Afterglow Studies with the Swift UV/Optical Telescope Available to Purchase

The Swift Explorer mission, scheduled for launch in 2003, will be a unique observatory for multi‐wavelength studies of GRBs. Within 50 seconds of a GRB detection by the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT), the X‐Ray Telescope (XRT) and UV/Optical Telescope (UVOT) will begin their collection of data for afterglow studies. Within minutes, UVOT will provide a finding chart to accurately determine the position of the GRB afterglow. Because UVOT must autonomously execute its observing program, flight software will include several automated observing sequences. Using predictions of theoretical models, we produce expected science data products such as images and light curves based on execution of a “standard” GRB automated observing sequence.