GCN Circular 1393
Subject
HETE Observations of GX354-0 (= MXB1728-34, so-called "Slow
Date
2002-05-23T02:58:28Z (23 years ago)
From
George Ricker at MIT <grr@space.mit.edu>
HETE Observations of GX354-0 (= MXB1728-34, so-called "Slow Burster")
G. Ricker, J-L Atteia, N. Kawai, D. Lamb, and S. Woosley on behalf of
the HETE Science Team;
N. Butler, J. Villasenor, G. Crew, J. Doty, G. Monnelly, R.
Vanderspek, T. Cline, J.G. Jernigan, A. Levine, F. Martel, E. Morgan,
G. Prigozhin, J. Braga, R. Manchanda, and G. Pizzichini, on behalf of
the HETE Operations and HETE Optical-SXC Teams;
Y. Shirasaki, M. Matsuoka, T. Tamagawa, K. Torii, T. Sakamoto, A.
Yoshida, E. Fenimore, M. Galassi, T. Tavenner, T. Donaghy, and C.
Graziani, on behalf of the HETE WXM Team;
M. Boer, J-F Olive, J-P Dezalay, and K. Hurley on behalf of the HETE
FREGATE Team;
write:
Beginning on 20 May 2002, the fields-of-view of the Fregate and WXM
instruments on HETE have been pointed toward a region of the sky
near the Galactic Center (GC) that is populated by a large number of
X-ray burst (XRB) sources. Bursts from one XRB source in particular,
GX354-0 (=MXB1728-34, the so-called "Slow Burster"), are being
detected and localized regularly. Four bursts from this source were
detected on 21-22 May. During the next ~4 days (i.e., until 26 May),
the FOVs of FREGATE and WXM will continue to point toward the GC;
i.e., in a direction that is favorable for the detection of XRBs from
GX354-0 and from other XRB sources. The current plan is for HETE to
then point away from the GC until ~1 June, after which it will again
point toward the GC until the end of June. To better inform observers
about these X-ray bursts, the HETE Team will regularly post the
occurrence times, and signal-to-noise levels in the 8-40 keV band, of
GX354-0 bursts. A link to these postings is given at the HETE website:
http://space.mit.edu/HETE/
Should XRBs from other notable X-ray burst sources become active and
localizable, the times and brightnesses of these bursts will be
posted at the same site.
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