GRB 080218A, GRB 080218

E. Fenimore (LANL), S. D. Barthelmy (GSFC), J. Cummings (GSFC/UMBC),
N. Gehrels (GSFC), H. Krimm (GSFC/USRA), C. Markwardt (GSFC/UMD),
K. McLean (GSFC/UMD), D. Palmer (LANL), A. Parsons (GSFC), 
T. Sakamoto (GSFC/UMBC), G. Sato (GSFC/ISAS), M. Stamatikos (GSFC/ORAU),
J. Tueller (GSFC), T. Ukwatta (GWU), H. Ziaeepour (UCL-MSSL)
(i.e. the Swift-BAT team):
 
Using the data set from T-239 to T+303 sec from the recent telemetry downlink,
we report further analysis of BAT GRB 080218A (trigger #303609)
(Ziaeepour, et al., GCN Circ. 7313
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 ).  The BAT ground-calculated position is 
RA, Dec = 355.941, 12.159 deg which is 
   RA(J2000)  = 23h 43m 45.8s 
   Dec(J2000) = 12d 9' 34" 
with an uncertainty of 2.5 arcmin, (radius, sys+stat, 90% containment).
The partial coding was 21%.

The mask-weighted light curve shows three peaks at T-12 sec, T+0 sec, 
and T+9 sec.  T90 (15-350 keV) is 27.6 +- 5.9 sec (estimated 
error including systematics).
 
The time-averaged spectrum from T-12.8 to T+18.6 sec is best fit by a simple
power-law model.  The power law index of the time-averaged spectrum is
2.34 +- 0.35.  The fluence in the 15-150 keV band is 6.3 +- 1.4 x 10^-07 erg/cm2.
The 1-sec peak photon flux measured from T+1.22 sec in the 15-150 keV band
is 1.4 +- 0.4 ph/cm2/sec.  All the quoted errors are at the 90% confidence
level. 
 
The results of the batgrbproduct analysis are available at
http://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov/notices_s/303609/BA/

H. Ziaeepour (UCL-MSSL), S. D. Barthelmy (GSFC),
J. R. Cummings (NASA/UMBC), P. A. Evans (U Leicester),
S. T. Holland (CRESST/USRA/GSFC), J. A. Kennea (PSU),
W. B. Landsman (NASA/GSFC), K. M. McLean (GSFC/UMD), C. Pagani (PSU),
D. M. Palmer (LANL), T. Sakamoto (NASA/UMBC), G. Sato (GSFC/ISAS),
M. Stamatikos (NASA/ORAU), D. E. Vanden Berk (PSU), L. Vetere (PSU)
and P. A. Ward (MSSL-UCL) report on behalf of the Swift Team:

At 20:08:42 UT, the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) triggered and
located GRB 080218 (trigger=303609).  Swift did not slew to the burst
location because of the Sun observing constraint (34 deg from the Sun). 
The BAT on-board calculated location is 
RA, Dec 355.922, +12.175 which is 
   RA(J2000)  =  23h 43m 41s
   Dec(J2000) = +12d 10' 29"
with an uncertainty of 3 arcmin (radius, 90% containment, including 
systematic uncertainty).  The BAT light curve shows a weak peak around T_0. 
The peak count rate was ~400 counts/sec (15-350 keV). 

Because this burst is in the Sun constraint until May,
no XRT or UVOT data will be available. 

Burst Advocate for this burst is H. Ziaeepour (hz AT mssl.ucl.ac.uk). 
Please contact the BA by email if you require additional information
regarding Swift followup of this burst. In extremely urgent cases, after
trying the Burst Advocate, you can contact the Swift PI by phone (see
Swift TOO web site for information: http://www.swift.psu.edu/too.html.)