The Swift X-Ray Telescope

David N. Burrows; Joanne E. Hill; John A. Nousek; Alan A. Wells; Guido Chincarini; Anthony F. Abbey; Andrew P. Beardmore; J. Bosworth; Heinrich W. Brauninger; Wolfgang Burkert; Sergio Campana; Milvia Capalbi; W. Chang; Oberto Citterio; Michael J. Freyberg; Paolo Giommi; Gisela D. Hartner; Ronnie Killough; B. Kittle; R. Klar; C. Mangels; M. McMeekin; B. J. Miles; Alberto Moretti; Koji Mori; Dave C. Morris; Kallol Mukerjee; Julian P. Osborne; Alexander D. T. Short; Gianpiero Tagliaferri; Francesca Tamburelli; D. J. Watson; Richard Willingale; Michael E. Zugger

doi:10.1117/12.504868

3 February 2004 The Swift X-Ray Telescope

David N. Burrows, Joanne E. Hill, John A. Nousek, Alan A. Wells, Guido Chincarini, Anthony F. Abbey, Andrew P. Beardmore, J. Bosworth, Heinrich W. Brauninger, Wolfgang Burkert, Sergio Campana, Milvia Capalbi, W. Chang, Oberto Citterio, Michael J. Freyberg, Paolo Giommi, Gisela D. Hartner, Ronnie Killough, B. Kittle, R. Klar, C. Mangels, M. McMeekin, B. J. Miles, Alberto Moretti, Koji Mori, Dave C. Morris, Kallol Mukerjee, Julian P. Osborne, Alexander D. T. Short, Gianpiero Tagliaferri, Francesca Tamburelli, D. J. Watson, Richard Willingale, Michael E. Zugger

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5165, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.504868
Event: Optical Science and Technology, SPIE's 48th Annual Meeting, 2003, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The Swift Gamma-Ray Explorer is designed to make prompt multiwavelength observations of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) and GRB Afterglows. The X-ray Telescope (XRT) provides key capabilities that permit Swift to determine GRB positions with a few arcseconds accuracy within 100 seconds of the burst onset. The XRT utilizes a superb mirror set built for JET-X and a state-of-the-art XMM/EPIC MOS CCD detector to provide a sensitive broad-band (0.2-10 keV) X-ray imager with effective area of 135 cm² at 1.5 keV, field of view of 23.6 x 23.6 arcminutes, and angular resolution of 18 arcseconds (HEW). The detection sensitivity is 2x10^-14 erg/cm²/s in 10⁴ seconds. The instrument is designed to provide automated source detection and position reporting within 5 seconds of target acquisition. It can also measure redshifts of GRBs for bursts with Fe line emission or other spectral features. The XRT will operate in an auto-exposure mode, adjusting the CCD readout mode automatically to optimize the science return for each frame as the source fades. The XRT will measure spectra and lightcurves of the GRB afterglow beginning about a minute after the burst and will follow each burst for days as it fades from view.

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David N. Burrows, Joanne E. Hill, John A. Nousek, Alan A. Wells, Guido Chincarini, Anthony F. Abbey, Andrew P. Beardmore, J. Bosworth, Heinrich W. Brauninger, Wolfgang Burkert, Sergio Campana, Milvia Capalbi, W. Chang, Oberto Citterio, Michael J. Freyberg, Paolo Giommi, Gisela D. Hartner, Ronnie Killough, B. Kittle, R. Klar, C. Mangels, M. McMeekin, B. J. Miles, Alberto Moretti, Koji Mori, Dave C. Morris, Kallol Mukerjee, Julian P. Osborne, Alexander D. T. Short, Gianpiero Tagliaferri, Francesca Tamburelli, D. J. Watson, Richard Willingale, and Michael E. Zugger "The Swift X-Ray Telescope", Proc. SPIE 5165, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII, (3 February 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.504868

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