Swift/UVOT: 18 Years of Long GRB Discoveries and Advances
Abstract
The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Swift) has been in operation for 18 years. The Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) onboard Swift was designed to capture the earliest optical/UV emission from gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), spanning the first few minutes to days after the prompt gamma-ray emission. In this article, we provide an overview of the long GRBs (whose prompt gamma-ray duration is >2 s) observed by the Swift/UVOT, and review the major discoveries that have been achieved by the Swift/UVOT over the last 18 years. We discuss where improvements have been made to our knowledge and understanding of the optical/UV emission, particularly the early optical/UV afterglow.
- Publication:
-
Universe
- Pub Date:
- February 2023
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2302.13957
- Bibcode:
- 2023Univ....9..113O
- Keywords:
-
- gamma-ray burst: general;
- gamma-ray burst: individual;
- ultraviolet: general;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 34 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Universe as part of the Special Issue "18 Years of Science with the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory's Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope"