0s} (1950)
GRB_DEC:         -62.3710d {-62d 22' 15.6"} (J2000),
                 -62.3744d {-62d 22' 27.9"} (current),
                 -62.3452d {-62d 20' 42.6"} (1950)
GRB_ERROR:       4.7 [arcsec, radius, statistical plus systematic]
GRB_INTEN:       90 [cnts]
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69273.63 SOD {19:14:33.63} UT,   124.4 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
CENTROID_X:      282.09,  raw= 282  [pixels]
CENTROID_Y:      262.80,  raw= 263  [pixels]
ROLL:            31.75 [deg]
GAIN:            2
MODE:            2, Short Image mode
WAVEFORM:        134
EXPO_TIME:       0.10 [sec]
GRB_POS_XRT_Y:   -84.84
GRB_POS_XRT_Z:   -45.26
IMAGE_URL:       sw00221755000msxps_rw.img
SUN_POSTN:       128.91d {+08h 35m 39s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 27"}
SUN_DIST:         85.23 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.61d {+11h 50m 27s}   +0.84d {+00d 50' 33"}
MOON_DIST:        87.15 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.79,-27.24 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the burst
ECL_COORDS:      121.41,-85.22 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the burst
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-XRT Image.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:15:11 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-XRT Position
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
GRB_RA:           95.3781d {+06h 21m 30.7s} (J2000),
                  95.3927d {+06h 21m 34.2s} (current),
                  95.2669d {+06h 21m 04.0s} (1950)
GRB_DEC:         -62.3710d {-62d 22' 15.6"} (J2000),
                 -62.3744d {-62d 22' 27.9"} (current),
                 -62.3452d {-62d 20' 42.6"} (1950)
GRB_ERROR:       4.7 [arcsec radius, statistical plus systematic, 90% containment]
GRB_INTEN:       7.70e-08 [erg/cm2/sec]
GRB_SIGNIF:      9.48 [sigma]
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69273.63 SOD {19:14:33.63} UT,   124.4 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
TAM[0-3]:        327.62 237.18 261.21 243.40
AMPLIFIER:       2
WAVEFORM:        134
SUN_POSTN:       128.91d {+08h 35m 39s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 27"}
SUN_DIST:         85.23 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.61d {+11h 50m 27s}   +0.84d {+00d 50' 34"}
MOON_DIST:        87.15 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.79,-27.24 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the burst
ECL_COORDS:      121.41,-85.22 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the burst
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-XRT Coordinates.  
COMMENTS:        The object found at this position is either a very bright burst or a cosmic ray hit.  
COMMENTS:        Examine the XRT Image to differentiate (CRs are much more compact; see examples at:  
COMMENTS:        http://www.swift.psu.edu/xrt/XRT_Postage_Stamp_Image_Photo_Gallery.htm .

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:15:27 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-XRT Processed Image
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
GRB_RA:           95.3781d {+06h 21m 30.7s} (J2000),
                  95.3927d {+06h 21m 34.2s} (current),
                  95.2669d {+06h 21m 04.0s} (1950)
GRB_DEC:         -62.3710d {-62d 22' 15.6"} (J2000),
                 -62.3744d {-62d 22' 27.9"} (current),
                 -62.3452d {-62d 20' 42.6"} (1950)
GRB_ERROR:       4.7 [arcsec, radius, statistical plus systematic]
GRB_INTEN:       90 [cnts]
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69273.63 SOD {19:14:33.63} UT,   124.4 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
CENTROID_X:      282.09,  raw= 282  [pixels]
CENTROID_Y:      262.80,  raw= 263  [pixels]
ROLL:            31.75 [deg]
GAIN:            2
MODE:            2, Short Image mode
WAVEFORM:        134
EXPO_TIME:       0.10 [sec]
GRB_POS_XRT_Y:   -84.84
GRB_POS_XRT_Z:   -45.26
IMAGE_URL:       sw00221755000msxps_rw.img
SUN_POSTN:       128.91d {+08h 35m 39s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 27"}
SUN_DIST:         85.23 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.62d {+11h 50m 28s}   +0.84d {+00d 50' 30"}
MOON_DIST:        87.15 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.79,-27.24 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the burst
ECL_COORDS:      121.41,-85.22 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the burst
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-XRT Processed Image.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:17:13 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-BAT GRB Lightcurve
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
GRB_RA:           95.338d {+06h 21m 21s} (J2000),
                  95.353d {+06h 21m 25s} (current),
                  95.226d {+06h 20m 54s} (1950)
GRB_DEC:         -62.345d {-62d 20' 41"} (J2000),
                 -62.349d {-62d 20' 54"} (current),
                 -62.319d {-62d 19' 09"} (1950)
GRB_DATE:        13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
GRB_TIME:        69149.24 SOD {19:12:29.24} UT
TRIGGER_INDEX:   450
GRB_PHI:         -52.23 [deg]
GRB_THETA:        42.93 [deg]
DELTA_TIME:      -18.00 [sec]
TRIGGER_DUR:     4.096 [sec] 
SOLN_STATUS:     0x3
RATE_SIGNIF:     8.36 [sigma]
IMAGE_SIGNIF:    7.13 [sigma]
LC_URL:          sw00221755000msb.lc
SUN_POSTN:       128.91d {+08h 35m 40s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 26"}
SUN_DIST:         85.22 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.63d {+11h 50m 31s}   +0.83d {+00d 50' 05"}
MOON_DIST:        87.16 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.76,-27.26 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the burst (or transient)
ECL_COORDS:      121.07,-85.20 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the burst (or transient)
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-BAT GRB Lightcurve.  
COMMENTS:           
COMMENTS:        The next comments were copied from the BAT_POS Notice:  
COMMENTS:        This is a rate trigger.  
COMMENTS:        A point_source was found.  
COMMENTS:        This does not match any source in the on-board catalog.  
COMMENTS:        This does not match any source in the ground catalog.  
COMMENTS:        This is a GRB.  
COMMENTS:        This trigger occurred at longitude,latitude = 167.92,4.06 [deg].

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:20:06 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Processed Image
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.325d {+06h 21m 18s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.368d {-62d 22' 05"} (J2000)
ROLL:            31.746d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69283.95 SOD {19:14:43.95} UT,   134.7 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          10, White
EXPOSURE_ID:     175893285
X_OFFSET:        958 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        980 [pixels]
WIDTH:           160 [pixels]
HEIGHT:          160 [pixels]
X_GRB_POS:       1118
Y_GRB_POS:       1140
BINNING_INDEX:   1
IM_URL:          sw00221755000msuni0134.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 40s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 24"}
SUN_DIST:         85.24 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.65d {+11h 50m 36s}   +0.82d {+00d 49' 24"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.26 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.13,-85.22 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Processed Image.  
COMMENTS:        The GRB Position came from the XRT Position Command.  
COMMENTS:        The image has 2x2 binning (compression).  
COMMENTS:        All 4 attachments are included.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:20:36 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Processed Source List
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.325d {+06h 21m 18s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.368d {-62d 22' 05"} (J2000)
POINT_ROLL:      31.746d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69283.95 SOD {19:14:43.95} UT,   134.7 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          10, White
BKG_MEAN:        2.213
N_STARS:         190
X_OFFSET:        638 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        660 [pixels]
X_MAX:           1597 [pixels]
Y_MAX:           1619 [pixels]
DET_THRESH:      12
PHOTO_THRESH:    6
SL_URL:          sw00221755000msufc0134.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 40s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 24"}
SUN_DIST:         85.24 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.65d {+11h 50m 37s}   +0.82d {+00d 49' 17"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.26 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.13,-85.22 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Processed Source List.  
COMMENTS:        All 4 attachments are included.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:24:20 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Source List
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
POINT_ROLL:      31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69389.16 SOD {19:16:29.16} UT,   239.9 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          3, V
BKG_MEAN:        2.151
N_STARS:         190
X_OFFSET:        638 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        660 [pixels]
X_MAX:           1597 [pixels]
Y_MAX:           1619 [pixels]
DET_THRESH:      12
PHOTO_THRESH:    6
SL_URL:          sw00221755000msufc0239.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 41s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 22"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.68d {+11h 50m 43s}   +0.81d {+00d 48' 25"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Source List.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:25:33 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Processed Source List
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
POINT_ROLL:      31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69389.16 SOD {19:16:29.16} UT,   239.9 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          3, V
BKG_MEAN:        2.151
N_STARS:         190
X_OFFSET:        638 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        660 [pixels]
X_MAX:           1597 [pixels]
Y_MAX:           1619 [pixels]
DET_THRESH:      12
PHOTO_THRESH:    6
SL_URL:          sw00221755000msufc0239.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 41s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 21"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.69d {+11h 50m 45s}   +0.80d {+00d 48' 08"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Processed Source List.  
COMMENTS:        All 4 attachments are included.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:25:47 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Image
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
ROLL:            31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69389.16 SOD {19:16:29.16} UT,   239.9 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          3, V
EXPOSURE_ID:     175893390
X_OFFSET:        958 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        980 [pixels]
WIDTH:           160 [pixels]
HEIGHT:          160 [pixels]
X_GRB_POS:       1118
Y_GRB_POS:       1140
BINNING_INDEX:   1
IM_URL:          sw00221755000msuni0239.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 41s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 21"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.69d {+11h 50m 46s}   +0.80d {+00d 48' 04"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Image.  
COMMENTS:        The GRB Position came from the XRT Position Command.  
COMMENTS:        The image has 2x2 binning (compression).

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:27:10 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Processed Image
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
ROLL:            31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69389.16 SOD {19:16:29.16} UT,   239.9 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          3, V
EXPOSURE_ID:     175893390
X_OFFSET:        958 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        980 [pixels]
WIDTH:           160 [pixels]
HEIGHT:          160 [pixels]
X_GRB_POS:       1118
Y_GRB_POS:       1140
BINNING_INDEX:   1
IM_URL:          sw00221755000msuni0239.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 41s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 20"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.70d {+11h 50m 48s}   +0.80d {+00d 47' 45"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Processed Image.  
COMMENTS:        The GRB Position came from the XRT Position Command.  
COMMENTS:        The image has 2x2 binning (compression).  
COMMENTS:        All 4 attachments are included.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:28:52 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Source List
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
POINT_ROLL:      31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  70008.18 SOD {19:26:48.18} UT,   858.9 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          10, White
BKG_MEAN:        2.133
N_STARS:         190
X_OFFSET:        638 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        660 [pixels]
X_MAX:           1597 [pixels]
Y_MAX:           1619 [pixels]
DET_THRESH:      12
PHOTO_THRESH:    6
SL_URL:          sw00221755000msufc0858.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 41s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 19"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.71d {+11h 50m 51s}   +0.79d {+00d 47' 21"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Source List.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:30:05 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Processed Source List
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
POINT_ROLL:      31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  70008.18 SOD {19:26:48.18} UT,   858.9 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          10, White
BKG_MEAN:        2.133
N_STARS:         190
X_OFFSET:        638 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        660 [pixels]
X_MAX:           1597 [pixels]
Y_MAX:           1619 [pixels]
DET_THRESH:      12
PHOTO_THRESH:    6
SL_URL:          sw00221755000msufc0858.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 42s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 18"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.72d {+11h 50m 53s}   +0.78d {+00d 47' 04"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Processed Source List.  
COMMENTS:        All 4 attachments are included.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:30:21 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Image
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
ROLL:            31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  70008.18 SOD {19:26:48.18} UT,   858.9 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          10, White
EXPOSURE_ID:     175894009
X_OFFSET:        957 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        979 [pixels]
WIDTH:           160 [pixels]
HEIGHT:          160 [pixels]
X_GRB_POS:       1117
Y_GRB_POS:       1139
BINNING_INDEX:   1
IM_URL:          sw00221755000msuni0858.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 42s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 18"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.72d {+11h 50m 54s}   +0.78d {+00d 46' 60"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Image.  
COMMENTS:        The GRB Position came from the Window Position in the Mode Command.  
COMMENTS:        The image has 2x2 binning (compression).

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:31:45 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Processed Image
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
ROLL:            31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  70008.18 SOD {19:26:48.18} UT,   858.9 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          10, White
EXPOSURE_ID:     175894009
X_OFFSET:        957 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        979 [pixels]
WIDTH:           160 [pixels]
HEIGHT:          160 [pixels]
X_GRB_POS:       1117
Y_GRB_POS:       1139
BINNING_INDEX:   1
IM_URL:          sw00221755000msuni0858.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 42s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 17"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.73d {+11h 50m 56s}   +0.78d {+00d 46' 40"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Processed Image.  
COMMENTS:        The GRB Position came from the Window Position in the Mode Command.  
COMMENTS:        The image has 2x2 binning (compression).  
COMMENTS:        All 4 attachments are included.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:35:42 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Source List
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
POINT_ROLL:      31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  70113.37 SOD {19:28:33.37} UT,   964.1 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          3, V
BKG_MEAN:        2.069
N_STARS:         190
X_OFFSET:        638 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        660 [pixels]
X_MAX:           1597 [pixels]
Y_MAX:           1619 [pixels]
DET_THRESH:      12
PHOTO_THRESH:    6
SL_URL:          sw00221755000msufc0964.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.93d {+08h 35m 43s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 15"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.76d {+11h 51m 03s}   +0.76d {+00d 45' 44"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Source List.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:17:49 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Source List
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.325d {+06h 21m 18s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.368d {-62d 22' 05"} (J2000)
POINT_ROLL:      31.746d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69283.95 SOD {19:14:43.95} UT,   134.7 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          10, White
BKG_MEAN:        2.213
N_STARS:         190
X_OFFSET:        638 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        660 [pixels]
X_MAX:           1597 [pixels]
Y_MAX:           1619 [pixels]
DET_THRESH:      12
PHOTO_THRESH:    6
SL_URL:          sw00221755000msufc0134.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 40s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 25"}
SUN_DIST:         85.24 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.63d {+11h 50m 32s}   +0.83d {+00d 49' 57"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.26 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.13,-85.22 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Source List.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:18:23 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Image
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.325d {+06h 21m 18s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.368d {-62d 22' 05"} (J2000)
ROLL:            31.746d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  69283.95 SOD {19:14:43.95} UT,   134.7 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          10, White
EXPOSURE_ID:     175893285
X_OFFSET:        958 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        980 [pixels]
WIDTH:           160 [pixels]
HEIGHT:          160 [pixels]
X_GRB_POS:       1118
Y_GRB_POS:       1140
BINNING_INDEX:   1
IM_URL:          sw00221755000msuni0134.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.92d {+08h 35m 40s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 25"}
SUN_DIST:         85.24 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.64d {+11h 50m 33s}   +0.83d {+00d 49' 49"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.26 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.13,-85.22 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Image.  
COMMENTS:        The GRB Position came from the XRT Position Command.  
COMMENTS:        The image has 2x2 binning (compression).

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:37:13 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Image
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
ROLL:            31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  70113.37 SOD {19:28:33.37} UT,   964.1 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          3, V
EXPOSURE_ID:     175894114
X_OFFSET:        957 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        979 [pixels]
WIDTH:           160 [pixels]
HEIGHT:          160 [pixels]
X_GRB_POS:       1117
Y_GRB_POS:       1139
BINNING_INDEX:   1
IM_URL:          sw00221755000msuni0964.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.93d {+08h 35m 43s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 14"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.77d {+11h 51m 05s}   +0.76d {+00d 45' 23"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Image.  
COMMENTS:        The GRB Position came from the Window Position in the Mode Command.  
COMMENTS:        The image has 2x2 binning (compression).

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:38:22 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Processed Source List
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
POINT_ROLL:      31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  70113.37 SOD {19:28:33.37} UT,   964.1 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          3, V
BKG_MEAN:        2.069
N_STARS:         190
X_OFFSET:        638 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        660 [pixels]
X_MAX:           1597 [pixels]
Y_MAX:           1619 [pixels]
DET_THRESH:      12
PHOTO_THRESH:    6
SL_URL:          sw00221755000msufc0964.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.93d {+08h 35m 43s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 13"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.78d {+11h 51m 07s}   +0.75d {+00d 45' 07"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Processed Source List.  
COMMENTS:        All 4 attachments are included.

GCN NOTICE

TITLE:           GCN/SWIFT NOTICE
NOTICE_DATE:     Sat 29 Jul 06 19:38:41 UT
NOTICE_TYPE:     Swift-UVOT Processed Image
TRIGGER_NUM:     221755,   Seg_Num: 0
POINT_RA:         95.321d {+06h 21m 17s} (J2000)
POINT_DEC:       -62.369d {-62d 22' 08"} (J2000)
ROLL:            31.751d
IMG_START_DATE:  13945 TJD;   210 DOY;   06/07/29
IMG_START_TIME:  70113.37 SOD {19:28:33.37} UT,   964.1 [sec] since BAT Trigger Time
FILTER:          3, V
EXPOSURE_ID:     175894114
X_OFFSET:        957 [pixels]
Y_OFFSET:        979 [pixels]
WIDTH:           160 [pixels]
HEIGHT:          160 [pixels]
X_GRB_POS:       1117
Y_GRB_POS:       1139
BINNING_INDEX:   1
IM_URL:          sw00221755000msuni0964.fits
SUN_POSTN:       128.93d {+08h 35m 43s}  +18.64d {+18d 38' 13"}
SUN_DIST:         85.25 [deg]   Sun_angle= 2.2 [hr] (West of Sun)
MOON_POSTN:      177.78d {+11h 51m 08s}   +0.75d {+00d 45' 02"}
MOON_DIST:        87.17 [deg]
MOON_ILLUM:      19 [%]
GAL_COORDS:      271.78,-27.27 [deg] galactic lon,lat of the pointing direction
ECL_COORDS:      121.11,-85.23 [deg] ecliptic lon,lat of the pointing direction
COMMENTS:        SWIFT-UVOT Processed Image.  
COMMENTS:        The GRB Position came from the Window Position in the Mode Command.  
COMMENTS:        The image has 2x2 binning (compression).  
COMMENTS:        All 4 attachments are included.

GCN Circular #5365
D. Grupe (PSU), L. M. Barbier (NASA/GSFC), S. D. Barthelmy (GSFC), D. N. Burrows (PSU), M. M. Chester (PSU), C. Guidorzi (Univ Bicocca&INAF-OAB), J. A. Kennea (PSU), C. B. Markwardt (GSFC/UMD), D. M. Palmer (LANL), J. L. Racusin (PSU) and M. Stamatikos (NASA/ORAU) report on behalf of the Swift Team:
At 19:12:29 UT, the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) triggered and located GRB 060729 (trigger=221755). Swift slewed immediately to the burst. The BAT on-board calculated location is RA,Dec 95.338, -62.345 {06h 21m 21s, -62d 20' 41"} (J2000) with an uncertainty of 3 arcmin (radius, 90% containment, including systematic uncertainty). The BAT light curve shows a small peak at T_zero of ~5 sec duration and a possible much larger peak starting at ~T+70 until ~T+120. The peak count rate was ~2000 counts/sec (15-350 keV), at ~T+90 sec after the trigger.
The XRT began observing the field at 19:14:33 UT, 124 seconds after the BAT trigger. XRT found a bright, fading, uncatalogued X-ray source located at RA(J2000) = 06h 21m 31.3s, Dec(J2000) = -62d 22' 13.4", with an estimated uncertainty of 4.7 arcseconds (90% confidence radius). This location is 116 arcseconds from the BAT on-board position, within the BAT error circle. The initial flux in the 0.1s image was 7.7e-08 erg/cm2/s (0.2-10 keV).
UVOT began observing in the White filter at 19:14:43.95 UT, 134.7 sec after the BAT trigger. An uncataloged source is detected at RA, DEC = 95.3827, -62.3702, 3.2 arcsecs from ground-determined XRT position, which brightens from 19.2 to 17.8 in the second White image. The magnitudes have not been corrected for galactic absorption in this direction, E(B-V) = 0.054.
We are currently in the Malindi gap so we will not have the full data set for this burst for another 7 hours.
GCN Circular #5366
R. Quimby (U Texas), H. Swan (U Mich), W. Rujopakarn (U Mich), and D.A. Smith (Guilford), report on behalf of the ROTSE collaboration:
ROTSE-IIIa, located at the Siding Spring Observatory, Australia, responded to Swift trigger 221755 (GRB 060729; Grupe et al. GCN 5365). The first image was taken at 19:13:33.5 UT, 64.3 s after the burst (8.5 s after the GCN notice time). We detect a source coincident with the UVOT position (GCN 5365). In a 5-second image beginning at 19:14:02.1 and coincident with the second, larger peak in the BAT light curve, the object is approximately 15.5 magnitude (unfiltered; calibrated against the USNO A2.0), while a co-addition of our first 10 5-second images shows the object at approximately 16.6 magnitude. Images taken over the next 30 minutes do not show significant evolution, and have a mean magnitude of 16.5.
GCN Circular #5367
S. Immler (NASA/USRA/GSFC) reports on behalf of the Swift/UVOT team:
The Swift/UVOT began observing the field of GRB 060729 at 19:14:45 UT on 2006-07-29, 135 s after the BAT trigger (Grupe et al., GCN 5365). An optical counterpart was detected in the White (160-650 nm) and V filters at a position of RA, Dec = 06:21:31.85, -62:22:12.7 (J2000), located within the XRT error circle.
A White filter image taken 12 min later showed that the source brightened by about 1 magnitude, while the source stayed constant in images obtained in the V filter within the same period. The photometry results are given for the UVOT filters below:
```
Filter  T_start(s)  Exposure(s)    Mag

White     135         100        17.75
White     860         100        16.65
V         241         396        17.30
V         966         400        17.35
```
Statistical and systematic errors are 0.1 mag each. The values quoted above are not corrected for the expected Galactic extinction of E_{B-V}=0.054 (Schlegel et al. 1998). More UVOT data are expected after the next Malindi contact (2006-07-30 01:27 UT).
GCN Circular #5368
XMM-Newton will observe GRB 060729 at location (RA=06h 21m 30.7s, DEC=-62d 22' 15.6", J2000), starting at 07:41 UT, on July 30, 2006, for an exposure of 62600 seconds.
GCN Circular #5369
GRB 060729: Swift-XRT refined analysis
D. Grupe (PSU) reports on behalf of the Swift/XRT team
We have analyzed the first 5 orbits with a total observing time of 10.9 ks of Swift XRT data (2.3 ks in Windowed Timing and 8.6 in photon counting mode) of GRB 060729 (Grupe et al., GCN 5365). The Photon Counting mode image provides a refined XRT position:
```
RA(J2000) = 06h 21m 31.29s,
Dec(J2000) = -62d 22' 13.4"
```
with an error of 3.5" (90% confidence). This position is 3.2" away from the preliminary XRT position reported in GCN 5365.
The X-ray light curve displays the end of a giant flare (at the beginning of the XRT observation this flare had a count rate of 1000 counts/s) followed by a second flare at 174s after the burst. The afterglow shows a long late-time flare between 1 ks to 10 ks after the burst. We do not see a break in the light curve yet that allows us to give a reliable prediction of the flux for the next 24h. Right now the count rate is at a level of 0.3 counts s**-1 or a flux of about 1.5e-11 ergs s**-1 cm**-2.
Spectral fits to the Windowed Timing mode data during the flare phase suggest a significant absorption column density in excess of the Galactic value (4.82e20 cm**-2). The later photon counting mode data after the flares can be fitted by a single power law model with a photon index Gamma = 2.14+0.15-0.14 and an absorption column density NH=1.0+/-0.3 e21 cm**-2.
We also want to point out that this burst is also an optically bright burst (Immler 2006, GCN 5267). Even though it is only 2h away from the sun in RA, it is circumpolar for most southern observatories. We would like to encourage all southern observers to obtain a spectrum of this burst in order to determine its redshift.
This circular is an official product of the Swift XRT Team.
GCN Circular #5370
A. Parsons (GSFC), L. Barbier (GSFC), S. D. Barthelmy (GSFC), J. Cummings (GSFC/ORAU), E. Fenimore (LANL), N. Gehrels (GSFC), D. Grupe (PSU), D. Hullinger (BYU-Idaho), H. Krimm (GSFC/USRA), M. Koss (GSFC/UMD), C. Markwardt (GSFC/UMD), D. Palmer (LANL), T. Sakamoto (GSFC/ORAU), G. Sato (GSFC/ISAS), M. Stamatikos (GSFC/ORAU), J. Tueller (GSFC) on behalf of the Swift-BAT team:
Using the data set from T-240 to T+742 sec from recent telemetry downlinks, we report further analysis of BAT GRB 060729 (trigger #221755) (Grupe, et al., GCN Circ. 5365). The BAT ground-calculated position is RA,Dec = 95.288, -62.221 deg {6h 21m 9.1s, -62d 13' 16.3"} (J2000) +- 4.0 arcmin, (radius, sys+stat, 90% containment). The partial coding was 18%.
The mask-weighted lightcurve 4 main peaks. The first starts at T-2 sec and ends at T+10 with a peak at T+2 sec. The second, somewhat smaller peak goes from T+20 to T+26 sec. Then come two overlapping peaks that start at T+70 sec and end at roughly T+135 sec with peaks at T+80 and T+93 sec. There is no significant indication of any emission at the time of the flare listed in Grupe et al., GCN Circ 5369 (T+174 sec). T90 (15-350 keV) is 116 +- 10 sec (estimated error including systematics).
The time-averaged spectrum from T+1 to T+132 is best fit by a simple power-law model. The power law index of the time-averaged spectrum is 1.86 +- 0.14. The fluence in the 15-150 keV band is 2.7 +- 0.2 x 10^-6 erg/cm2. The 1-sec peak photon flux measured from T+91.97 sec in the 15-150 keV band is 1.4 +- 0.2 ph/cm2/sec. All the quoted errors are at the 90% confidence level.
GCN Circular #5371
S. Immler (NASA/USRA/GSFC) reports on behalf of the Swift/UVOT team:
Analysis of the merged Swift/UVOT data of GRB 060729 (GCN 5365, 5366, 5367, 5369) obtained on 2006-07-29 shows that the optical afterglow was detected in the White, V, B, U, UVW1, UVM2, and UVW2 filters. The detection in all of the UVOT bands suggests that the redshift is less than approx. 1.1. The photometry results are given for the 7 UVOT filters below:
```
Filter   T_start(s)  Exposure(s)    Mag

White     135           726        17.2
V         115         1,846        17.4
B         711           461        18.3
U         686           491        17.3
UVW1      663           491        17.4
UVM2      640           306        17.7
UVW2      730         1,088        18.0
```
Statistical and systematic errors are 0.1 mag each. The values quoted above are not corrected for the expected Galactic extinction of E_{B-V}=0.054 (Schlegel et al. 1998).
GCN Circular #5373
Christina C. Thoene (DARK Cosmology Centre), Andrew Levan, Pall Jakobsson (Univ. of Hertfordshire), Evert Rol (Univ. of Leicester), Javier Gorosabel (IAA-CSIC Granada) Johan P.U. Fynbo, Brian L. Jensen, Jens Hjorth (DARK) and Paul Vreeswijk (ESO) report:
Starting at 08:41 UT, we obtained 3x30min spectra of the OT of GRB 060729 (GCN 5365) using FORS2 at the VLT and grism 300V. Spectra were also taken at the Gemini south observatory and GMOS beginning at 09:37UT (3x400s using the B600 grating). At the time of the GMOS observations, the afterglow had a magnitude of i~18 using instrumental zeropoints.
The absorption lines identified as Mg II + I, Ca H&K and Fe II give a redshift of z=0.54 for the GRB. We don't detect any [O II] 3728 in emission, indicating that the host is relatively faint. The faintness of the host and the relatively low redshift makes this a suitable target for follow-up supernova search.
We thank the staff at VLT and Gemini for performing the observations, especially Arjan Bik and Marcel Bergmann.
GCN Circular #5377
R. Quimby (U Texas) and E. S. Rykoff (U Mich), report on behalf of the ROTSE collaboration:
ROTSE-IIIa, located at the Siding Spring Observatory, Australia, responded to Swift trigger 221755 (GRB 060729; Grupe et al., GCN 5365) with an automatic sequence of 10 5-second, 10 20-second, and 34 60-second integrations before twilight set in (Quimby et al., GCN 5366). Another 30 60-second images were taken on July 30, and 60 further 60-second frames were recorded on July 31.
No optical source was detected in our first image, but seconds later we clearly detect a 15.7 magnitude transient object at the location of the UVOT source (GCN 5365; Immler, GCN 5367). The object faded over the next 100 seconds, and then brightened to about 16.5 magnitude around 400 seconds after the BAT trigger. After this, the optical transient slowly began to fade, approximately following a t^-0.23 power-law at least until the July 30 observations. On July 31, the optical transient was about 19.4 magnitude, significantly fainter than an extrapolation of the simple power-law would predict. The 2.9 magnitude drop from t~400-seconds marks one of the slowest 2 day average decline rates ever recorded by ROTSE-III.
We set the following representative detections and limits:
```
    tstart        tend    exp    mag   emag
-----------------------------------------------
     64.26        69.26     5  >16.60
     92.86        97.86     5   15.67  0.10
    187.06       219.96    15  >17.28
    448.57       604.68   120   16.56  0.05
   2269.84      2830.05   480   16.93  0.05
  72997.24     75133.01  1800   18.00  0.18
 171304.69    175581.44  3600   19.39  0.18
```
(times are seconds after the BAT trigger; magnitudes are unfiltered and calibrated against the USNO-B1.0 R2)
GCN Circular #5432
D. Grupe (PSU) reports on behalf of the Swift team
We report on an update of the Swift XRT and UVOT observations of GRB 050729 (Grupe et al., GCN 5365). The afterglow still appears to be bright in both narrow-field instruments, XRT and UVOT.
In the XRT, after the initial steep decay during a giant flare the light curve of the after glow became flat at about 1000s after the burst with a decay slope 0.34+/-0.04. The light curve shows a second break at about 40 ks after the burst and is decaying now with a power law decay slope 1.21+/-0.08. Currently (2006 August 09) the XRT count rate is at a level of 0.01 counts s-1 (which converts to about 4e-13 ergs s-1 cm-2).
In the UVOT the afterglow is not detected any more in V and barely detectable in B and U. However, it is still clearly detectable in the three UV filters and by the end of 2006 August 08 (UT) we measure the following magnitudes (not corrected for reddening):
```
V    > 20.4         (3.0 sigma upper limit)
B    = 22.1+/-0.7   (2.6 sigma)
U    = 22.3+/-1.1   (1.1 sigma)
UVW1 = 21.36+/-0.36  (3.6 sigma)
UVM2 = 21.53+/-0.27  (4.0 sigma)
UVW2 = 22.15+/-0.33  (3.4 sigma)
```
The afterglow is decaying and from the flux light curves we measured power law decay slopes of 1.0 in V, 0.8 in B, 1.2 in U, 1.3 in UVW1, 1.3 in UVM2, and 1.4 in UVW2.
We continue observing the afterglow with Swift and encourage all ground-based observers with access to southern hemisphere telescopes to follow this afterglow at optical wavelengths in order to monitor the possible appearance of a supernova.
This circular is an official product of the Swift Team.
GCN Circular #5465
B. E. Cobb and C. D. Bailyn, part of the larger SMARTS consortium, report:
Using the ANDICAM instrument on the 1.3m telescope at CTIO, we obtained optical/IR imaging of the error region of GRB 060729 (Grupe et al. GCN 5365) with the following mid-exposure times:
```
        obs1 2006-08-03 10:07 UT -  4.6 days post-burst
        obs2 2006-08-12 10:11 UT - 13.6 days post-burst
        obs3 2006-08-14 09:26 UT - 15.6 days post-burst
        obs4 2006-08-16 09:27 UT - 17.6 days post-burst
```
For each observation, total summed exposure times amounted to 36 minutes in I and 30 minutes in J.
The afterglow of GRB 060729 is clearly visible in the I-band in our first observation (obs1), despite 4.6 days having past since the GRB occurred. The preliminary afterglow magnitude is I = 20.0 +/- 0.1. The I-band photometry is calibrated to a number of secondary stars in the field of GRB 060729. The magnitude of these secondary stars was derived using Landolt standard star observations obtained during the night of obs4, which was a photometric night at CTIO. The afterglow is only marginally detected in the corresponding J-band image, which has an approximate limiting magnitude of J > 19 (calibrated based on several 2MASS stars in the field).
No source appears at the position of the afterglow in the individual observations taken 13.6 to 17.6 days post-burst (obs2 - obs4). When these three images are combined, however, a faint source is detected in the I-band, with magnitude I = 21.9 +/- 0.2 (no source is detected in the combined J-band image to a limiting magnitude of J > 19.5). A decay of ~2 magnitudes between day ~5 and day ~16 is consistent with an afterglow decay rate of alpha ~ -1.5, but steeper than the late-time optical decay noted by Grupe (GCN 5432). If the host galaxy contributes significantly, the afterglow decay must be steeper still.
GCN Circular #5469
Sergio Campana (OAB) & Andrea De Luca (IASF Mi) on behalf of a larger collaboration report:
We have analyzed the data from the XMM-Newton observation of GRB060729, discovered by Swift on 2006, Jul 29, 19:12:29 UT (Grupe et al., GCN5365).
The XMM-Newton observation started on 2006, July 30 07:59 UT and lasted for ~61 ks. A high particle background level affects only mildly the whole observation and only the highest flares have been cut out, in consideration also of the source strength.
The background subtracted pn light curve (0.3-10 keV) shows a clear decay from about 5 c/s at the beginning of the observation down to 2 c/s. The light curve can be fit with a power law decay with index delta=1.04+/-0.02 but with a large chi2=1.8 (58 dof). This is due to a large bump in the middle of the exposure. Adding a Gaussian we obtain a better chi2=0.7 (55 dof). The central time is 69+/-1 ks (90% confidence) from the burst start and the (Gaussian) width over the time is about 7+/-2%. We note also that the time of the XMM-Newton observation is close to the break time observed by Swift XRT in the GRB060729 light curve (Grupe, GCN5432). Fitting a broken power law to we obtain a first decay index delta1=0.85+/-0.05, which is inconsistent with the early slope of 0.34 reported by Grupe.
We extracted time-averaged spectra from the EPIC pn camera (since in the initial part of the MOS observation the GRB spectrum should be mildly piled-up) and the two RGS spectrometers (first and second order) and we generated ad-hoc response files. A simultaneous fit with an absorbed power law model with Galactic and intrinsic (at a redshift of z=0.54, Thoene et al. GCN5373) yields a reduced chi2 of 1.05 (1824 dof, without any systematic error). The resulting NH=(3.9+/-0.9)x1020 cm-2 (consistent with the Galactic value of NH=4.8x1020 cm-2, Dickey & Lockman 1990) and a relatively low NH_host=(9.2+/-0.4)x1020 cm-2. The best fitting power law photon index is Gamma=2.09+/-0.01. The RGS spectrometers do now show any clear evidence of absorption or emission lines in the 0.3-2 keV energy range. The observed flux is of 9.5x10-12 erg cm-2 s-1 in 0.3-10 keV; the corresponding unabsorbed flux is of 1.2x10-11 erg cm-2 s-1.
This message may be cited.
GCN Circular #5652
D. Grupe (PSU) and Caryl Gronwall (PSU) report on behalf of the Swift team
We report on an update of the Swift XRT and UVOT observations of GRB 060729 (Grupe et al., GCN 5365). The afterglow is still detectable in X-rays at a level of 1e-3 counts/s in the Swift XRT (5e-14 ergs/s/cm2). The late-time decay slope is 1.29+/-0.03. Assuming this decay slope continues, we expect the afterglow to be still detectable in the XRT until the end of December 2006. We plan to follow the afterglow as long as possible. Currently we are at day 61 after the burst, which is the longest period Swift has ever followed and detected an afterglow in X-rays.
In the UVOT the afterglow was still visible in all 6 filters until 9 days after the burst. In UV W1 the afterglow was detectable until 2006-August-29 (31 days after the burst). we still obtain a 3.9 sigma detection at a level of 22.8+/-0.3 mag. We calculated the following late-time flux decay slopes in the 6 UVOT filters:
```
V:    1.11+/-0.14
B:    0.98+/-0.07
U:    1.40+/-0.08
UVW1: 1.29+/-0.03
UVM2: 1.45+/-0.07
UVW2: 1.38+/-0.04
```
These values are slightly different than what has been reported earlier by Grupe (2006, GCN Circ. 5432). However, our new light curves contain more data than what was available earlier.
Assuming the power law decay continues without a break in the optical, our extrapolation of the light curves show that the afterglow will be visible at the beginning of October with V=24.0 mag, B=23.4 mag, U=24.0 mag. At this level a detection of the afterglow is still feasible for a large southern telescope. We, therefore, encourage everybody again who has access to one of the large southern telescopes to follow this afterglow in V, B, and U in order to search for a break in the light curves.
This circular is an official product of the Swift XRT Team.
astro-ph/0611240 from 7 Nov 2006
Grupe: Swift and XMM-Newton Observations of the Extraordinary GRB 060729: An afterglow with a more than 100 days X-ray light curve
We report the results of the Swift and XMM observations of the Swift-discovered Gamma-Ray Burst GRB 060729. The afterglow of this burst was exceptionally bright in X-rays as well as at UV/Optical wavelengths showing an unusually long slow decay phase suggesting a larger energy injection phase at early times than in other bursts. The X-ray light curve displays a break at about 50 ks after the burst. The X-ray decay slope after the break is 1.3. Up to 100 days after the burst we do not detect a jet break. In the first 2 minutes after the burst (rest frame) the X-ray spectrum of the burst changed dramatically from a hard X-ray spectrum to a very soft one. In the blackbody model we find that the temperature changes from $kT=0.6$ keV at 85 s after the burst to 0.1 keV at 160 s after the burst in the rest frame. In Swift's UV/Optical telescope the afterglow was clearly detected up to 9 days after the burst in all 6 filters and even longer in some of the UV filters with the latest detection in the UVW1 31 days after the burst. The breaks seen in the UVOT light curves appear to occur all within the errors at about 50 ks after the burst. 500 ks after the burst. In addition to the Swift observations we also present and discuss the results from a 61 ks Target-of-Opportunity observation by XMM. These observations show a typical afterglow X-ray spectrum with beta-x=1.1 and and absorption column density of $1\times 10^{21}$ cm$^{-2}$. (Abriviated)
1104.0456 from 5 Apr 11
J.K. Cannizzo et al.: Fall-Back Disks in Long and Short GRBs
We present numerical time-dependent calculations for fall-back disks relevant to GRBs in which the disk of material surrounding the black hole (BH) powering the GRB jet modulates the mass flow, and hence the strength of the jet. Given the initial existence of a small mass <10^{-4} msun near the progenitor with a circularization radius ~10^{10}-10^{11} cm, an unavoidable consequence will be the formation of an "external disk" whose outer edge continually moves to larger radii due to angular momentum transport and lack of a confining torque. For long GRBs, if the mass distribution in the initial fall-back disk traces the progenitor envelope, then a radius ~10^{11} cm gives a time scale ~10^4 s for the X-ray plateau. For late times t>10^7 s a steepening due to a cooling front in the disk may have observational support in GRB 060729. For short GRBs, one expects most of the mass initially to lie at small radii <10^8 cm; however the presence of even a trace amount ~10^{-9} msun of high angular momentum material can give a brief plateau in the light curve. By studying the plateaus in the X-ray decay of GRBs, which can last up to ~10^4 s after the prompt emission, Dainotti et al. find an apparent inverse relation between the X-ray luminosity at the end of the plateau and the duration of the plateau. We show that this relation may simply represent the fact that one is biased against detecting faint plateaus, and therefore preferentially sampling the more energetic GRBs. If, however, there were a standard reservoir in fall-back mass, our model can reproduce the inverse X-ray luminosity-duration relation. We emphasize that we do not address the very steep, initial decays immediately following the prompt emission, which have been modeled by Lindner et al. as fall-back of the progenitor core, and may entail the accretion of > 1 msun.
1201.5124 from 26 Jan 12
Eran Sagi et al.: On particle acceleration rate in GRB afterglows
It is well known that collisionless shocks are major sites of particle acceleration in the Universe, but the details of the acceleration process are still not well understood. The particle acceleration rate, which can shed light on the acceleration process, is rarely measured in astrophysical environments. Here we use observations of gamma-ray burst afterglows, which are weakly magnetized relativistic collisionless shocks in ion-electron plasma, to constrain the rate of particle acceleration in such shocks. We find, based on X-ray and GeV afterglows, an acceleration rate that is most likely very fast, approaching the Bohm limit, when the shock Lorentz factor is in the range of 10-100. In that case X-ray observations may be consistent with no amplification of the magnetic field in the shock upstream region. We examine the X-ray afterglow of GRB 060729, which is observed for 642 days showing a sharp decay in the flux starting about 400 days after the burst, when the shock Lorentz factor is about 5. We find that inability to accelerate X-ray emitting electrons at late time provides a natural explanation for the sharp decay, and that also in that case acceleration must be rather fast, and cannot be more than a 100 times slower than the Bohm limit. We conclude that particle acceleration is most likely fast in GRB afterglows, at least as long as the blast wave is ultra-relativistic.
1208.0307 from 2 Aug 12
Zach Cano: The Nature of Gamma Ray Burst Supernovae
Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) and Supernovae (SNe) are among the brightest and most energetic physical processes in the universe. It is known that core-collapse SNe arise from the gravitational collapse and subsequent explosion of massive stars (the progen- itors of nearby core-collapse SNe have been imaged and unambiguously identified). It is also believed that the progenitors of long-duration GRBs (L-GRBs) are massive stars, mainly due to the occurrence and detection of very energetic core-collapse su- pernovae that happen both temporally and spatially coincident with most L-GRBs. However many outstanding questions regarding the nature of these events exist: How massive are the progenitors? What evolutionary stage are they at when they explode? Do they exist as single stars or in binary systems (or both, and to what fractions)? The work presented in this thesis attempts to further our understanding at the types of progenitors that give rise to long-duration GRB supernovae (GRB-SNe). This work is based on optical photometry obtained for three GRB-SNe events: GRB 060729, GRB 090618 and XRF 100316D (an X-Ray Flash is similar to a L-GRB, but has a lower peak energy). For GRB 060729 and GRB 090618 we model the optical light curves and account for light coming from three sources: the host galaxy, the afterglow and the supernova. When we remove the host flux, and model the afterglow, the re- maining flux resembles that of a SN, both in the shape of the light curve and the shape of the spectral energy distribution. Our investigation of XRF 100316D and its spectroscopically-confirmed Ic-BL SN 2010bh is more detailed as we were able to obtain optical and infrared data in many filters, which we utilize to created a quasi-bolometric light curve that we model to determine physical parameters of the SN...

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Jochen Greiner, last update: 02-Aug-2012 [Disclaimer]