Results from the Search for the Counterparts of gamma -Ray Bursts Conducted at New Mexico State University
Abstract
We review the efforts to identify the counterparts of gamma -ray bursts conducted at NMSU. We report on the rapid search of the 31 January 1993 gamma -ray error box. Our optical CCD images of a portion of the COMPTEL 1sigma error box, obtained only 12 hours after the burst event, revealed a faint optical transient. This transient was located 1.02() o from the Inter-Planetary Network (IPN) error annulus, and was probably not associated with the GRB930131 event. We present ROSAT observations of the COMPTEL error boxes of two recent gamma -ray bursts: GRB910601, and GRB910814. In both cases, strong X-ray sources were found within the COMPTEL error boxes, and close to the IPN error annuli. Follow-up optical imaging has allowed us to identify possible optical counterparts for some of these X-ray sources. We also present results from an optical photometric and proper motion study of a number of gamma -ray error boxes, including photometry of many of the most recent IPN error annuli. A number of interesting objects were found in and/or near most of these gamma -ray error boxes.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 1993
- Bibcode:
- 1993AAS...183.0416H