GCN Circular 263

L. Amati, F. Frontera and N. Masetti (ITESRE/CNR, Bologna), E. Montanari
(University of Ferrara), E. Costa, M. Feroci and
L. Piro (IAS/CNR) report on behalf of the BeppoSAX/GRBM Team:

"The BeppoSAX Gamma Ray Burst Monitor detected GRB990217 (IAUC #7110) as a
weak, single pulse gamma-ray burst lasting about 25 s. The
total fluence in the 40-700 keV energy range is 4307 +/- 195 counts, 
corresponding to (1.3 +/- 0.2) x 10E-6 erg cmE-2. The 1 s peak flux in
the same band is 146 +/- 43 counts/s, corresponding to 
(1.1 +/- 0.3) x 10E-7 erg cmE-2 sE-1. For a comparison, the peak flux 
in the 2-26 keV range as measured by the BeppoSAX/WFC N. 2 (IAUC #7110) is 
about 0.5 Crab, that corresponds to 1.64 x 10E-8 erg cmE-2 sE-1.
The average photon index inferred from the GRBM data with the assumption
of a single power-law is 1.52 +/- 0.55. The low statistical quality of the
data does not allow to better constrain the spectral model."

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