GRB 241001A: Swift-XRT afterglow detection

Swift-XRT has conducted further observations of the field of the SVOM/ECLAIRs-detected burst GRB 241001A. The observations now extend from T0+6.5 ks to T0+456.2 ks. Of the sources previously reported, "Source 2" is fading with >3-sigma significance, and is therefore likely the GRB afterglow. As previously noted, this source is spatially consistent with the optical afterglow reported in GCNs 37673, 37677, 37678, 37679 and 37695. Using 3254 s of PC mode data and 2 UVOT images, we find an enhanced XRT position (using the XRT-UVOT alignment and matching UVOT field sources to the USNO-B1 catalogue): RA, Dec = 20.55276, -43.47506 which is equivalent to: RA (J2000): 01h 22m 12.66s Dec(J2000): -43d 28' 30.2" with an uncertainty of 3.4 arcsec (radius, 90% confidence). This position is 6.6 arcmin from the SVOM/ECLAIRs position. The source is fading with alpha >0.3. The results of the XRT-team automatic analysis are available at http://www.swift.ac.uk/xrt_products/00021719. The results of the full analysis of the XRT observations are available at https://www.swift.ac.uk/ToO_GRBs/00021719. This circular is an official product of the Swift-XRT team.