Swift X-Ray Telescope Monitoring Of The Galactic Center Region
Abstract
The rapid slewing capability of the NASA Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer mission, which allows it to rapidly focus on GRB afterglows, also allows for short (1-2 ks) pointed observations to be taken with a high observing efficiency not possible with other multi-wavelength observatories. This high efficiency means monitoring observations of fields over long times is achievable with a relatively small overhead. Starting February 24th, 2006 the Swift X-Ray Telescope (XRT), a CCD based imaging X-ray telescope with a 24' field of view sensitive in the 0.2-10 keV range, has been performing an almost daily 1ks observation of the Galactic Center, centered on Sgr A*. This unique monitoring program allows for both a deep study of diffuse emission and point source population of the Galactic Center in X-ray and also allows for previously impossible long-term (up to 9 month) variability studies of the Galactic Center source population. We present results from the first 6 months of this program, including observations of the Swift discovered transient source, Swift J174535.5-290135.6, 90 arcseconds from Sgr A*, temporal observations of the Sgr A complex, as well as monitoring of the many other X-ray sources in the field.
- Publication:
-
AAS/High Energy Astrophysics Division #9
- Pub Date:
- September 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006HEAD....9.1707K