GCN Circular 1014

G. Ricker, D. Lamb, and S. Woosley on behalf of the HETE Science Team;

R. Vanderspek, G. Crew, J. Doty, G. Monnelly, J. Villasenor; N. 
Butler, T. Cline, J.G. Jernigan, A. Levine, F. Martel, G. Pizzichini, 
and G. Prigozhin, on behalf of the HETE Operations and HETE 
Optical-SXC Teams;

N. Kawai, M. Matsuoka, Y. Shirasaki, T. Tamagawa, A. Yoshida, E. 
Fenimore, M. Galassi, B. Preger, and  C. Graziani, on behalf of the 
HETE WXM Team;

J-L Atteia, M. Boer, J-F Olive, J-P Dezalay, and K. Hurley on behalf 
of the HETE FREGATE Team;

write:

On 26 March 2001 at 03:15:00 UTC, a hard spectrum, high energy 
transient at high galactic latitude was detected and localized by 
HETE. Both the FREGATE and the WXM instruments detected the event. 
The burst triggered FREGATE in the 30-400 keV band.

The preliminary coordinates of the burst are R.A. = 11h50m59.11s, 
Dec. = -23°32'44" (J2000), derived from combining data from the WXM 
and Boresighted Optical Cameras. The statistical error radius in the 
WXM localization is 10 arcmin (90% confidence). In addition, we 
estimate a systematic error radius at present of 20 arcmin about this 
location. The spacecraft aspect was known to an accuracy of +/- 2 
arcmin (95% confidence) from the optical cameras, and will be 
improved.

The burst exhibited a multiple-peaked structure and lasted about 25 
seconds. The peak flux seen with FREGATE (6-30 keV) was ~1 Crab. The 
peak flux was significantly less in the WXM.

Follow-up observations of this GRB event are encouraged.

Additional information on GRB010326 (including light curves and the 
WXM error box), as well as the HETE mission, is available at:

http://space.mit.edu/HETE/

Acronyms:
HETE=High Energy Transient Explorer
FREGATE=French Gamma Ray Telescope
WXM=Wide Field X-ray Monitor
SXC=Soft X-ray Camera

This message may be cited.